Scrimmage: Big Blue 16, Blue Sox 3

Under the Friday Night Lights and surrounded by more blue than perhaps some team members and their parents had ever been exposed to in their entire lives, Big Blue played a seven-inning scrimmage against the Blue Sox in Carrboro.

Coach Kevin had mistakenly thought the format was that the two teams would play a best-of-five-sets tennis match, so he stopped by the Chapel Hill Tennis Club and missed the first inning. By the time he arrived, Big Blue had already won the coin toss (needless to say, Coach Sean was not there) and scored four quick runs in the first inning.

With the early lead, players were able to move around to a variety of positions. Despite the unfamiliar spots for some members of Big Blue, the defense remained very solid. It turned into the best up and down the order team effort of the young season, with every hitter picking up at least one hit and every player making at least one solid play on defense.

When the scrimmage was over and Big Blue claimed a 16-3 win, Coach Ken declared that he liked Chapel Hill so much, he is planning to buy a vacation home here (unless I misheard him and he said, "I am never coming back to this stupid place again"). Meanwhile, Big Blue loaded up the team bus and headed back to Cary/Apex/Raleigh.

(photo of the transportation for all non-RV players submitted by Coach Sean; check out the wording on the bus)

Tomorrow's tournament in Clemmons begins with a 5 p.m. game against the North Carolina Snipers and a 6:30 game against the Southwest Colts. BP will begin at 4 p.m. and we are wearing the blue jerseys.

Scrimmage Big Blue scoring plays
First inning
Bryce led off with a line single, and JT beat out a grounder to the right side to put two runners on. Gavin hit a long single to left that scored Bryce, and Chace cracked a single to center (his first of five hits on the day) that scored JT. Jake ripped an RBI single the opposite way. Ben completed the scoring with a grounder to the left side.
Score after one inning: Big Blue 4, Blue Sox 0

Third inning
With one out, Chace singled. After he moved to second on a fielder's choice, Mason smashed an RBI single to center. Joey hustled out a ball to the right side, allowing Ben to once again pick up a two-out RBI, this time with a single to left.
Score after three innings: Big Blue 6, Blue Sox 0

Fourth inning
Asher led off with a single and moved to second on Trey's grounder to the right side. A pair of consecutive fielder's choices scored Asher, and then Chace picked up a pair of RBI with a two-out double.
Score after four innings: Big Blue 9, Blue Sox 1

Fifth inning
Mason led off with the second of his three straight singles. Joey moved him to second with a fielder's choice, and then Ben smacked an RBI for the third straight at-bat. A single from Elias scored Ben.
Score after five innings: Big Blue 11, Blue Sox 1

Sixth inning
With one out, Big Blue got four consecutive singles from Gavin, Chace, Jake and Mason, with Mason picking up the RBI. Joey finished the scoring in the inning with an RBI groundout that plated Chace.
Score after six innings: Big Blue 13, Blue Sox 1

Seventh inning
Elias led off with a single and moved to second on Asher's sacrifice bunt (you can never have too many runs). Trey ripped a single to right that scored Elias, and Gavin and Chace each collected two-out RBI.
Score after seven innings: Big Blue 16, Blue Sox 3

Scrimmage Web Gems

• Mason made a heads-up play in the very first inning. With men on first and second, the Blue Sox batter dropped a pop fly over the left side of the infield. With JT and Gavin chasing the fly ball, Mason covered third from his pitcher position and then was ready to receive the throw to record the force out.
• After taking a ball off his wrist on the previous batter, JT came through with a smooth play on a grounder and stepped on third to retire the side.
• Joey made a nice play leading off the fifth. Playing second base, he ranged back to the edge of the infield and gathered in a pop fly for the first out.
• On the very next hitter, Chace made a sprawling stop of a grounder and stepped on first to record the out.
• Asher held on to a throw at first after a collision with a runner who obviously didn't realize he was messing with the Hulk. 
• The entire Big Blue outfield, and part of the infield, showed exactly how to back up on a ball in the seventh inning. When the throw went high over first base, it looked like there might be a play at second. Not only were the middle infielders there to receive the throw at second, but four different players--Mason, Chace, Bryce and Joey--were backing up the play. As Coach Kevin said, "Good job, uh, you four!"
• Elias speared a hot grounder up the middle from his pitcher position and threw to second to record an out in the seventh.

Scrimmage line score	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	R	H
Blue Sox	0	0	0	1	0	0	2	3	5
Big Blue	4	0	2	3	2	2	3	16	22