Area Tournament Championship: West Raleigh 10U Blue 17, OBX 7 #Wooooooooo

It actually was as nice a day as it looked like on Sunday in Roanoke Rapids:

And 10U Blue made good use of the weather, winning the area championship with a 17-7 victory over Outer Banks in a game shortened to five innings by the run rule. The game saw 10U Blue's biggest offensive output of the weekend, as they pounded out 16 hits. Most impressively, however, they also answered OBX's roundhouse of a fourth inning, as the visitors put up seven runs in the top of the fourth--by far the biggest inning against WR 10U this summer--to tie the score at seven.

With the score tied and the crowd getting a little rowdy, West Raleigh responded in the bottom of the fourth by hanging an eight-spot, retaking the lead they had held and even padding it by a run. Then they closed it out in the fifth by plating two more runs to invoke the 10-run rule. 

For the tournament, West Raleigh pitched all 11 available pitchers and outscored four opponents 54-10. Monday is an off day before state tournament preparation begins on Tuesday.

As per usual, 10U Blue celebrated with the formal team photo:

And then the team selfie:

Championship #selfie after the area tourney win: pic.twitter.com/jiWGCsscAq

— West Raleigh 10U (@WR10UBlue) June 28, 2015

You can also cross another goal off the list. See that area over to the right where it lists the summer schedule? It used to say "If Qualified" beside the state tournament. No longer, because 10U Blue is officially qualified.

Championship 10U Blue scoring plays

First inning

Bryce walked. Banks singled. A wild pitch advanced both runners. Chace was intentionally walked. Ben singled home Bryce. Brady drew a two-out bases loaded walk. Elias was hit by a pitch, forcing in Chace. JT picked up an RBI walk.

Score after one inning: WR 10U Blue 4, OBX 0

Second inning
Bryce singled. Banks singled and then took second on the throw. Gavin lashed a two-run double. A wild pitch moved him to third, where he scored on Chace's fielder's choice.
Score after two innings: WR 10U Blue 7, OBX 0

Fourth inning (WOOOOOOOO!!!) (You had to be there)
With one out, Andrew sprinted down the line and beat out an infield single. Brady singled. Elias was hit by a pitch yet again. JT ripped a two-run go-ahead double. Woo! Asher drove in Elias. Woooo! Bryce smacked an RBI single. WOOOOOO! Banks lined it nearly to the fence, scoring Bryce. WOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Gavin drove in Banks. WOOOOOOOO WOOOOOOO WOOOOOOO! Gavin stole second and went to third on an error, then scored on Chace's single. WOOOOOOO WOOOOO WOOOOOO WOOOOOO! Ben blasted an RBI triple to finish the scoring. To summarize:
Wooo.
Wooo.
Wooo.
Score after four innings: WR 10U Blue 15, OBX 7

Fifth inning
Brady walked and went to second on a wild pitch. JT lined a one-out single and stole second. Asher drove in Brady. Bryce went walk-off for the second straight day, driving in JT.
Score after five innings: WR 10U Blue 17, OBX 7

Pitching Performances
Chace pitched a hitless first two innings, allowing just one ball out of the infield.

Brady worked a perfect third inning.

Bryce and Banks got some key outs in relief in the fourth, and then Banks closed it out in the fifth.

Championship Web Gems

• Chace made two plays off the pitcher's mound in the first inning in retiring the top of the order 1-2-3.
• Joe made a nice play on a sinking liner to left in the third.
• Andrew made a couple good stops at third base in the fifth, getting one force at second and another across the diamond at first.

Championship line score	1	2	3	4	5	6	R	H
OBX	0	0	0	7	0	X	7	4
WR 10U Blue	4	3	0	8	2	X	17	16

Area Tournament Semifinals: West Raleigh 10U Blue 13, Roanoke Rapids 3

Saturday dawned with people around the world, including London bobbies, desperate for their favorite team on Earth--West Raleigh 10U, of course, to advance to the area title game:

Something very important happened on Saturday: the pregame music on the PA included “Watch me whip.” This was a very popular choice on the West Raleigh side:

There was also a game, which 10U Blue won 16-3 to move into the area tournament championship game. They did so on the strength of great coaching, with a coaching staff willing to impart valuable wisdom to this group of 10-year-olds. Such as, for example, how to flip a bat behind your back without hitting yourself in the butt.

Once the dancing and bat shenanigans subsided, Roanoke Rapids put the first opposing run of the tournament on the board in the first, taking a quick 1-0 lead. But West Raleigh bounced back and scored three runs in the bottom of the frame, then pounded out 11 hits for the game and got quality performances on the mound from three different pitchers.

That advances West Raleigh to the title game tomorrow at 2 p.m., which pleases Sensei Eric very much:

Early morning in Roanoke Rapids, Coach @HappyChappye wants 10U to #sweeptheleg. #waxon #waxoff pic.twitter.com/j7ngROGNpb

— West Raleigh 10U (@WR10UBlue) June 27, 2015

Semifinal WR 10U Blue scoring plays

First inning

Gavin reached on a two-out single. Chace walked. Each runner stole a base. Ben walked. Andrew cleared the bases with a drive to right.

