Summing Up The Summer

Three weeks ago, some overly optimistic blogger promised a forthcoming blog post "later this week" on the stats compiled by 9U Blue over the summer. Hopefully, you understood that "later this week" meant "sometime in August," so here we go.

First, the basics. 9U Blue finished the summer with an overall record of 24-1. Two of those wins and the one loss came in a 10U tournament, so we're going to take out those three games for the purposes of these stats. The overall record against 9U teams was 22-0.

In the 22 games against age-group competition, West Raleigh outscored opponents 292-37. That's an average of approximately 13-2 per game over the course of the summer. The average stayed fairly constant once Ripken play--ostensibly against West Raleigh's peers--began. In the area, state and regional tournaments, 9U Blue outscored opponents by a combined 171-21, or an average of 12.2-1.5 over the 14 games. To put that another way, West Raleigh opponents scored a total of 21 runs in the three Ripken tournaments. That's how many runs 9U Blue scored in just one game of the state tournament (the win over Winterville).

Supposedly, the beginning of kid-pitch was going to neutralize the big West Raleigh bats that had terrorized 7U and 8U opponents. Instead, the squad hit .438 as a team and posted a team on-base percentage of .551. That means that factoring in the patience to take walks, this year's on-base percentage was almost exactly the same as last summer's against the machine (.586).

If you're wondering exactly how often you were nervous this summer, the answer is: not very. West Raleigh trailed at the end of just nine of the 97 innings (9.3%) that it played against age group competition.

In the first summer of kid-pitch competition, six different 9U Blue pitchers had ERAs of 2.00 or lower. And that's not just throwing one good inning and then never pitching again. Included among those six sub-2.00 pitchers were the three most frequently used pitchers (based on innings) and four of the top five most frequently used pitchers.

How good was the pitching? In the Southeast Regional, against the best teams in the region, the seven West Raleigh hurlers who saw action gave up just ten earned runs in the six games, for an average of just 1.7 earned runs per game. To put that stinginess into perspective, the 9U offense scored more than ten runs in one inning of the championship game.

In other words, it was another incredible summer of baseball by an incredible group of kids and an apparently somewhat passable group of coaches.

Ice Bucket Challenge

In case you're afraid that Coach Sean has been bored since coaching West Raleigh to the 9U Southeast Regional championship, worry no longer:

By the way, if you want to know the history behind the Ice Bucket Challenge, this is a terrific SportsCenter feature that is worth your seven minutes.

UPDATE: That didn't take long. Here's Coach Kevin and Bryce:

Regionals Championship: WR 9U Blue 14, Glen Allen (Va.) 5

It gets a little old reading what I say about this particular baseball team. You know the deal: "West Raleigh beat ____ by a score of ____. In the third inning ____, ____ and ____ made unbelievable plays. _____ got a big hit and _____ was awesome on the mound."

We get used to it. It's hard not to take it for granted, because we see it all the time. Of course they turned a 6-4-3 double play, because all 9-year-olds turn 6-4-3 double plays. Don't they? Well, no. Of course they hit the ball to the fence and run the bases like their hair is on fire and throw strikes because everyone does that. Don't they? Well, no.

So here's a sampling of comments from other teams over the past week that show you what it's like to watch West Raleigh 9U Blue for the first time.

"Do these kids on the other team ever make an error? I mean, 9-year-olds make errors, right?"--Said by the scorekeeper on the opposing team during the regional quarterfinals. (For the record, no, they didn't make an error in that game)

"I have been in coaching for a lot of years, and I have never seen a team like yours. They are an unbelievable team."--Said by the coach of the regional semifinal opponent (Who had just watched 9U Blue beat his very good team by a combined 31-1 over eight innings in two games)

"We have bigger boys on our team than you do, but you have baseball players."--Said by a parent from East Rowan, the western North Carolina champion

Saturday's semifinal win set up a championship game against Glen Allen (Va.). These two teams had met in last year's regionals, but Glen Allen has two teams, and this was the other one--not the one from 2013.

Let's get this straight: this Glen Allen team was very, very good. They blew through the Virginia state tournament by 10-run ruling everyone in sight, winning their four games on the way to the title by a combined score of 47-6. They'd had much the same success in Palm Beach Gardens, winning their first five games at the regional by a combined score of 62-17. Two of those wins came against a Manatee (Fl.) club that had been undefeated this summer before running into Glen Allen.

They are a very talented squad, and showed it early by building a 5-2 lead through three innings. But then something completely unexpected happened: an 11-run inning. That's right, for the second straight year, West Raleigh put together an 11-run inning in the regional championship game. Last year, it happened in the first. This year, it took all the way until the fourth. If it doesn't happen until the seventh next year, I'm not sure my heart can take it.

