Top Gun (Smithfield) Game 2: WR 9U Blue 23, Carolina Diamond Hawks 2

"Say," you are probably saying to yourself after Saturday's 23-2 win over the Diamond Hawks, especially if you are someone like Coach Bruce who talks to yourself a lot, "it sure seems like we scored a lot of runs in that game."

If you want to answer yourself, you can reply that, in fact, it's the most runs this group has scored in the kid pitch era. Last fall, the game high in runs was 18. But Blue 9U easily cruised past that total in only three innings, putting up seven in the first, seven in the second, and nine in the third.

That offensive explosion, plus solid pitching (just one hit allowed for the second straight game) and good defense (no errors for the second straight game) meant the game ended in just three innings.

Tomorrow's round robin gold bracket play will include games at 12 and 2. In perhaps the biggest upset of the weekend, West Raleigh will be debuting new uniforms...except for Coach Eric, who will once again wear whatever he wants, unless the carrier pigeon I've sent him with the uniform info arrives before he leaves for the game. Future communication will not be via TeamSnap, email or blog, but rather by this.

Game 2 WR 9U Blue scoring plays (get comfortable)

First inning

Andrew dropped in a leadoff double and took third on a wild pitch. Gavin drove in the first run of the day. Chace walked. Jake ripped a shot past second base that scored two. JT reached on a ball past the second baseman. After a force put Ben at first with one out, passed balls moved him all the way to third. Bryce walked and stole second. Banks ripped a two-run double. After a wild pitch moved him to third, Brady cracked an RBI single. 

Score after one-half inning: WR 9U Blue 7, Diamond Hawks 0

Second inning
This time, it started with one out. Chace was hit by a pitch. Jake and JT walked. Ben was hit by a pitch. Bryce ripped a shot to third that scored Jake. Banks lifted a sacrifice fly that scored JT. Brady came through with a two-run single. Joey singled, putting runners on first and second. Elias singled to load the bases, and in the process of walking Asher, a wild pitch scored Joey.
Score after one and a half innings: WR 9U Blue 14, Diamond Hawks 0

Third inning
Gavin drew a leadoff walk. Chace doubled. With one out, JT walked, and then Ben connected with a shot that wasn't fielded by the third baseman and loaded the bases. Then, get ready for some incredibly hot action: five straight RBI walks. Andrew and Gavin ripped RBI singles, Chace was hit by a pitch for a third time ("BANANA SPLIT!"), possibly because the Diamond Hawks didn't recognize him in his newly streamlined #1 jersey, driving in Elias, and the inning came to an end after nine runs on just three hits.
Score after two and a half innings: WR 9U Blue 23, Diamond Hawks 0

Pitching Performances
Gavin breezed through the first with a pair of strikeouts.

Joey cruised through the second.

JT started the third with a strikeout.

Chace retired both hitters he faced.

Game 2 Web Gems

• With only three defensive innings to choose from, and Blue pitchers recording five of the nine outs by strikeout, there wasn't much to choose from here. So we're going with...
• Bryce has gotten in the habit of throwing rockets in from second base when the infielders finish their pre-inning warmups. Usually, the infielders just lob in a six- or seven-bouncer. Not Bryce. He throws sizzlers. This can be very hazardous for Coach Sean and Coach Kevin, who have a World Cup-type competition going on regarding who can flip the ball with their feet off the ground into their hand on the fly (it makes more sense when you watch it live). But Coach Kevin made a Pele-esque play on Bryce's hard throw before the third inning, and is now on the watch list to join the United States National Team in Brazil. 

Game 2 line score	1	2	3	4	5	6	R	H
WR 9U Blue	7	7	9	X	X	X	23	11
Diamond Hawks	0	0	2	X	X	X	2	1