Score after one inning: WR 10U Blue 3, Roanoke Rapids 1

Second inning

Joe walked. Elias smacked an RBI double. Asher singled and took second on the throw from the outfield. Bryce singled in Elias. After a walk to Banks, Chace drove in a pair with an RBI single.

Score after two innings: WR 10U Blue 7, Roanoke Rapids 1

Third inning

With the rally snipers fully fueled:

Andrew crushed a leadoff double and stole third. A wild pitch scored him. Colin beat out a ball in the infield and went to second on a wild pitch. Brady walked. Both runners moved up on a wild pitch. Bryce laced a two-run single.

Score after three innings: WR 10U Blue 10, Roanoke Rapids 3

Fourth inning

Banks walked and went to second on a fielder’s choice. A wild pitch moved him to third. Chace walked and took second on a wild pitch. Ben’s fielder’s choice scored Banks. A wild pitch scored Chace.

Score after four innings: WR 10U Blue 12, Roanoke Rapids 3

Fifth inning

Needing just one run for the run rule, Joe and Elias singled. JT powered a ball to right to load the bases, and then Bryce turned on an inside fastball and went walk-off down the left field line.

Score after five innings: WR 10U Blue 13, Roanoke Rapids 3




Pitching Performances

Two great innings from Banks starting the game, as he retired the final four batters he faced.

Gavin recorded a strikeout and got the final two outs of the third on balls back to the mound.

Bryce closed it out with two shutout innings, finishing with a strikeout in the fifth.

Semifinal Web Gems

•   Asher threw out a runner stealing second in the first, with Gavin making an especially impressive tag considering that the runner was throwing a rolling block.

•   Bryce knocked down a shot ticketed for left field in the first, and then Gavin scooped it up and fired to first to get the runner by a half-step.

•   Gavin hopped off the mound and made a play on the right side, then took it himself for the final out in the third.

•   Sweet double play in the fourth. With one out and a man on first, Banks scooped up a grounder to first, stepped on the bag, then threw to Gavin covering second, who applied the tag for the inning-ending double play.

Semifinal line score	1	2	3	4	5	6	R	H
Roanoke Rapids	1	0	2	0	0	X	3	6
WR 10U Blue	3	4	3	2	1	X	13	11

Area Tournament Game 2: West Raleigh 10U Blue 14, South Granville 0

A day after managing just four hits in the opening game of the area tournament, West Raleigh smacked five hits in the first inning against South Granville, then piled on nine more hits the next two times at bat in a 14-0 victory limited to four innings by the run rule.

The win was a quality combination of hitting and pitching. The bats pounded out eight extra-base hits, as every slot in the order scored at least one time. And three pitchers combined on a no-hitter, facing the minimum 12 SGAA batters in four innings and striking out eight.

All the stats and records are nice, but what’s most important about Friday’s game is the debut of some snazzy new water bottles, which were the hit of the day:

By the way, if you ever wondered why they invented technology, here’s Coach Eric FaceTiming with the team in the dugout right before the game. They really look like a bunch about to go out and score 14 runs, don’t they?

Those who stayed to enjoy the downtown Roanoke Rapids area then retired to the pool, where there was apparently a rematch against the OBX squad, but this time in the pool:

The win means 10U Blue moves on to Saturday's 11 a.m. game against homesteading Roanoke Rapids. Someone keep an eye on Dan, because these two teams have met before.

Game 2 WR 10U Blue scoring plays

First inning

Banks cracked a one-out triple and scored on Gavin’s triple. Chace singled in Gavin and then stole second. With two outs, Andrew singled home Chace and then stole second. Brady tripled home Andrew.

Score after one inning: WR 10U Blue 4, SGAA 0

Second inning

Joe tripled and scored on a passed ball.

Score after four innings: WR 10U Blue 5, SGAA 0

Third inning

Gavin reached on a fielder’s choice and stole second. JT crushed an RBI double. Ben scored him with a shot to the outfield, then scored on Andrew’s single. Brady doubled home Andrew. A two-out double from Elias scored Brady. Colin lined an RBI single. Bryce singled. Banks tripled home a pair, then scored on Gavin’s single.

Score after three innings: WR 10U Blue 14, SGAA 0




Pitching Performances

Chace started and threw two stellar innings, facing the minimum and striking out five.

Ben pitched the third inning and struck out a pair, needing just 17 pitches to get through the frame.

Colin closed it out in the fourth with just ten pitches.

Game 2 Web Gems

•   With only four hitters putting the ball in play, there wasn’t a lot to choose from. But Asher threw out a runner stealing second in the second, with Gavin making the tag.

•   Nice job by Colin to field a ball off the mound in the fourth, then take his time and make a solid toss to first to get the leadoff man.

•   Coach Kevin praised the catchers after the game for a quality performance blocking balls in the dirt and managing the game.

Game 2 line score	1	2	3	4	5	6	R	H
South Granville	0	0	0	0	X	X	0	0
WR 10U Blue	4	1	9	X	X	X	14	14