Top Gun Zone Qualifier Game 2: WR 10U Blue 18, Granville Storm 1

And now for the highlights of Saturday's second game, an 18-1 win over the Granville Storm:

That about does it. Tomorrow's game is at TBA at Neill's Creek Park (the other Angier field) at a time TBA. 

Oh, what? You wanted to know about the baseball game? Well, as Coach Sean correctly observed, the second game featured another batch of less than mediocre pitching. This time, it was a trio of 10U Blue pitchers who were rocked to the tune of...oh my goodness...this is painful...do you boys ever practice?...zero hits. 

Luckily, the substandard pitching was balanced by a booming offense that blasted 18 runs in three innings. Every player in the lineup reached base at least once, ten different players had a hit, and ten different players scored a run. 

It was also the second straight win with JT in the dugout instead of on the field where he belongs. But he still found a way to contribute, coming up with the line of the day. As he brought the blank lineup card to Coach Sean during the few minutes before the start of game two, he looked at the head coach with a perfectly straight face and said, "I'm not your errand boy." 

The win meant it was time for the super-secret West Raleigh 10U Blue initiation procedures. This is an age-old ritual that is shrouded in mystery and very rarely revealed to the public.

OK, that's not true. What it really means is that two members of the 10U Blue family (Joe and Coach Matt) had never been to Sunni Sky's. That has now been remedied.  

It's possible that tomorrow's exact game time and field could not be known until somewhat late tonight. Stay tuned.

Game 2 10U Blue scoring plays

First inning

Gavin cracked a two-out single and stole second. When Andrew grounded to shortstop, Gavin hustled to third, then sprinted home after Andrew legged out the infield hit. Andrew stole second and went to third on a wild pitch. Banks beat out a ball in the infield that scored Andrew. Ben singled home Banks.

Score after one-half inning: WR 10U Blue 3, Granville Storm 0

Second inning
Bryce led off with a single and stole second. Asher dropped a single, and then Bryce scored and Asher went to second on an error. A wild pitch put Asher on third. Another wild pitch scored Asher. Chace walked. Elias singled, and an error by the third baseman moved both runners up a base. With two outs, Gavin blasted a two-RBI triple, then scored on a wild pitch. Andrew and Banks walked. A wild pitch put Andrew on third, and then he scored on a first-and-third play even though apparently 10U "doesn't run the bases very aggressively."
Score after one and a half innings: WR 10U Blue 9, Granville Storm 1

Third inning
Brady singled. Bryce singled. Joe singled. Asher singled. Chace singled. THE WHOLE WORLD SINGLED. Oh, sorry. So, after Joe drove in a run, Asher drove in two, and Chace drove in another one, four runners had crossed the plate. Then, with one out, Colin's line drive scored Chace. Gavin doubled Colin to third. Andrew walked, and then a walk to Banks forced in a run. Ben doubled home two. Brady's fielder's choice scored Banks with the final tally of the nine-run inning.
Score after two and a half innings: WR 10U Blue 18, Granville Storm 1

Pitching Performances
Banks (fanned one in the first while working out of a jam), Bryce (1-2-3 in the second) and Gavin (just 11 pitches in buzzing through the third) teamed up on a second consecutive 10U Blue no-hitter.

Game 2 Web Gems

• With runners on second and third and just one out, Elias caught a fly ball to medium center, then threw a strike to the plate to keep the runner on third from tagging and scoring.
• Playing second base, Colin made a leaping catch of a line drive that looked headed for the gap in the third.

Game 2 line score	1	2	3	4	5	6	R	H
WR 10U Blue	3	6	9	X	X	X	18	13
Granville Storm	1	0	0	X	X	X	1	0