NYBC Championship: Canes 7, Tri-State Arsenal 3

They did it. They really did it. In a tournament stocked with guest players, Canes-Gallaher took the exact team they've played with all season--except with multiple players limited by injury--went to the National Youth Baseball Championship, and won the whole darn thing.

The championship was earned with a 7-3 win over Tri-State Arsenal, one of the best programs in the United States. And now, based on the results this week in Long Island, you'd need to put this team in that company, also. 

We've almost gotten desensitized to them winning tournaments, because there has been a lot of winning with this group. But the NYBC isn't an event where you just show up and win. It takes a complete team effort for the full five days, and even then sometimes you just run up against a team having a better day. As Coach Sean reminded the team two days ago, last year the Canes beat Arsenal in pool play, but then Arsenal won the title. This year the reverse happened, and man was it sweet. The Canes got a variety of incredible pitching performances, some very timely hitting up and down the lineup, and played terrific defense (just two errors in the tournament) during the entire week.

The Canes finish the spring 45-5 and finish the 13U season (counting the fall) at 71-6. Back when they were seven and we were lugging that pitching machine all over West Raleigh, being a national champion was nothing more than a far-away dream. Today, it's reality. As Tyrone told us, there truly is no mountain too high.

Championship Canes scoring plays

Second inning
Wes singled. Macon was hit by a pitch. Jake moved the runners over, and Ty drove them in with a two-run single.
Score after one and a half innings: Canes 2, Arsenal 0

Third inning
Chace walked and scored on Drew's two-run homer.
Score after two and a half innings: Canes 4, Arsenal 0

Fifth inning
Gavin reached with one out. A wild pitch put him on second. He tagged up on Chace's liner to center and went to third, and then scored on Wes' two-out single.
Score after four and a half innings: Canes 5, Arsenal 2

Seventh inning
Gavin reached with a leadoff bunt single. Drew walked. Wes singled. Macon hit an RBI single. Bennett drew an RBI walk.
Score after six and a half innings: Canes 7, Arsenal 3

Pitching Performances

Drew worked through three and two-thirds innings of great pitching, striking out three and allowing just a pair of hits.

Chace closed with three and a third innings of tremendous pitching, allowing just two hits and retiring the final four batters in order.

Dugout Wisdom
Tyrone Mathis graced the boys with an unbelievably good pregame prayer. Retyping it here wouldn't do it justice. You remember how excited Tyrone gets about blueberry cheesecake from Costco? Now imagine him channeling that energy into the pregame prayer.

Some of the umpire's comments were truly entertaining, but we'll just let those be a mystery for now.

Championship Web Gems

• Jake made a sliding catch on the line in right field to end the first.
• Perfect PFP in the second, as Drew hustled over to take the throw from Chace at first.
• Gavin made a ridiculous barehand play on a slow roller in the fifth and made a strong throw to get the runner by a step and a half.
• Eli cut off a would-be double in the gap in the sixth and limited the hitter to a single. Why did that matter? Because the next batter grounded into a force at second that wouldn't have been a force without Eli's hustle.
• Andrew finished the sixth with a nice running catch in the right-center gap.

Championship line score	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	R	H
Canes	0	2	2	0	1	0	2	7	11
Tri-State Arsenal	0	0	0	2	0	1	0	3	4

NYBC Semifinal: Canes 12, Grit Black 4

The Canes moved into the NYBC championship game with a 12-4 win over Grit Black (N.Y.). The tone was set early with a six-run top of the first, and four pitchers teamed up on a one-hitter.

The championship game will be played at 1 p.m. against old foe Tri-State Arsenal and can be seen on CBS Sports Network or streamed live here.

Semifinal Canes scoring plays

First inning
Eli reached on an error and stole second. Gavin walked. A fielder's choice moved them up, and Drew lined an opposite field three-run homer to open the scoring. Wes walked. Macon singled, the first of a 3-for-3 day. Jake walked. A wild pitch scored Wes on a great slide. Ty singled home Macon. Jake scored on a throwing error.
Score after one-half inning: Canes 6, Grit 0

Second inning
Chace worked a one-out walk. Drew walked. Chace stole third and scored on Macon's single. Jake singled home Drew. Macon scored on a throwing error.
Score after one and a half innings: Canes 9, Grit 0

Fourth inning
Gavin walked and was balked to second. A wild pitch moved him to third. Chace walked. Drew's twisting grounder to first wasn't fielded, scoring two. Drew scored on Macon's single.
Score after three and a half innings: Canes 12, Grit 4

Pitching Performances

Bennett buzzed through the top of the order and worked into the second.

