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 |
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