The second-biggest inning of the summer powered 11U Blue to an impressive 16-4 win over GBI Express Blue 12U at Thomas Brooks.
In a rematch of a pair of teams that played a good game back during Canes season, GBI actually got out to a 4-3 lead after two innings. But West Raleigh outscored them 13-0 over the final three frames, taking advantage of nine walks and a rare three balks. Nine of those runs crossed the plate in the fifth.
The 11U Blue bullpen was key, as a pair of pitchers combined to allow just a pair of hits over the final three innings, never allowing a runner past second base.
The victory put 11U Blue in the championship game at 4:45 with a first-ever meeting against Team Ghost, a team from Carthage.
First inning
Gavin reached on an error and went to second on a wild pitch. Chace walked. Drew walked. A wild pitch scored Gavin, and then another scored Chace.
Score after one-half inning: 11U Blue 2, GBI 0
Second inning
Colin doubled and scored on Bryce's triple.
Score after one and a half innings: 11U Blue 3, GBI 1
Fourth inning
Jake walked, then went all the way around to score on an errant pickoff throw. Ben walked, advanced a pair of bases on two wild pitches, and then scored on a balk. Bryce walked, the balk moved him to third, and then he scored on a wild pitch. Gavin walked, stole second, and scored on a pair of wild pitches.
Score after three and a half innings: 11U Blue 7, GBI 4
Fifth inning
Grab a chair and a snack. Drew doubled and went to third on a fielder's choice. He scored on a balk. Banks doubled and went to third on a wild pitch. Jake walked and stole second. Elias singled home two. He stole second, then went to third on JT's single. A balk scored Eli and moved up JT. Another balk put JT on third. Ben doubled. Gavin lined a two-out single. Chace hit a two-run single. Drew crushed a two-run homer.
Score after four and a half innings: 11U Blue 16, GBI 4
Pitching Performances
Fourth inning
Jake walked, then went all the way around to score on an errant pickoff throw. Ben walked, advanced a pair of bases on two wild pitches, and then scored on a balk. Bryce walked, the balk moved him to third, and then he scored on a wild pitch. Gavin walked, stole second, and scored on a pair of wild pitches.
Score after three and a half innings: 11U Blue 7, GBI 4
Fifth inning
Grab a chair and a snack. Drew doubled and went to third on a fielder's choice. He scored on a balk. Banks doubled and went to third on a wild pitch. Jake walked and stole second. Elias singled home two. He stole second, then went to third on JT's single. A balk scored Eli and moved up JT. Another balk put JT on third. Ben doubled. Gavin lined a two-out single. Chace hit a two-run single. Drew crushed a two-run homer.
Score after four and a half innings: 11U Blue 16, GBI 4
Pitching Performances
Andrew started and went two good innings.
Banks threw a pair of lights-out innings of relief.
Ben closed it out with a scoreless fifth.
Dugout wisdom
I'm not going to reveal the identity of either the speaker or the subject of the comment, but it was completely and totally accurate when an anonymous 11U Blue player said, "The only time he runs is when the microwave dings."
Keeping in mind that Drew had crushed two homers in the last two games, it was funny when he hit one off the fence in the fifth, only to have JT immediately say, "Do you even lift, bro?"
In his next at-bat--also in the fifth--Drew answered the question by hitting one over both fences.
Shortly after that smash, Jake was sitting in the dugout and noticed an injury. "I hurt my finger, just like Drew and Chace," he said. "You know what that means. I'm going to hit dingers like them."
Banks threw a pair of lights-out innings of relief.
Ben closed it out with a scoreless fifth.
Dugout wisdom
I'm not going to reveal the identity of either the speaker or the subject of the comment, but it was completely and totally accurate when an anonymous 11U Blue player said, "The only time he runs is when the microwave dings."
Keeping in mind that Drew had crushed two homers in the last two games, it was funny when he hit one off the fence in the fifth, only to have JT immediately say, "Do you even lift, bro?"
In his next at-bat--also in the fifth--Drew answered the question by hitting one over both fences.
Shortly after that smash, Jake was sitting in the dugout and noticed an injury. "I hurt my finger, just like Drew and Chace," he said. "You know what that means. I'm going to hit dingers like them."
Semifinal Web Gems
- JT had a very quick release after fielding a hopper in the first, which enabled him to get the hitter at first.
- Gavin went into shallow left to haul in a pop fly (a play he made at least three times on Sunday) for the second out of the first.
- The 11U Blue defense made all the plays throughout the five innings to eliminate any chance of a big GBI inning.
Semifinal line score
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
5
|
6
|
R
|
H
|
WR 11U Blue
|
2
|
1
|
0
|
4
|
9
|
X
|
16
|
11
|
GBI Express Blue
|
1
|
3
|
0
|
0
|
X
|
X
|
4
|
6
|
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