Top Gun Rock the Diamond Game 4: Perquimans River Cats 9, WR 11U Blue 2

The 12U Perquimans River Cats posted the biggest inning of the summer against 11U Blue--an eight-run first--on the way to a 9-2 victory. In addition to being the first time a team scored eight runs against West Raleigh in a single inning, it was also the first time a coach and parent from the other team exchanged punches during pregame warmups, but that's another story.

Perquimans featured, by far, some of the best pitching West Raleigh has seen this summer, including a quality lefty starter and a reliever who threw smoke. As Coach Sean told the team after the game, "You're not going to see pitching like that in the regional," since it's pretty much physically impossible for an 11-year-old to throw a baseball that hard.

After the early hiccups, however, 11U Blue acquitted itself fairly well, and after a Monday night practice at Ephesus will be bound for the Southeast Regionals. As Coach Kevin Barbour put it, "Good job, guys" "Regionals start now."

Game 4 11U Blue scoring plays

Third inning

JT singled and stole second. A wild pitch moved him to third. Colin walked and went to second on a wild pitch. Bryce walked. Gavin worked an RBI walk. Chace's RBI liner to right scored Colin.
Score after two and a half innings: Perquimans 8, WR 11U Blue 2

Pitching Performances

Chace worked out of some trouble in the first.

Gavin threw two great innings of relief.

Colin spun a scoreless fourth.

Dugout wisdom
Near the conclusion of what was a long and hot day, the home plate umpire wiped the sleep from his eyes and walked over to the West Raleigh dugout. "Coach, we're an hour and 37 minutes into the game," he told Coach Sean. "You can check my math, but I think that means we've got seven minutes until the 1:45 time limit." Coach Sean, to his credit, just nodded.

The umpire nodded authoritatively, then walked back behind the plate to call the balls, strikes, and balls that he called strikes.

Also, I have to include this. My parents came over to eat dinner after the game and we were discussing how it was possible that there are so many good baseball players in Perquimans County, North Carolina. "Who even knows where Perquimans County is?" I foolishly said.

"It's up near Virginia in the northeast corner of the state," my dad immediately replied. "The county seat is Hertford. Catfish Hunter is from there."

This concludes today's lesson from the North Carolina Board of Tourism Asher's grandfather.

Game 4 Web Gems

• Drew made a good play ranging back behind third for a pop-up in the second.
• Gavin stopped a scorching grounder in the fourth and tossed to second for the force.

Game 4 line score	1	2	3	4	5	6	R	H
WR 11U Blue	0	0	2	0	0	X	2	3
Perquimans	8	0	1	0	X	X	9	6