No games this weekend

There are no Big Blue games this weekend. Everyone make sure to enjoy your Mother's Day. However, we did feel it was our solemn duty to make sure you are aware of this story from the Mudcats blog, on a mutant groundhog that has been terrorizing baseball fields. You need to read it to believe it.

Spring Nationals Championship: Big Blue 17, Mavericks 8

One of the hallmarks of a tough team is the ability to bounce back from adversity. Quite honestly, Big Blue hasn't had many opportunities to show that type of toughness, because they typically don't face much adversity. But they responded well to an early 3-1 deficit against the Mavericks (Wayne Co.), storming back to outscore the opposition 16-5 over the final five innings to claim the Top Gun Spring Nationals title with a 17-8 victory.

The Mavericks used their magic bat to plate three first-inning runs, and when Big Blue managed just one in the bottom of the inning, it marked the first time this spring that our heroes had trailed after a complete inning. The response? They shut out the Mavericks in the top of the second, then came back to post seven runs in the bottom of the frame (the run limit allowed them to catch up, then score five more runs) to take a lead they would not relinquish. They weathered a five-run Maverick fourth and closed the game with seven unanswered runs to clinch the title.

The win meant something new for this group: being sized for championship rings.

It's hard to pick the most impressive statistic from the weekend, but one of them would have to be that Big Blue scored at least one run in every inning in the tournament except one (the sixth against Rocky Mount). And while because of stats like that, the offense will get plenty of attention, it was once again defense that probably separated Big Blue from the rest of the tournament field. In a one-day tournament, the Blue defense got at least two outs from every position in the infield (including home) and saw the outfield alone make eight outs.

It must be incredibly frustrating to have to play against Big Blue; even a ball that looks well-struck and surely ticketed for a gap somewhere can often end up as an out. And there simply aren't many--if any--of the multiple-base errors that characterized some of the opposing defense on Sunday. Overthrow first? No problem, the right fielder is there to gather in the ball. Get two runners on and hit it in the infield? Big Blue is going to gather the ball and get the lead runner. While other teams are turning singles into triples, it takes at least two or three clean hits strung together to plate a run against Big Blue. Oh, and they did it all without having practiced together as a team since October.

The next tournament is uncertain, but will likely/hopefully come sometime in May, which will not be soon enough.

Title game Big Blue scoring plays
First inning
Bryce led off with a single. Gavin's single caused some problems in the Maverick outfield, allowing Bryce to hustle all the way around to score.
Score after one inning: Mavericks 3, Big Blue 1

Second inning
The biggest inning of the weekend started with a single from Jake. Ben hustled to beat out his grounder to shortstop. Timmy's single loaded the bases, and Elias drove in two with a double to left. Asher's fielder's choice scored another run, and Trey's single scored Elias. Bryce reached on a shot to third, and JT pounded an RBI single to right. Bryce scored on Gavin's hit to shortstop, and then Chace's line drive sacrifice fly scored JT and invoked the five-run rule to Coach Sean's great surprise ("We got how many runs?").
Score after two innings: Big Blue 8, Mavericks 3

Third inning
Mason led off with a single, then moved to second on Jake's single. Two successive fielder's choices scored Mason, and then Elias singled home Timmy.
Score after three innings: Big Blue 10, Mavericks 3

Fourth inning
In a situation where Big Blue needed to answer the five-run Maverick top of the fourth, Trey led off by slicing a ball down the right-field line and then turning on the Gooch jets to race all the way around for an inside-the-park home run. Blue got one more run when JT went the opposite way for a one-out single, moved to third on Chace's single and then took advantage of a Maverick error to score the inning's second run.
Score after four innings: Big Blue 12, Mavericks 8

Fifth inning
It was another five-run inning--the fifth of the tournament in just 16 opportunities. It started with three straight singles from Jake, Ben and Timmy, resulting in one run. Elias smacked his second two-run double of the game, moved to third on a fielder's choice from Asher and scored on Trey's single. Back-to-back singles from Bryce and JT scored Trey and triggered the five-run rule.
Score after five innings: Big Blue 17, Mavericks 8

