Clemmons Super Regional Game 4: Big Blue 20, King Kryptonite 2

After spending the 90-minute break between games eating, running through the woods, and having some sort of in-depth game on the t-ball field, Big Blue reassembled at 2:30 for the final game of the weekend, against the King Kryptonite. The round-robin format meant that if Big Blue could win this game, they'd win the weekend championship. A King win would've required Big Blue to hang around and see the outcome of the day's final game.

Instead of waiting, however, they broke out the big bats immediately. The run limit (seven runs) crossed the plate in the first inning, giving Blue an early cushion they would not relinquish. The offense pounded out a fall-high 25 hits. For the second game in the weekend, every player on the roster had at least one hit. Eleven different players scored at least one run and nine different players drove in at least one run.

The victory meant the trophies could be awarded immediately after the game.

Coach Kevin gathered the team down the right-field line and underlined one of the weekend's points of emphasis--the four H's (hustle, heart, humble, home). "I'm very proud of the way you played," he told them.

By the way, have you ever wondered what it's like to be a member of Big Blue 8U? It means constantly dealing with paparazzi.

With the victory secure, most members of the team cleared out as quickly as possible. However, not without first making sure their loyal head coach, Coach Kevin, was taken care of and had a ride home. Um...

The good news is that it looks like he has a pillow, so he won't be uncomfortable sleeping in the parking lot tonight. If anyone is passing through Clemmons before Tuesday, can you stop and give Coach Kevin, Bryce and Gavin a ride home?

Big Blue will practice Tuesday from 4:30-6 at Ephesus. Thanks to everyone, players and parents (that's where the "home" part of the four H's comes in, in case you were wondering) alike, for a fun weekend.

Game 4 Big Blue scoring plays
First inning
For the second time in three games, Big Blue put up the run limit (seven runs) in the very first inning. Bryce led off with a single to left. JT doubled, sending Bryce all the way around to score. Gavin's grounder to short was unplayable, scoring JT. Chace blasted a double to left-center that scored Gavin, and Jake's grounder to the right side scored Chace. Mason singled to put two runners on base, and with one out, Ben loaded the bases with a grounder to third. Timmy scored Jake with a single, Elias's single scored Mason, and Asher's opposite-field single scored Timmy to invoke the run limit.
Score after one-half inning: Big Blue 7, Kryptonite 0

Second inning
JT reached on a two-out fielder's choice, setting up a big two-out, four-run rally. Gavin's thunderous double scored JT, and Chace picked up an RBI for the fourth straight at-bat with a single to left. Jake's double to right moved Chace to third, and then Mason scored a pair with a single back through the middle.
Score after one and a half innings: Big Blue 11, Kryptonite 1

Third inning
With one out, Elias and Asher had back-to-back singles. Then another two-out rally started, this time good for five runs. It began when Bryce doubled home Elias and Asher. JT's single drove in Bryce, and Gavin's long triple to right scored JT. Chace ended the scoring with a double to left that brought Gavin home.
Score after three and a half innings: Big Blue 16, Kryptonite 2

Fourth inning
Mason led off with a double. Joey ripped an RBI single the opposite way, then moved to second on Ben's single. Timmy singled back through the middle and raced to second when it took an extra second to get the ball in from the outfield. Elias drove home a pair, making it a 3-RBI day for him. Asher singled...and then the umpires just kind of decided to stop playing. The run limit hadn't been reached, there was still some time left before the time limit, but, well, they were apparently ready to be finished.
Score after five innings: Big Blue 20, Kryptonite 2

Game 4 Web Gems

• Coach Kevin made a crucial coaching decision in the bottom of the third, sending Chace to right-center and Timmy to first base. The results? The other eight Big Blue defenders stood around and watched as Chace retired the first two hitters on fly balls, and Timmy snagged a pop-up to end the inning.
• Hardy Dail made a running snag of a foul ball off the bat of Gavin, then immediately hit the cutoff man to get the ball back into the infield. The Big Blue cheering section had an incredible weekend defensively on both days.