The 11-run explosion was the second-most runs scored in any inning by 9U Blue this summer (they had a 13-run frame against some weaker competition) and it was unbelievable. Thirteen straight hitters reached base. The eleven runs were scored consecutively, with eleven straight hitters scoring. Glen Allen went through three different pitchers without getting an out, leading to this conversation:

Adam: "They have a lot of pitchers."

Coach Regan: "Yeah, but everyone on our team pitches."

Adam: "Not in the same inning."

By the time the offensive outburst was finished, West Raleigh had taken a 14-5 lead and seized complete control of the game. Glen Allen was so stunned that they managed only two singles the rest of the game, and their final seven batters in a row were retired in order with only one of them hitting the ball out of the infield. That left plenty of time to enjoy Giovanna's epic cheering in the West Raleigh rooting section...not sure exactly what was going on, but at one point I heard a rooster crow.

The victory made West Raleigh just the third team in the last seven years to take back-to-back 8U and 9U Southeast Regional championships. It was a very well-played game by two teams you have a feeling might see each other again at some point:

Tournament rules had required 9U Blue to pose for a team photo with the championship banner before the semifinal game (all four teams had to do it). That one seemed like a formality and maybe a little bit of bad luck. This one, however, was a lot more fun:

There will be a post later this week about some of the unbelievable stats compiled this summer. But it felt important to close the championship game entry with a stat you might not know. Sitting next to the dugout every day in my John-appointed spot, at some point on Friday morning, I realized I almost always heard one voice consistently above all the others. Surprisingly, I am not talking about Coach Kevin.

So, on Saturday I decided to keep track of the number of times that quiet in the dugout was broken by Eli's voice leading a cheer or encouraging his teammates. That total was 22 times over the ten innings that were played on Saturday. That means that 22 different times the kid who most wanted to be out there--but couldn't be because of a fractured bone--tried to pick up his teammates and be as much a part of the team as he could possibly be.

Looking forward to having Elias back on the field this fall. But in the meantime, we found out what we already knew, which is that there's no better kid to have on the team than one who makes it a priority to be part of the team even at a low point for him personally.

Championship Blue scoring plays

Third inning

Asher and Bryce worked back-to-back walks leading off the frame, then advanced a base on JT’s sacrifice bunt. Gavin walked to load the bases, and then Chace and Brady each coaxed RBI walks as 9U Blue picked up two runs without the benefit of a hit.

Score after two and a half innings: WR Blue 9U 2, Glen Allen 1

Fourth inning

Grab a snack and get comfortable. Banks put together a terrific leadoff at-bat, falling behind 0-2 but then battling back and eventually singling through the right side on the seventh pitch of the sequence. Andrew and Asher walked to load the bases, and then the floodgates opened. Bryce mashed a two-run double. JT singled home Asher and then took second on the throw. Gavin singled in Bryce and then took second on the throw. Two runs came home on Chace’s bullet through the left side. Brady lifted an RBI double. Ben singled and took second on the throw. Batting for the second time in the inning, Banks (who personally saw 11 pitches in the third inning, or more than West Raleigh pitchers threw to get three outs apiece in the second, fourth, fifth or sixth) walked. Andrew drove in Brady. Joey singled in Ben. Bryce collected his third RBI of the inning with a single. Gavin finally finished the scoring with a sacrifice fly.

Score after three and a half innings: WR Blue 9U 13, Glen Allen 5

Sixth inning

Bryce coaxed a leadoff walk. Back to back singles from JT and Gavin loaded the bases, and then Brady’s fielder’s choice plated Bryce.

Score after five and a half innings: WR Blue 9U 14, Glen Allen 5

Pitching Performances

Chace was a beast over four innings, limiting a hard-hitting Glen Allen club to just three earned runs.

Asher closed it out with two perfect innings.

Championship Web Gems

•    With a runner on second in the second, Chace speared a wicked line drive back up the middle and held the runner at second.

•    With a runner on first, JT and Gavin continued to show off their alley-oop skills. This time, JT deflected a hard line drive to Gavin, who flipped to Bryce at second for the out.

•    Bryce backhanded a ball up the middle in the third and threw to Banks for the out.

•    Then, in the fourth, Bryce showed his range going the other way, going into the hole between first and second to scoop up a grounder and toss to Banks for a leadoff out.

•    This time it was Asher who got in on the alley-oop action. With the lefty on the mound, he redirected a hard shot back through the middle to Gavin, who smoothly threw to Chace for the out.

