Good Ol' Rocky Mount

Game 1: West Raleigh @ Carolina Pilots

The 8U Blue filed into the parking lot of the Rocky Mount Sports Complex Saturday morning to a smorgasbord of goods awaiting them. Thanks to the very generous Coach Lance Wheeler (and The Backyard Bistro) all of the boys were handed a brand new baseball bag and helmet. The boys also were handed their brand new uniforms.

Our boys looked good!

It was time to PLAY BALL!

10:45- the first pitch was thrown to the WR Blue (who were the visiting team for both games on Saturday). It was a slow start for the 8U Blue. Only two hits in the first inning, #98 Blake with a solid double up the 3rd baseline followed by #2 Garrett's single to Center field which scored Blake.

Our Defense also seemed to still have a little sleep in their eyes in the bottom of the 1st letting the first two hitters on base for the Pilots, followed by the third batter hitting an in the park home run. Our boys needed to tighten up! The next three batters go down quick, with a Center field Catch by #28 Brian, a failed bunt attempt that #11 Grayson scooped up at catcher making the out at first, and #9 Payton Green had the third out, making a running sliding catch in foul territory.

2nd inning wouldn't see much hitting for the 8U's, with only a single hit up the middle for #28 Brian Rubin.
Good thing the WR-D was starting to wake up. #32 Timothy makes the first out at shortstop making a backwards running catch where the grass meets the dirt. The Pilots end up with guys at 1st and 2nd 1 out when #7 Jacob gobbled up a grounder at pitcher and throws to #9 Green at third, followed by the third out at second when #32 Timothy grabs a shallow pop up that dropped in and throws to #17 Ryan "Pickles" Smith who was waiting at the bag.

Top of the third 1-3 Pilots...
#8 Evan starts off our hitting with a single up the middle. #10 David makes it to first on a shallow infield pop up, and Evan heads to third on the bad throw to first, unfortunately that is where the hits end in the third as we leave guys stranded on 1st and 3rd.

Bottom of the third we make quick work of the Pilots. #8 Evan makes the first out in shallow center with a catch, followed by a #28 Rubin's catch in center. Third out came courtesy of #7 Jacob at pitcher who grabbed a line drive at the mound and makes the throw to #16 Payton Bloom at first.

Heading to the fourth...Our boys need to start playing some offense!!!

#98 Blake hits one towards the shortstop and beats the throw to first, #2 Garrett hits a BOMB to DEEP center field for a TRIPLE Blake easily scores and our bats are starting to warm up. #14 Zach hits a grounder to the shortstop and beats the throw to first, Garrett scores from third. Our boys are starting to chip away. #28 Brian hits a line drive single up the middle followed by #7 Jacob laying down a bunt single. Bases loaded 1 out. #17 Ryan starts to swing but before he can pull back his bat, the ball hits the top the his bat and lands about a foot from home, the Pilots grab the ball and touch home to get Zach running in to score. Bases loaded...two outs. #11 Grayson hits a high line drive to Left field scoring #28 Brian and #7 Jacob. heading into the bottom of the fourth our boys have taken a 5-3 lead.

First batter for the Pilots hits one to shallow left field, Blake makes an great attempt at the ball, running in and diving for it, but as his glove hand hits the ground the ball pops loose and the runner is on first. 2nd batter of the inning bunts, #10 Dilday is behind the plate and gets the throw off and the runner is out at first. The Pilots next batter hits a line drive single to left field, scoring the runner that was on second. Third out came courtesy of a ground ball hit to #32 Timothy at shortstop who makes the throw to #17 Ryan at second.

5th inning 5-4 West Raleigh

With two outs on the board in the 5th, #32 Timothy hits a triple to right center. #98 Blake hits a high fly ball that drops in left field scoring Timothy. #2 Garrett hits a single to right center moving Blake over to third. #16 Payton Bloom hits a single to left field scoring Blake, #14 Zach hits a single up the left field line scoring Garrett. Our last hit of the inning was a TRIPLE by #28 Brian, scoring #16 Payton and #14 Zach...5 run rule...our inning ends with a hitter on deck and only two outs on the board.

Bottom of the 5th...3 up 3 down.
Great catches made by Rubin in Center for out #1, Garrett makes a catch on a ball hit between 1st & 2nd for out #2 and Ryan grabs the third out making the catch on a ball hit behind 2nd.

6th inning 10-4

The 8U's were not done scoring, #7 Jacob starts us off by making it to second on a shallow pop up that the right fielder dropped and then over threw second base. #17 Ryan hits one hard back at the pitcher, which stunned him enough that he was unable to make the throw to 1st and Ryan settles in on the bag. #11 Grayson hits a line drive to left field scoring #7 Jacob, #8 Evan drops one into center field for a single, scoring Ryan. #10 David hits one behind the short stop for a single, moving the runners over, bases loaded when #9 Payton Green hits one up the middle scoring #11 Grayson and #8 Evan, but #10 David gets thrown out at 2nd. #32 Timothy's "swinging bunt" gets him to first and #9 Green to second 1 out on the board. #98 Blake hits a line drive single to left center bases loaded. #16 Bloom hits a single to left field on the line scoring #9 Payton and #32 Timothy. #14 Zach hits a one to Left Center for a double scoring Blake and Payton Bloom.

Heading into the bottom of the 6th we have tacked on 8 more runs.

The Pilots weren't ready to give up, their first two runners get on before #10 Dilday at pitcher makes the play and throw to third for out #1 on their 3rd batter of the 6th. The next two Pilot batters get hits and two runs score. Blake grabs a grounder hit up the third baseline, tagging third base for out #2, next batter pops up to Timothy at shortstop for out #3.

The final tally for game one: West Raleigh 18 Carolina Pilots 6.

The West Raleigh 7U Blue team had two great games yesterday also. Losing to the 2nd seeded Gold Bracket team 8-7, and beating the 8U South Wake Storm 19-9. Way to Roll 7U Blue!