Title Game Web Gems

• Big Blue threw home to attempt to nail a runner steaming home in the top of the first. The runner was safe, but Asher fielded the throw and then snapped a throw to second, where Gavin was waiting to slap the tag on the hitter trying to take an extra base, ending the inning.
• Timmy made an acrobatic, leaping catch on a ball crushed over his head in deep center in the second. 
• Elias made the play of the tournament in the third. With two outs, the bases loaded and the Mavericks threatening to cut into Big Blue's 8-3 lead, the hitter sliced a liner towards the line in left that looked destined to score at least two. But Eli went racing over and backhanded the ball out of the air almost on the line to end the inning.
• JT showed toughness in the fifth, hanging in against a sliding Mavericks runner and getting the force out on a throw from Gavin.
• Timmy made a subtle solid play in the sixth, backing up first base from his right field position. That put him in position to grab an overthrow and prevent the Maverick hitter from taking an extra base.
• Big Blue picked up its third double play in as many games to end the game. With a runner on first and one out, the Maverick hitter cranked a liner at Chace at first, who calmly fielded the ball and stepped on first to end the game and clinch the title.

Title game line score	1	2	3	4	5	6	R	H
Mavericks	3	0	0	5	0	0	8	16
Big Blue	1	7	2	2	5	X	17	20

Spring Nationals Game 2: Big Blue 19, Rocky Mount Elite 7

There were two stars of the 19-7 game two win: the Big Blue offense, which pounded out a tournament-high 19 runs and 23 hits, and Coach Eric's pinpoint control on the mound, which was especially noticeable in contrast to the Rocky Mount pitcher, who had some struggles, especially on one particular pitch.

Big Blue scored in its first five offensive innings, running the streak to 10 consecutive innings in the tournament with at least one run before the string was snapped in a scoreless sixth. Everyone in the lineup got at least one hit, and even more impressively, everyone in the lineup drove in at least one run--the first time this spring the Big Blue offense has turned that trick.

Included among the day's heroes was Coach Biscuit in the third-base coaching box, who made a decision to hold JT at third on a play that might have loosely been scored a home run in the fifth. This prompted a shout of, "Thank you, Coach Sean!" from the bleachers, where Giovanna has apparently promised amazing riches to JT if he hits a home run. After the game, JT and Coach Sean were heard negotiating an agreement in which Coach Sean agreed to wave JT at all times as long as JT shares 20 percent of his earnings.

With the win, Big Blue moved into the tournament championship game against the Mavericks.

Game 2 Big Blue scoring plays
First inning
It took Big Blue only eight hitters to plate the run limit of five runs. Bryce led off with a triple. JT, who was on his way to an incredible 4-for-4, seven-RBI game, scored him with an RBI single, then raced home himself on Gavin's double. Gavin moved up to third on the throw, where he scored easily on Chace's double. Mason made it three straight extra-base hits and four extra-base hits in the first five hitters with an RBI double. He moved to third on a fielder's choice, then scored the fifth run on Timmy's single.
Score after one-half inning: Big Blue 5, Rocky Mount 0

Second inning
Elias and Asher started the inning with back-to-back singles. Trey's double scored Elias. Bryce's pop fly to the left side wasn't handled, and Asher raced home. JT's double scored Trey and Bryce.
Score after one and a half innings: Big Blue 9, Rocky Mount 0

Third inning
Jake led off with a single, but was still on first base with two outs. Elias promptly tripled him home, then scored on Asher's single. Trey and Bryce had back to back singles that loaded the bases, and then JT smacked a two-run single.
Score after two and a half innings: Big Blue 13, Rocky Mount 2

Fourth inning
Mason powered a one-out double, then moved to third on Jake's single. With runners at the corners, Ben singled home Mason.
Score after three and a half innings: Big Blue 14, Rocky Mount 2

Fifth inning
Asher and Trey opened the inning with back-to-back singles. Bryce's hot shot to third loaded the bases for JT, who cleared the bases with a single. Gavin thumped a double that scored JT, then moved to third on Chace's grounder. Jake's sacrifice fly scored Gavin with the inning's fifth run to invoke the run limit for the second time in five innings.
Score after four and a half innings: Big Blue 19, Rocky Mount 2

Game 2 Web Gems

• On the first play of the bottom half of the first, Bryce ranged to his right, gathered in a ball smacked up the middle, and threw to Chace for the out.
• Big Blue turned in a textbook relay on a ball smacked to the fence in the third inning. Elias retrieved the ball and hit his cutoff man, Gavin, who turned glove side and threw a strike to JT at third, who caught it and placed the tag in one motion to nail the runner trying to sneak an extra base.
• A slightly unconventional 5-4-3 double play ended the fourth. With a runner on first, JT fielded a grounder and threw to Bryce at second for an out. Bryce spun it to Chace, just a step too late to get the force. But when the runner made a move toward second, Chace slapped the tag on him and ended the inning.
• Trey ended the game with a nice stab at pitcher and solid throw to first.

