Nations (Snow Hill) Championship: WR 9U Blue 19, North Wake Thunder 1

9U Blue took its second straight tournament title with a 19-1 win over the North Wake Thunder in three innings.

The story of the championship game was a massive offensive explosion in the first inning by the West Raleigh bats. There have been some big offensive innings this summer that have been produced by shaky opposing pitching and lots of walks. This was not one of those. 

This was a first inning that saw 18 hitters come to the plate, with 9U Blue cranking out 13 hits in the first inning alone. Every hitter in the order scored at least once in the first inning, including a stretch of 12 straight at-bats in which the hitter reached base and eventually scored. The 13 hits in one inning are, of course, a team record. The 13 runs in one inning are a summer record, and it marked the fourth time in the first 10 opportunities this weekend that West Raleigh batted around.

You want a crazy stat? 9U Blue recorded 19 hits in this game alone. For the entire eight-game season so far, 9U Blue has allowed opponents a total of just 15 hits.

The weekend-long offensive fireworks--in a four-game tournament, West Raleigh played the absolute minimum number of innings, which is almost unheard of--overshadowed some solid pitching. Eleven different 9U pitchers threw, and they combined to allow just two runs in six innings, but even more impressively, they also allowed just three hits in those six innings, and only eight opposing runners reached third base during the weekend. To put that into perspective, almost twice as many West Raleigh runners (15) reached third base in the first inning alone in Sunday’s title game.

Postgame was celebrated on a steamy Snow Hill field that increased approximately 20 degrees in temperature over the final two innings of the last game. Dads, who had already received some pregame snacks, were given a team photo and then sent home to fall asleep on the couch spend quality family time together.

Championship Blue scoring plays

First inning

Bryce led off with a single, then moved to second on a passed ball. With one out, Gavin singled, then took second on the throw. Chace’s single scored Bryce, and Chace took second on the throw. Banks walked, loading the bases. Brady singled home a run, then JT’s single scored a pair. Jake lined a single, and then Ben drove in two with another single. Joey ripped one to third that scored Jake, Andrew drove in a pair, and Asher drove in Andrew. Bryce’s single put runners on the corners, Elias was hit by a pitch, and Gavin drove in Asher. Chace’s single scored Bryce, and then Elias crossed the plate in the most awkward steal of home in baseball history.

Score after one-half inning: WR Blue 9U 13, North Wake 0

Second inning

JT singled and then raced all the way to third when the ball was mishandled in left. Jake’s single scored JT.

Score after one and a half innings: WR Blue 9U 14, North Wake 1

Third inning

Asher earned a leadoff walk. Bryce singled him to second, and a wild pitch put two runners in scoring position. With one out, Gavin drove in Asher. Chace walked. Banks singled home Bryce. Brady drove in Gavin. JT and Jake each smacked RBI singles.

Score after three innings: WR Blue 9U 19, North Wake 1




Pitching Performances

Banks started and allowed just one hit.

Joey threw a scoreless second.

Chace closed it out with a scoreless third, making two of the outs himself on balls back to the pitcher.

Championship Web Gems

•    Brady might a nice running catch in right field that the evil scorekeeper generously did not write down as an error (you’re welcome, Brady!)

•    Banks hosed a runner trying to steal second in the second, with JT applying the tag.

Sunday's line score	1	2	3	4	5	6	R	H
WR 9U Blue	13	1	5	X	X	X	19	19
Thunder	1	0	0	X	X	X	1	2