State Championship: WR 9U Blue 4, North View 3

Apologies in advance for the Carolina reference, but former Tar Heel radio broadcaster Woody Durham used to have a saying when the Heels were in a close game: “Go where you go and do what you do.”

As a fan of this particular West Raleigh team, there’s only one problem with that suggestion—there haven’t been enough close games to know exactly what we’re supposed to do. We’re incredibly, ridiculously, absurdly spoiled.

Monday’s 4-3 state championship win over North View was the first one-run game this summer and the first one-run win for this group since June 9, 2013, when this team as 8Us beat the DC Bomb Squad in Clemmons, 7-6. (Side note: the only other one-run win since this team began playing together as 7Us came when our 7Us beat an 8U Winter Park team 3-2 on June 17, 2012 in Wilmington).

So there haven’t been a whole lot of opportunities to practice remaining calm in close games. At least, that’s what I’m telling myself after realizing that it probably wasn’t healthy to be that completely invested, physically and emotionally, in a 9U baseball game. It’s a sickness, really. But it really feels good to be sick (I can say that now).

Down 2-1 in the fourth inning, it’s time to go where you go and do what you do. But what do you do? Pace up and down the sidewalk? It didn’t work, as 9U Blue hitters went down 1-2-3. I suddenly noticed some 9U Blue moms switching seats, and I don't think it was just because they were trying to get a different perspective on the "hub of the universe."

Down 2-1 in the top of the fifth inning, with North View having the bases loaded and their cleanup hitter at the plate, who already had two hits, what do you do? This time, remember what you did—it worked, as 9U Blue got the strikeout to keep the game close.

I’m not saying people were nervous but, well, take a look:

Down 2-1 in the bottom of the fifth inning, with two outs and an 0-2 count on Gavin, what do you do? It must have worked, because he demolished a bullet to the fence, starting a two-out rally that eventually ended with a 4-2 lead.

Don’t breathe just yet. Now up 4-3 in the top of the sixth, with the tying run on third and the go-ahead run on second, with a 3-2 count on the hitter and two outs, what do you do? Consider whether it might be time for that blood pressure medicine, for one thing. Start thinking that maybe violin lessons might have been a better investment than that first baseball glove, for another thing.

But whatever you did—whether it was biting your nails or pacing the grass or just gritting your teeth and trying to remember that they are nine years old and a billion people in China don’t know we’re playing this game (but they are really missing out!)—it worked. Because there was another strikeout, and then there were twelve very happy baseball players and three very relieved coaches on the field in Snow Hill.

The win means this particular team has won three straight Eastern North Carolina state championships, taking the crown at the 7U, 8U and 9U levels. It also means they will play on, traveling to Palm Beach Gardens for the Southeast Regionals next week.

Remember what you did. There’s a good chance it will be needed again.

Championship Blue scoring plays

Third inning

Bryce blasted a double, moved to third on a fielder’s choice, and scored on Chace’s single.

Score after one inning: WR Blue 9U 1, North View 0

Fifth inning

With two outs, Gavin tripled and then tied the game when the throw to third sailed into the bug breeding ground stands. Not finished yet, Chace reached on a shot to the outfield, moved to second on a wild pitch, and scored on Brady’s double. Jake made it two straight RBI doubles to provide a much-needed cushion.

Score after five innings: WR Blue 9U 4, North View 2

Pitching Performances

Chace threw an impressive first four innings and kept West Raleigh in the game.

Asher finished it up over the final two innings, getting key strikeouts to end both frames.

Championship Web Gems

•    Elias set the tone for the game by making two very good plays in center field on the first three pitches. The first was a leaping catch of a liner, the second a running catch over towards right-center.

•    JT charged in from third base on a bunt in the third and hosed the runner at first.

•    Jennifer Dail ranged all the way from her seat behind the plate to behind the first base dugout to smoothly grab a foul pop fly in the fifth. The umpire still ruled the pitch a ball.

Monday's line score	1	2	3	4	5	6	R	H
North View	0	0	0	2	0	1	3	6
WR 9U Blue	1	0	0	0	3	X	4	8