Top Gun NC State Games Semifinals: 11U Quick Strike 4, WR 11U Blue 2

After a very good Saturday, 11U Blue was reminded on Sunday that there is still work to be done. Most notably, there's work to be done on hitting breaking pitches, as after a curveball-free regular season at West Raleigh, 11U Blue fell victim to a curveball-heavy Carolina Quick Strike team and lost 4-2 in a very well-played game. 

The Quick Strike used just two pitchers, both of whom kept West Raleigh off-balance all day. The top-seeded Blue team collected just four hits and never got more than one hit in an inning. Most tellingly, they were 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position in a game that somewhat unexpectedly went the full six innings despite an hour and 20-minute time limit.

The game continued a trend of very close games between these two teams, as three of the last five meetings between the core of these two clubs (either playing as the Canes, 919 or 11U Blue)--dating back to last fall--have been decided by two runs or fewer.

11U Blue gets back on the practice field on Monday and has the summer's first full week of practice before being back at Thomas Brooks next weekend.

Semifinal 11U Blue scoring plays

Third inning

Elias walked, stole second, and raced home on Asher's single.

Score after three innings: 11U Blue 1, Quick Strike 0

Fourth inning

Gavin singled and stole second. He went to third on a fielder's choice, then stole home.

Score after four innings: 11U Blue 2, Quick Strike 1

Pitching Performances

Drew was dominant through four innings.

Asher was solid in an inning and two-thirds of relief.

Chace finished up the sixth.

Semifinal Web Gems

• Gavin went in the hole between third and short to backhand a grounder in the first, and Banks dug it out at first to retire the side.
• With the exception of a couple early-season mental errors that will be cleaned up as the summer progresses, West Raleigh was fairly clean in the field. For the weekend, they were charged with just two errors in 14 innings.

Semifinal line score	1	2	3	4	5	6	R	H
Quick Strike	0	0	0	1	1	2	4	4
WR 11U Blue	0	0	1	1	0	0	2	4