Game 4 line score	1	2	3	4	5	6	R	H
Big Blue	7	4	5	4	X	X	20	25
Kryptonite	1	1	0	X	X	X	2	2

Clemmons Super Regional Game 3: Big Blue 10, Carolina Havoc 5

Something that hadn't happened since June 17 happened on Sunday in Clemmons: this particular team trailed at the end of an inning. The last time it happened was in Wilmington against West Raleigh 8U, a stretch of 14 straight games without trailing at the end of an inning. That's an incredible statistic.

In Sunday's first game, it was the Carolina Havoc that built a lead, holding a 4-3 advantage at the end of three innings that they eventually stretched to 5-3 going into the bottom of the fourth. The Havoc did it with defense, as Big Blue was crushing the ball offensively, but a Havoc defender was always there to make a play.

Coach Kevin gathered the hitters after the third inning and had a simple request: "Keep hitting the ball." That's exactly what they did. The hits eventually found holes in the fourth, as five runs crossed the plate to wipe out the deficit. Big Blue tacked on two more runs in the fifth while playing very solid defense to hold on for the 10-5 win.

"I was very proud of you," Coach Kevin told the team afterwards. "A couple things didn't go your way, and you picked yourself up and played Big Blue baseball. We did the little things, and when we do the little things in a game like this, it's going to work out for us."

Many of those little things were subtle defensive plays that wouldn't necessarily show up in the box score, but might have kept a force out in order or prevented an extra base. As you might expect, the game's Web Gems listing is lengthy.

The victory meant Big Blue could clinch the weekend championship with a win over King Kryptonite in their final game of the day.

Incidentally, loyal readers will remember that the Charlie Daniels Band was staying at the same hotel with the team. Have you ever wondered what a night out with Charlie Daniels might look like? Coach Kevin snapped this photo of an unidentified morning-after victim with an incredibly vicious case of bed-head that might explain it:

Game 3 Big Blue scoring plays
Second inning
With one out, Jake knocked a single the opposite way. Mason followed with a double to deep center that scored Jake. With two outs, Ben came through with a clutch double that scored Mason and tied the score.
Score after two innings: Big Blue 2, Carolina Havoc 2

Third inning
Elias led off with a single and was sacrificed to second by Asher, where he was scored by Trey's double to right-center.
Score after three innings: Carolina Havoc 4, Big Blue 3

Fourth inning
The biggest inning of the game began with Gavin's double to deep right-center. Chace ripped an RBI single to left and moved to second when the ball was too hot to handle. That enabled him to score on Jake's single to right. With Jake on third and two outs, Ben's grounder scored Jake, and then Timmy's single put runners on first and second. Elias doubled home Ben and Asher singled home Timmy to finish the big five-run inning.
Score after four innings: Big Blue 8, Carolina Havoc 5

Fifth inning
Bryce and JT went back-to-back with doubles to score a quick run. With one out, Chace's double to left-center scored JT.
Score after five innings: Big Blue 10, Carolina Havoc 5

Game 3 Web Gems

• Elias started the game by grabbing a fly ball in left field from the Havoc leadoff hitter.
• With a runner on first later that same inning, the Havoc cleanup batter crushed a ball to deep center field. Timmy scampered back to field it and fired it into second base, where Gavin was waiting to receive the throw and slap the tag on, nailing the hitter trying to stretch it to a double and ending the inning.
• Gavin showed incredible toughness in the second. After taking a bad-hop grounder off his head, he stayed in the game and then ended the inning with a diving play on a sinking liner in the hole to his right.
• Bryce came barreling in from third base on a bunt with two runners on in the fourth, scooped it up, and then fired hard to Chace at first to get an out.
• With one out in the fifth, the hitter drove a ball deep to left-center. It looked certain to be extra bases, but Joey cut it off and limited the batter to a single. That turned out to be very important, because...
• The very next hitter slapped a ground ball up the middle, where Gavin scooped it up, stepped on second, and threw to first to record the inning-ending double play.
• Ben earned style points plus web gem points by waiting until the last second to leap and haul in a hard-hit liner to right center in the sixth.
• NOT A WEB GEM: Jake was minding his own business in the bushes behind the Big Blue dugout, where he was, ah, you know. He didn't have time to go deep in the bushes because he was the third hitter of the inning. Gavin accepted the challenge and fouled off a ball that missed Jake, who had his back to the field (thankfully for all of us), by perhaps a foot. Jake did not make the play, and no one wanted to touch that particular foul ball.