Championship line score	1	2	3	4	5	6	R	H
WR 9U Blue	0	0	2	11	0	1	14	14
Glen Allen	0	1	4	0	0	0	5	9

Regionals Semifinals: WR 9U Blue 13, North Brandon 0

The final day of the Southeast Regional came early, as 9U Blue had to be at the field in Palm Beach Gardens by 8 a.m. for a 9 a.m. first pitch in the rematch against North Brandon. Coach Eric immediately showed how much he was missed earlier in the week, as he provided dugout-to-huddle transportation service for Elias before the pregame meeting:

Continuing the momentum established in the first meeting, this time three West Raleigh pitchers combined to limit North Brandon to just one hit while surrendering just one walk. In fact, the Florida runner-up had just one runner reach second base, and no one advanced to third. That pitching was supported by some stellar defensive plays, plus a nine-run third inning that cracked the game wide open on the way to a 13-0 victory in four innings.

That quick victory allowed West Raleigh players and fans to enjoy the oh-so-pleasant Palm Beach weather while waiting for the conclusion of the other semifinal, which matched Glen Allen (Va.) and Manatee (Fl.).

Look, you could read more about this game, but we all know you really want to hear about the championship game, which was coming up in just a few minutes…

Semifinal Blue scoring plays

First inning

Bryce led off with a double and scored on JT’s single. Gavin singled, putting runners on first and second. Chace thundered a two-run triple, then scored on Brady’s sacrifice fly.

Score after one inning: WR Blue 9U 4, North Brandon 0

Third inning

Gavin led off with a triple. After Chace walked, Gavin stole home while Chace got hung up in a rundown. Brady reached on a shot through the infield. Jake singled, putting two on for Banks, who doubled in a run. Joey’s fielder’s choice scored Jake. Asher walked, and then hard baserunning all the way around the diamond enabled everyone to be safe on a fielder’s choice from Bryce. JT singled in Joey, and then Gavin picked up his second triple of the inning, this time scoring three runs. Chace finished the huge inning with an RBI double.

Score after three innings: WR Blue 9U 13, North Brandon 0

Pitching Performances

Banks started and allowed just one hit in two innings.

Joey threw a perfect third.

Asher pitched a perfect fourth.

Semifinal Web Gems

•    Bryce started the game by ranging far up the middle, backhanding a hard grounder, and throwing to Chace at first for the opening out.

•    Banks stabbed a comebacker to the mound and threw to Chace to finish off the first.

•    With a runner on first in the second, the batter hit a dribbler that really had no business being a double play. But Gavin charged in, flipped to Bryce at second, who then made a fast turn to Chace at first for the 6-4-3 twin killing.

•    Banks came charging in on a fly ball to right field and made a sprawling catch to end the third.

Semifinal line score	1	2	3	4	5	6	R	H
North Brandon	0	0	0	0	X	X	0	1
WR 9U Blue	4	0	9	X	X	X	13	11

Regionals Quarterfinals: WR 9U Blue 10, Okeeheelee 0

Friday's quarterfinals at the Southeast Regional brought a tough task: a matchup against defending 9U Southeast champion Okeeheelee (FL). To make the situation even more difficult, there was no rain in the forecast, meaning the West Raleigh bats would have to come alive without the benefit of the traditional Florida rain delay.

Luckily, Gavin and Elias had a good idea: they broke out the rally caps in the first inning, going with the bandit look:

This resulted in a five-run first inning on the way to a 10-0 victory in four innings. It was a win that had a little bit of everything: ten hits in four innings, Banks and Joey combining on the mound to twirl a two-hitter, and no errors and only one Okeeheelee runner allowed to third base all morning (none over the final three innings).

I know what you are all thinking. "That's all fine, but what was it like in the team van afterwards?" Luckily, we have multiple angles. Here's the shot of the van being loaded in the parking lot, which I'm certain other teams did not at all find obnoxious:


And here's the view from inside the van. The production value and thought that goes into these videos is increasing every day, which means it's really fortunate that the regional ends tomorrow, before we go out and buy a smoke machine and laser light:

The win means West Raleigh will have a rematch against North Brandon in the semifinals. The winner of that game advances immediately to the championship game against the winner of the Manatee (FL)-Glen Allen (VA) game.

Quarterfinal Blue scoring plays

First inning

Bryce singled on a piddler and went to second on a wild pitch. JT brought him home with a triple, then scored on a wild pitch. With one out, Chace walked, lollygagged to second on a wild pitch, and advanced to third on Brady's single. Jake singled home Chace, Banks brought home Brady with a single, and then Jake and Banks worked the first and third play to perfection, with Jake racing home.