Game 2 line score	1	2	3	4	5	6	R	H
Big Blue	5	4	4	1	5	0	19	23
Rocky Mount	0	2	0	0	2	3	17	13

Spring Nationals Game 1: Big Blue 14, Blue Sox 1

After approximately 87 emails from Coach Adam, Big Blue was mightily relieved to finally take the field on Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. and finally get on the field, where they could not receive email and therefore didn't have to open another message that read "Schedule change!"

The day's first opponent at the Top Gun Spring Nationals were the Blue Sox. Big Blue jumped out to four quick first-inning runs (in seven spring games together, the team is averaging 4.4 runs in the first frame) and never looked back, scoring in every inning and rolling to a 14-1 victory.

The victory set up a winner-take-all second game for the pool play top seed. The winner of the Big Blue-Rocky Mount game would play the winner of the opposite pool for the tournament title.

Game 1 Big Blue scoring plays
First inning
JT reached on a one-out fielder's choice. Gavin singled back up the middle and stretched it all the way to third when the Blue Sox outfield bobbled the ball. Chace singled in Gavin for the game's second run. Mason rapped a single to left that was again too hot to handle, and Chace came in to score while Mason raced to third. Jake doubled to center, scoring Mason to complete the scoring.
Score after one inning: Big Blue 4, Blue Sox 0

Second inning
Elias and Asher started the inning with back-to-back singles. A fielder's choice advanced Elias to third, and then Trey's RBI fielder's choice scored him.
Score after two innings: Big Blue 5, Blue Sox 0

Third inning
JT hit a line drive to right that he turned into two bases when it slipped through the Blue Sox outfield. Gavin drove him in with a single, then moved to second on Chace's single. A fielder's choice left runners at first and second with one out. Jake singled, and some aggressive baserunning by Chace plated another run. Timmy's single scored Mason with the inning's third run.
Score after three innings: Big Blue 8, Blue Sox 0

Fourth inning
Suitably enraged after allowing the Blue Sox to score a run in the top of the fourth, Big Blue posted the five-run limit in the bottom of the frame. It all happened with two outs, as Gavin had a two-RBI double that scored Trey and JT and moved all the way to third on the throw. Chace's single scored Gavin, and a Blue Sox outfield misadventure put Chace on second. He moved to third on Mason's shot to shortstop and another hustling baserunning play allowed him to score while the Blue Sox tried (unsuccessfully) to get the out at first. Jake's double scored Mason and ended the inning because of the five-run rule.
Score after four innings: Big Blue 13, Blue Sox 1

Fifth inning
Once again, it happened with two outs. This time, it was Joey's double to right that scored Elias with the inning's only run.
Score after five innings: Big Blue 14, Blue Sox 1

Game 1 Web Gems

• In an omen for what was to come later in the day with Big Blue's solid outfield play, Elias raced over to the line in left field to cut off what looked like a certain double, fielded it and fired it in to limit the hitter to a single.
• Big Blue turned the first of multiple unconventional double plays in the fourth. First, Gavin scooped up a grounder and fired to Timmy for the out. Then, Timmy came up throwing and zipped it home to Jake, who slapped the tag on an overeager runner trying to score from third on the fielder's choice.
• JT made a sprawling catch in left-center in the sixth.
• Jennifer made a textbook two-hand catch of a foul pop in the stands. However, she also received a 15-yard celebration penalty for her overexuberance after the catch. Spiking the ball in Giovanna's face and yelling, "In your face, Taylor!" while pulling out a Sharpie to sign the ball was probably a wee bit over the line. 

Game 1 line score	1	2	3	4	5	6	R	H
Blue Sox	0	0	0	1	0	0	1	7
Big Blue	4	1	3	5	1	X	14	16

A must-read travel ball story

As Big Blue fans might remember, one opposing coach was heard to shout, "THIS IS TRAVEL BALL!" when contesting a rules interpretation last fall in Oxford. But what is travel ball exactly?