Game 3 line score	1	2	3	4	5	6	R	H
Havoc	0	2	2	1	0	0	5	12
Big Blue	0	2	1	5	2	X	10	14

Clemmons Super Regional Game 2: Big Blue 16, SW Colts 1

With the temperature rapidly dropping, Big Blue used their crafty rule-breaking strategy of standing near the front of the batter's box to defeat the SW Colts, 16-1. A rough estimate determined that the score if all Big Blue batters had been standing in the middle of the batter's box would have been...16-1. The game was limited to four innings by the 10-run rule.

The second game of the day saw a fall-high 23 hits from the Big Blue offense, with every player in the batting order picking up at least one base hit, 10 different players scoring a run and 10 different players driving in at least one run. "You did a great job of playing as a team," Coach Kevin told them as they gathered in the dugout after the game.

The tournament format is round-robin. Big Blue faces Carolina Havoc at 11:30, then plays King Kryptonite (the day's other 2-0 team) at 2:30 to complete play in Clemmons.

On a side note, it should be noted that the Charlie Daniels Band is staying at the Big Blue hotel tonight, so if no one spots Coach Ken by 12:30 or so, he is probably getting fiddle lessons and/or proposing that "Big Blue Went Down to Clemmons" has just as catchy a ring as "Devil Went Down to Georgia."

Game 2 Big Blue scoring plays
First inning
Bryce led off with a single and raced around to score on JT's hard-hit double. Gavin lifted a fly ball to right-center that moved JT to third, and when the Colts couldn't find the handle, JT came all the way around to score. With the bases clear, Chace and Jake lined back-to-back singles, and Mason followed with an RBI single. Joey's single scored a pair, and then Timmy singled in Joey. Trey drove in the final run of the inning with a hard-hit ball to the right side that invoked the run rule.
Score after one inning: Big Blue 7, SW Colts 0

Second inning
With one out, JT singled. Gavin blasted a double to deep center that one-hopped the wall. Two runners in scoring position was the perfect scenario for Chace, who doubled them both home. Jake lined an RBI single back through the middle, then moved to second on Mason's single. After a fielder's choice moved Jake to third, Timmy scored Jake with a grounder to short.
Score after three innings: Big Blue 11, SW Colts 0

Third inning
Bryce began a two-out rally with a grounder to the left side. JT singled to right-center, and then Gavin lined an RBI single to center. Chace singled home JT to finish the scoring.
Score after four innings: Big Blue 13, SW Colts 0

Fourth inning
With one out, Joey beat out an infield single. After Timmy was robbed on a liner back up the middle, Elias crushed (right?) a single to right that put runners on the corners. Asher singled through the left side to drive in Joey, and Trey and Bryce drilled RBI singles to score the final Big Blue runs of the evening.
Score after five innings: Big Blue 16, SW Colts 1

Game 2 Web Gems

• Elias made a solid play in right field leading off the third, as he made a sprawling catch to limit the leadoff Colt to a single rather than letting the ball roll into the gap for extra bases.
• Joey fired out from behind the plate, pounced on a bunt, and threw a rocket to Timmy at first to retire the next batter.
• Suitably inspired by Joey, Chris Overton made a one-handed snag of a high foul ball, robbing John Walsh on the first row of the Big Blue cheering section. Unlike Mama Lama in game 1, he did not break a nail.
• Playing shortstop with a man on first in the fourth, JT ranged to his left, gobbled up a grounder, stepped on second for the force, and then threw to Timmy at first to complete the double play.

Game 2 line score	1	2	3	4	5	6	R	H
Big Blue	7	4	2	3	X	X	16	23
SW Colts	0	0	1	0	X	X	1	3

Clemmons Super Regional Game 1: Big Blue 13, NC Snipers 3

If you were wondering what all that activity was on that funny diamond-shaped thing on Saturday evening in Clemmons, it was a baseball game. You can be forgiven for not being sure, considering that it's been three weeks since Big Blue took the field.