Score after one inning: WR 9U Blue 5, Okeeheelee 0

Second inning
Bryce and JT worked back to back walks. Gavin's shot through the infield scored Bryce. Gavin raced home when his aggressive baserunning distracted the Okeeheelee infield, allowing him to score on Chace's grounder.
Score after two innings: WR 9U Blue 7, Okeeheelee 0

Third inning
Banks doubled. Asher sacrificed him to third, which turned out to make absolutely no difference at all, because Bryce rocked a triple shortly after the Okeeheelee scorekeeper announced, "This kid can't hit!"
Score after three innings: WR 9U Blue 8, Okeeheelee 0

Fourth inning
Gavin led off with a single. Chace singled and as every alert lollygagger does, took second when Okeeheelee tried unsuccessfully to throw out Gavin at third. Brady loaded the bases, and then Ben crushed a deep drive well over the drawn-in Okeeheelee defense to activate the 10-run rule.
Score after four innings: WR 9U Blue 10, Okeeheelee 0

Pitching Performances
Banks started and allowed just one hit in two innings.

Joey likewise allowed just one hit over the final two innings, including a four-pitch fourth.

Quarterfinal Web Gems

• Okeeheelee decided they wanted to test JT. Okeeheelee made a very bad decision. He charged in and gobbled a pair of bunts down the third base line and threw to first to get both outs--one in the second, another in the fourth. He also made a nice stab from his knees in the second of another grounder to complete the Web Gem hat trick.
• From his pitcher position, Joey somehow managed to corral a wicked line drive back up the middle to end the third.
• Andrew showed good range leading off the fourth, floating over to grab a fly ball near the right field line. 

Friday line score	1	2	3	4	5	6	R	H
Okeeheelee	0	0	0	0	X	X	0	2
WR 9U Blue	5	2	1	2	X	X	10	10

Regionals Game 3: WR 9U Blue 18, North Brandon 1

Helpful tip for anyone about to play West Raleigh 9U: keep a close eye on the barometric pressure. For the second straight day, 9U Blue looked a little listless in the early going before a torrential rainstorm hit Palm Beach Gardens. And for the second straight day, that rainstorm seemed to ignite the offense, as this time West Raleigh scored 18 unanswered runs on the way to an 18-1 win over North Brandon, the runner-up in the very competitive South Florida state tournament.

Here was the scene in the first inning: North Brandon's pitcher didn't just drive to the game in the team van, he actually DROVE THE TEAM VAN to the game. West Raleigh went down 1-2-3 in the top of the first. Then the rain started, then the rain increased, then an ark floated by, then, with a North Brandon runner on second, the umpires decided perhaps it was getting a little wet.

As we've learned the last couple days, you have to find ways to amuse yourself during a rain delay. Coach Sean, for example, considered a possible new role:

The players, meanwhile, returned to the team van for a little air conditioning:

After a roughly 90-minute delay, play resumed under sunnier and much cooler skies. HA HA. Just kidding. It wasn't cooler at all. But it was sunnier, at least for a little bit.

North Brandon eventually scratched out a run, meaning West Raleigh trailed at the end of an inning for the first time in the regional. That could only mean one thing. That's right--it was time for the rally caps:

And it worked. And worked. And worked. Until eventually 9U Blue had reeled off 18 unanswered runs, batted around in two straight innings, and put up seven runs apiece in the third and fourth.

The rain delay scuttled plans for an afternoon beach trip, so the team somehow had to manage with only being introduced on the field before a professional baseball game. It's a difficult life, this West Raleigh baseball. And while some people from the group were watching the game...

Others were, uh...making new friends?

The single elimination Southeast Regional championship bracket begins Friday morning. As the top seed in the pool, West Raleigh will face Okeeheelee (FL) Friday at 11 a.m. The winner of that game advances to Saturday's semifinals.

Game 3 Blue scoring plays

Second inning

Chace led off with a double. Brady singled him to third, and then Jake's fielder's choice scored the first run of the game. A wild pitch scored Brady and gave West Raleigh the lead. Banks walked and stole second, then moved to third on a wild pitch. Joey walked, putting runners at the corners, and then the first and third play worked perfectly, with Banks scoring and Joey moving to second. With two outs, Bryce singled, and then JT drove in Joey with a single.

