Top Gun NC State Games Game 2: WR 11U Blue 13, Blue Storm 3

11U Blue finished up a perfect opening day of play with a 13-3 win over the 12U Blue Storm at Thomas Brooks. The game was shortened to four innings by the run rule.

The Blue Storm was a very, very slow-moving storm. That allowed plenty of time for insightful dugout conversations, as you will see below. There was also a multiple-inning conversation about cricket (the game, not the insect). Overall, though, it was a well-played game, and five 11U Blue pitchers combined to walk zero in the two games. 

The 2-0 record on Saturday means 11U Blue will be in the gold bracket, which means morning game times on Sunday. Complete seeds and times will be available later tonight.

Game 2 11U Blue scoring plays

First inning

Bryce doubled and went to third on a fielder's choice. Chace walked. Banks blasted a two-run triple.

Score after one-half inning: 11U Blue 2, Blue Storm 0

Third inning

Bryce singled and went to second on an error. Jake singled. Gavin was hit by a pitch. Bryce scored on a wild pitch. Chace cracked a two-run double. Chace stole third and scored on a wild pitch. 

Score after two and a half innings: 11U Blue 6, Blue Storm 0

Fourth inning
Ben singled and stole second. He went to third on a passed ball and scored on Asher's single. Jake singled. Gavin singled home Asher. A wild pitch moved up both runners, and Chace walked. Two scored on Banks' grounder. Drew lined a two-run single. Andrew walked, and when there were some defensive adventures, it turned into a two-base walk and Drew scored.
Score after three and a half innings: 11U Blue 13, Blue Storm 0

Pitching Performances

Chace started and fired two shutout frames.

Banks threw a shutout third.

Colin ran into some defensive issues in the fourth but still finished the inning throwing 16 of his final 17 pitches for strikes.

Dugout wisdom
This is a picture of the Storm left fielder after Gavin was hit on the hand in the third inning. Most players take a knee. But why take a knee when you can take a nap? FYI, it is not recommended that anyone lie down in the outfield on 11U Blue.

More dugout wisdom: another player, I think it was Bryce, asked me how many pitches the Storm pitcher had thrown in the fourth inning. I responded, "32." Then I realized Gavin was giving me an incredulous look. "We have 32 hits IN THIS INNING?" he asked. Not yet, Gavin.

The players often pass the time during Blue offensive innings by attempting to call what is about to happen. The most frequent guess is, of course, "Dinger." But, as far as I know, you're only supposed to get one guess. With Chace up in the first, Asher said, "I'm calling it right here. Dinger. If not that, double in the gap. If not that, single." So, three guesses. And...

Chace walked.

Game 2 Web Gems

• The first inning was chock full of web gems, as Bryce made a nice play in center to limit the hitter to only a single on a ball to the fence.
• Drew made a diving play at third on the next hitter, and got up to fire across to Banks to get the out. Not content with just one out, Banks then threw a rocket across the diamond to Gavin, who had alertly covered third and made the tag for the double play.
• Ben wrapped up the inning with a racing, backhanded catch in right-center to retire the side.
• After a leadoff double in the second, Jake scooped up a backhand grounder in the hole at short, then threw behind the runner to Colin at second to nail him.
• Banks unleashed a wicked pickoff move on a runner at first, who was then retired on a quick Banks-Chace-Gavin rundown.
• Andrew raced back to haul in a pop up just over second base in the fourth. 

Game 2 line score	1	2	3	4	5	6	R	H
WR 11U Blue	2	0	4	7	X	X	13	12
Blue Storm	0	0	0	3	X	X	3	7