The layoff didn't seem to hamper the bats. The offense picked up right where it left off in last night's scrimmage, pounding out 16 hits to claim a 13-3 victory. The game was notable for being umpired by the unquestionable Perry. For some reason, Coach Kevin never saw fit to disagree with him and his conversation with the umpire consisted of, "You are doing a fine job, sir."

Big Blue celebrated the victory by enjoying some of the most finely fermented snacks and drinks that have ever been consumed at a baseball field, considering the Gooches and McLoughlins have been trying to bring them for the last two weeks. Coach Ken said it was a total coincidence that all the Gatorades were only half full. Sometimes a first base coach gets thirsty, you know.

Game 1 Big Blue scoring plays
First inning
Bryce started his three-hit game and the game with a leadoff double to right. With two on and one out, Chace began a three-hit day of his own with a two-RBI double to left-center.
Score after one-half inning: Big Blue 2, NC Snipers 0

Third inning
Leading off for the second time in three innings, Bryce singled. JT rocketed a double to right that scored Bryce, then moved to third on Gavin's single. Chace ripped a run-scoring single. With two outs, Big Blue put up five more runs, stopped only by the tournament's seven-run limit in each inning. Mason reached on a grounder back through the middle that caused some defensive issues and scored Gavin. Joey and Timmy recorded back-to-back RBI singles, and then Elias came through with a two-RBI double to center.
Score after two and a half innings: Big Blue 9, NC Snipers 0

Fourth inning
Bryce is not officially required to lead off every inning...it just works out that way. He led off for the third time in the game and singled yet again to immediately put pressure on the defense. JT followed with another single. With one out, Chace drove in two with a double, making it a 5-RBI game. With two down, Mason's grounder was too hot to handle and scored Chace. Joey's single rolled around in the outfield and allowed Mason to motor all the way around.
Score after three and a half innings: Big Blue 13, NC Snipers 0

Game 1 Web Gems

• Starting off the weekend by demonstrating the kind of heart and sacrifice needed to be a winning baseball team, Jennifer LaMattina showed such hustle on a foul pop on the second Snipers batter of the game that she broke a nail. Unfortunately, she did not cleanly make the catch, but it was great hustle.
• Playing on the very bouncy turf infield, Bryce speared a hard one-hopper and threw to first to record the second out of the second inning.
• The Sniper leadoff man slapped a leadoff hit to right to open the fourth that looked like it might roll down the line. But Jake hustled over, cut the ball off, and fired the ball back in to limit him to a single.

Game 1 line score	1	2	3	4	5	6	R	H
Big Blue	2	0	7	4	X	X	13	16
NC Snipers	0	0	0	3	X	X	3	4

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

This weekend's schedule

No one should get overconfident, but there is a chance Big Blue might actually get to play some baseball games this weekend. The weekend slate begins with a Friday night scrimmage against the Blue Sox. That begins at Hank Anderson Park at 6:15, with BP scheduled for 5:30. We are wearing the navy all-star practice shirts (with the number on the back) and gray pants.

Beginning Saturday, we will play in a five-team machine-pitch event, the AAU Fall Super Regional in Clemmons. Game times can be found here. We are wearing blue jerseys on Saturday and white jerseys on Sunday. Coach Sean will be wearing this jersey and rooting on Big Blue from out of town.

In order to prepare for the five-game weekend, Big Blue went through a strenuous practice on Tuesday. You will note the in-state players are on the field, while the out-of-state players can't be seen. That is because they are waiting in their individual team-issued RVs. As soon as an in-stater made an error, they were immediately escorted from the field and the next Florida/California player was brought out from the RV. The departing player was sent off with a salute from our special guest coach.

Team outing at NC State game

Did you happen to catch Coach Kevin and Coach Sean on TV during the State-Florida State game tonight? Just in case you missed it, here's a screen shot:

Great to see the coaches building some chemistry off the field before the tournament tomorrow. I believe that is Coach Ken in the sleeveless red shirt. Sun's out, guns out.