This story from a Miami-area newspaper is a must-read, and there are so many head-shaking elements that it's hard to single them all out, and that's even taking into account that they managed to write a story about travel ball without mentioning Biscuit. Let's give it a try:

• An actual head coach of an actual team of actual 12-year-olds says "travel ball is as close as you can get to real major league baseball." Seriously, he said those words. 
• One 12-year-old player has played for TWENTY-SEVEN different teams since 2010. I have to assume he got an even bigger RV with each team switch, and there is absolutely no telling what kind of peanut-butter-and-jellies they get on those teams.
• The chief executive of USSSA--the organization putting together the tournament we were supposed to play in this weekend (more on that in your email later today)--makes over $700,000 per year. The organization also has seven other executives who make six figures per year. This is the same organization that charges you $5 per head to watch your kid play baseball.
• One head coach wears a $24,000 championship ring. Similarly, Coach Sean was presented with a coupon to Burger King after Big Blue's tournament win in Mooresville.
• The story contains this sentence: "One 12-year-old player punched an opponent at the behest of his mother." And this sentence: "It's not unheard of for families to offer cash to coaches to put their sons in the lineup." I'll finish this blog post in a second. Right now, I have to run to the bank. What's the going rate for a starting spot for a catcher?
• The story contains this sentence from a parent, describing his child's baseball regimen: "It's not about just having fun. It's not. It's about going out and doing a job." The parent's son is 11 years old.

Western Spring State championship: Big Blue 12, Garnet Crush 4

Big Blue wrapped up its trip to Mooresville--which included four games in 24 hours--with a 12-4 five-inning victory over the Garnet Crush. The championship game was played on Mazeppa Park Field 2, which evidently has very large first-base dugouts, because the Crush dugout was able to contain both a really cool sign listing all their players and also still evidently have room for Coach Ken's whaaaaaambulance.

The game began on an entertaining note, as the Crush wanted a ruling on what would happen if one of their fielders ran into Coach Eric (keep in mind those four games in 24 hours means Coach Eric pitched 16 innings in 24 hours), obviously not realizing who they were dealing with on the mound in terms of dexterity. Luckily, Big Blue was able to solve this problem by simply hitting every ball past the pitcher, thus helpfully making sure the Crush wouldn't have to worry about such serious concerns.

Big Blue began the game with the type of airtight defense that was commended by the tournament director, who said, "Your team's defense is better than some of the 14-year-olds out here." That defense caught a fly ball to the outfield, a grounder in the infield and a line drive in the infield to set the Crush down 1-2-3 in the top of the first.

That set the stage for a quick five-run Blue explosion in the bottom of the frame that gave the tournament's top seed a lead they would never relinquish. In fact, Big Blue played 17 innings in Mooresville...and led at the end of all 17 innings. They went scoreless in just two of those 17 innings, while holding the opponents scoreless in 11 of 17 opportunities.

Due to the run rule, Big Blue did not play the full six innings in any of their tournament games, and ended the championship game in five, which resulted in the team being presented with the championship trophy:

The next Big Blue practice is...well, who knows, but probably not soon enough. The next Big Blue tournament is...well, who knows, but guaranteed to be closer than Mooresville (sound of loud applause from parents).

Championship Big Blue scoring plays
First inning
Bryce led off with a single and moved to second on JT's single. Gavin picked up the first RBI of the day with a single to center. With one out, Mason ripped a single to left that scored JT. Jake lined an RBI single, then raced all the way to third while Mason scored on some defensive misadventures in the outfield. Timmy ended the scoring in the five-run first with an RBI fielder's choice.
Score after one inning: Big Blue 5, Crush 0

Second inning
Asher led off with a single and hustled to second to beat the throw on a fielder's choice. That put him in position to score on Bryce's single. With runners on first and second and no outs, Big Blue got another aggressive, hustling baserunning play; this time it came from Trey, who moved to third on JT's single and kept on trucking all the way home when the Crush didn't realize that third base coach Sean "Biscuit" Gallaher was waving Trey in. Gavin cracked a triple that scored a pair and crossed the plate himself when the throw from the outfield skipped into the dugout.
Score after two innings: Big Blue 10, Crush 3

Fourth inning
Big Blue picked up two runs with two outs. JT started the rally with a single...that turned into much more, as his hustle ended up bringing him all the way around to score on an errant throw. Then Gavin lined a single to center that zipped past the outfielders, putting Gavin at third, where he scored on Chace's single.
Score after four innings: Big Blue 12, Porter Ridge 3

Championship Web Gems

• Chace made a sprawling catch of a line drive at first base in the first inning, capping a 1-2-3 top of the first for Big Blue.
• Mason speared a line drive at pitcher in the fourth.
• On the very next hitter, with a runner on second, Bryce caught a line drive at second, then fired to Gavin covering the bag to double off the runner and end the inning.
• Big Blue finished the weekend with just six errors in four games; not bad, considering virtually everyone on the field was playing a position they hadn't played or practiced since last October.

