Top Gun (Smithfield) Semifinals: WR 9U Blue 15, WR 9U Red 7

“We won, but I’m not happy with that performance.”

That quote from Coach Sean after Sunday’s 15-7 win over West Raleigh Red in the first game of round robin Gold Bracket play sums up the afternoon. There were some highlights, most notably a 13-run second inning in which 17 hitters went to the plate and 10 different West Raleigh players scored at least one run. That explosion marked the biggest offensive inning of the kid pitch era and was the fourth time in the last five innings in Smithfield that Big Blue batted around.

But the offense essentially shut it down after that frame, managing just one run over the next two innings in a game shortened to five innings by the mercy rule. And with an occasional lack of focus and effort also evident at points during the victory, Coach Sean made sure it was clear that he expected more in the second game of the doubleheader.

Semifinal Blue scoring plays

First inning

Bryce drew a leadoff walk and scored on Gavin’s double.

Score after one inning: Red 3, Blue 1

Second inning

Ben and Brady drew back to back walks to start the inning. Jake singled in a run, took second on the throw, and then moved up to third while Brady scampered home on an error in the infield. Jake scored on a passed ball. With one out, Elias reached second on a shot past third. Asher walked. Both runners moved up on a passed ball. Bryce singled home Eli. Gavin cranked a two-run double, then took third on the throw, and scored on a wild pitch. With two outs, Andrew singled and went to second after an error in the outfield. A passed ball moved him to third, where he scored easily on a single by Banks. Ben singled, and then a walk to Brady loaded the bases. Jake singled home Banks. A wild pitch scored Ben. Joey ripped it past second, scoring a pair, and then a single from Elias scored Joey and finally completed the scoring.

Score after two innings: Blue 14, Red 3

Third inning

Gavin reached on a fielder’s choice and stole second. Chace singled. A fielder’s choice from Andrew scored Gavin.

Score after three innings: Blue 15, Red 3

Pitching Performances
Brady threw strikes in the first, but suffered some defensive lapses behind him.

Jake struck out the side in the second.

Chace went 1-2-3 in the third.

Ben had to battle some errors, but worked out of the fourth.

Joey finished it off with a scoreless fifth.

Semifinal Web Gems

• Brady made a nice play on a pop fly off the mound on the game's first hitter.
• Big play at the plate in the fourth, as with a runner on second and two outs, Banks fielded a single to center, fired to Gavin near the second base bag, who then turned and threw a missile to Jake at the plate to get the runner by a step and end the inning.

Semifinal line score	1	2	3	4	5	6	R	H
Red	3	0	0	4	0	X	7	5
Blue	1	13	1	0	X	X	15	13