Score after one and one-half inning: WR 9U Blue 4, North Brandon 1

Third inning
With one out, Brady singled. He moved all the way to third on wild pitches, then scored on Andrew's ball in the infield. Banks and Joey drew back to back walks and Asher drove in Andrew. Bryce ripped an RBI single, and JT walked. With the bases loaded, Gavin cleared the bases and ended up on third after some adventurous throws in the infield. Chace mashed an RBI double.
Score after two and a half innings: WR 9U Blue 11, North Brandon 1

Fourth inning
Andrew led off with a double, went to third on a wild pitch, and scored on a wild pitch. Ben walked and Joey was hit by a pitch, and then Asher's fly ball advanced both runners. Bryce singled in Ben. JT drove in a pair with a deep double. Gavin's shot to the left side scored JT, and Brady singled. Andrew collected his second double of the inning, this time driving in two.
Score after three and a half innings: WR 9U Blue 18, North Brandon 1

Pitching Performances
Joey relieved Jake and threw one and two-thirds great innings, burning through five straight hitters.

Asher pitched a scoreless third.

Gavin threw a scoreless fourth.

Game 3 Web Gems

• Gavin went deep in the hole to make a backhand play against the leadoff man in the second, then made a good throw to Chace for the out.
• Suitably inspired, on the very next hitter JT went to his backhand side to stab a grounder off the third base line, then made the strong throw to Chace for the second out.
• Then, to complete a full Web Gem inning, Gavin charged in on a piddler (Hi Jennifer!) to short, scooped it up, and made a smooth throw to finish off the 1-2-3 Web Gems.
• Bryce, JT and Chace teamed up on a sweet 4-6-3 double play in the fourth.

Thursday line score	1	2	3	4	5	6	R	H
WR 9U Blue	0	4	7	7	X	X	18	13
North Brandon	1	0	0	0	X	X	1	2

Regionals Game 2: WR 9U Blue 15, Atlantic Beach (FL) 4

Going into Wednesday evening’s pool play game against Atlantic Beach, the North Florida state champion, it had been 11 days since the West Raleigh bats had really experienced one of their patented explosions.

That’s no longer an issue, as 9U Blue used a 10-run third inning to cruise to a 15-4 win in a game shortened to four innings. The game was tight after two, with Atlantic Beach clawing back from an early 4-1 deficit and trailing just 5-4. But after a scoreless top of the third, West Raleigh sent 15 hitters to the plate in the bottom of the inning.

That was more than enough offense to clinch the victory, which was pulled out in honor of Elias, who missed the game—and will miss the rest of the tournament—with a foot injury suffered in his clutch run-scoring slide in theday’s first game.

The win ensured a slot in the single elimination championship bracket, which begins on Friday morning. The remaining pool play game, against North Brandon on Thursday, will determine West Raleigh’s seeding in that bracket.

The victory set up the day’s highlight: more team van karaoke. This evening’s selections were Fancy, featuring a disturbingly big kid on the end of the second row and a very boisterous driver:

And Pay Phone, featuring some great singing by that big kid on the second row and some excellent dancing by the West Raleigh 9U groupies:

After such a vigorous drive back to the hotel, much of the team felt it necessary to seek out some ice cream:

And not surprisingly, one particular player needed a little extra sauce:

Tomorrow's only game is a pool play contest against North Brandon at 11.

Game 2 Blue scoring plays

First inning

Bryce was hit by a pitch and JT walked. Gavin cracked a two-run double. He moved to third on Chace’s fielder’s choice and scored on Brady’s single. Jake and Banks walked, and then Chace scored on a wild pitch.

Score after one inning: WR Blue 9U 4, Atlantic Beach 1

Second inning

Bryce drew a leadoff walk, moved to second on a wild pitch, advanced to third on JT’s fielder’s choice, and scored on Gavin’s fielder’s choice.

Score after two innings: WR Blue 9U 5, Atlantic Beach 4

Third inning

Brady singled. Joey dropped down a bunt and Atlantic Beach threw it into deep right field, scoring Brady and moving Joey to third. Banks walked and stole second. Andrew walked to load the bases. Asher singled home Joey. Bryce walked, forcing in a run. After a fielder’s choice left the bases loaded, Gavin’s shot through the infield scored a run. Chace cleared the bases with a three-run triple. Brady got it started again with an RBI double. With two outs, Banks smoked an RBI double, Andrew ripped a single and Asher powered an RBI single to cap the biggest inning of the regional so far.

Score after three innings: WR Blue 9U 15, Atlantic Beach 4

Pitching Performances

Brady went the first two innings and left with the lead.

Joey threw a scoreless two innings and struck out a pair.

Game 2 Web Gems

•    Asher and Gavin teamed up to throw out a runner stealing second in the first.

•    Chace made a nice scoop at first base to preserve an out on an infield grounder in the third.

•    After a rocky first inning, West Raleigh played three straight error-free innings to close out the win.

Game 2 line score	1	2	3	4	5	6	R	H
Atlantic Beach	1	3	0	0	X	X	4	3
WR 9U Blue	4	1	10	X	X	X	15	9