Championship line score	1	2	3	4	5	6	R	H
Crush	0	3	0	0	1	X	4	7
Big Blue	5	5	0	2	X	X	12	14

Western Spring State Semis: Big Blue 16, Porter Ridge 8

The Big Blue coaching staff generously gave the players a one-hour time limit on the pool between Sunday morning's pool play win over the Mooresville Legends and the first bracket play game at 2:30 against Porter Ridge. Of course, not everyone had time for such foolishness, as this shot of a trio of ripped Big Blue players in the hotel gym will illustrate:

Oh, wait...uh, that's the wrong picture! Never mind! Big Blue does not support Ivan Drago's training methods at all. Let's see...OK, here's the correct photo:

For some reason, Joey, Bryce and Asher were heard to mutter, "I must break you," as they took the field for the semifinal rematch against Porter Ridge. Reports from the tournament director indicated that Porter Ridge had lost just one game during the entire fall 2012 season, and Big Blue had already ten-run ruled them on the previous day. As you can imagine, they were just a little excited for the rematch.

That excitement turned to dismay, however, as Big Blue put up the seven-run limit in the very first inning, then followed it with six runs in the second. This time, the game took five innings, but it eventually had the same outcome--a run-rule victory, this time 16-8 for Big Blue.

The win moved the visitors--and trust me, you could tell Big Blue were the visitors, no matter which dugout they were occupying--into the championship game against the winner of the NC Snipers-Garnet Crush contest.

Semifinal Big Blue scoring plays
First inning
Bryce led off with a single and moved to third on JT's single. Gavin drove in the first run of the day with a sacrifice fly to left-center, and then Chace drove in JT with a double to left. With two outs, Big Blue piled on five more runs--Jake doubled in Chace, Joey tripled in Jake, Timmy singled in Joey and then raced all the way to third on a misplay in the outfield, Asher's grounder through the right side scored Timmy and then Trey ended the scoring with a single back through the middle. Big Blue batted all the way around in the inning and scored the full run limit of seven runs for the second straight first inning of the day.
Score after one inning: Big Blue 7, Porter Ridge 0

Second inning
For the second straight inning, Big Blue batted around. Bryce's hot shot to third scooted into the outfield and put him on second. JT singled, and Bryce scored on Gavin's grounder to the left side. With two on, Chace singled to load the bases. Mason smacked a two-run single, scoring JT and Gavin. With one out, Chace made a terrific baserunning play, scoring all the way from second base on Joey's grounder to second. But Big Blue wasn't done, as Timmy singled in Mason. Timmy moved to third on Asher's single, then scored on a single from Elias.
Score after two innings: Big Blue 13, Porter Ridge 2

Third inning
Bryce led off for the third time in the game, and reached base for the third straight time. He would also eventually score for the third straight time, as JT singled him to second and then Mason drove in both of them with a two-out, two-RBI double down the left field line.
Score after three innings: Big Blue 15, Porter Ridge 7

Fifth inning
Needing just one run to win the game, Elias led off with a double to left-center. He moved to third on Trey's fielder's choice, then scored on Bryce's walk-off single that invoked the run rule.
Score after five innings: Big Blue 16, Porter Ridge 8

Semifinal Web Gems

• Joey hauled in a fly ball in left-center in the first, likely preventing at least two runs.
• The play of the day, tournament and possible millennium was made by Elias in the second. Porter Ridge had scored two runs and had a runner on second when the hitter lofted a long fly ball down the left field line. With Coach Sean humming "Eli's Coming" in the dugout, Elias raced over to the line, laid out and grabbed the ball one-handed while careening towards the fence to end the inning. The play must have made a big impression on the local people of Mooresville and the surrounding area of Hopewell, because apparently one of the local papers decided to do a story on Elias, as you can see from the below headline (check the top right):

• Bryce stopped a line drive at second base leading off the fifth and final inning.

Semifinals line score	1	2	3	4	5	6	R	H
Porter Ridge	0	2	5	0	1	X	8	12
Big Blue	7	6	2	0	1	X	16	18