Drew threw an inning of hitless relief.

Andrew contributed an inning and a third of shutout relief.

Chace got the last out on two pitches.

Dugout Wisdom
Some Canes voices are getting a little weak as we get later in the week. In the van this morning, Andrew was sounding a little raspy, and he was asked how much voice he has left. His answer was just one word: "Enough."

Semifinal Web Gems

• Chace leaped to snag a high throw from Ty in the first inning, then got a toe on the bag to get the runner by a half-step at first.

Semifinal line score	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	R	H
Canes	6	3	0	3	X	X	X	12	7
Grit Black	0	4	0	0	X	X	X	4	1

NYBC Quarterfinals: Canes 6, Mid-Atlantic Pirates 1

In one of the most high-energy games of the season, the Canes got an outstanding pitching performance from Ty, who went six and two-thirds innings to pitch his team to a 6-1 victory. 

The offense generated six early runs but then went quiet, leaving four runners in scoring position in the final three innings. But it didn't matter because of Ty's stellar mound work. He retired the first nine hitters in order, then worked out of a couple jams in the later innings. 

The win advances the Canes to the NYBC semifinals on Saturday morning at 9 a.m. against Grit Black. A win there would send the Canes to the championship game at 1 p.m., which would be played on CBS Sports Network.

Quarterfinal Canes scoring plays

Second inning
Macon slapped a one-out single. Jake singled. A throwing error scored Macon and put Jake on third. Andrew worked a two-out walk. Another throwing error scored Jake. Asher dropped in an RBI double.
Score after two innings: Canes 3, Pirates 0

Third inning
Gavin poked a ball into center and then stole second. Chace walked. Drew sliced one to left that scored Gavin. Wes' sacrifice fly scored Chace, and Macon's sacrifice fly scored Drew.
Score after three innings: Canes 6, Pirates 0

Pitching Performances

Ty was incredible. He threw six and two-thirds innings and gave up just three hits and one run. For his efforts, he was deservedly given a game ball.

Bennett came into a tough situation and nailed down the win by coaxing a ground ball for the game's final out.

Dugout Wisdom
As you might have noticed, the Canes took to chanting, "An-da-le!" during many important moments in the game. After a couple renditions, several players asked, "What does that mean?" "I don't know," came the answer. "We just heard the Dominican team saying it."

Quarterfinal Web Gems

• Eli, Wes and Drew executed a perfect relay from deep center to snuff out a runner trying to take an extra base on a double in the second.
• With runners on second and third in the fourth, Drew gobbled up a grounder to third and fired to Macon at the plate to cut down another runner.
• On the very next pitch, Gavin scooped up a grounder up the middle, stepped on second, then threw to Chace to complete the inning-ending double play.

Quarterfinal line score	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	R	H
Pirates	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	1	3
Canes	0	3	3	0	0	0	X	6	7

NYBC Game 4: Canes 5, Petaluma (Calif.) 4

In a game that was a tremendous baseball game if you didn’t care who won and completely agonizing if you did care, the Canes came from behind to earn a 5-4 win over a tough Petaluma (Calif.) squad on Monday afternoon in Long Island.

For most of the game, the West Coasters had an answer every time the Canes tried to make a push. Elias led off the game and ignited the crowd with a leadoff home run on the third pitch of the game, but then Petaluma struck for two in the bottom of the first. The Canes tied it in the third without the benefit of a hit, but then Petaluma went back ahead in the bottom of the frame. Yet again the Canes knotted it in the top of the fifth on Andrew’s solo homer down the left field line, but Petaluma went right back ahead in the bottom of the inning.

That set the stage for the sixth. With gutsy pitching having kept the Canes in the game, they scratched across a run on a walk, an error, and a single from Wes. Then, with two outs and Petaluma seemingly having regained the momentum after getting an out on the bases, Macon took a 1-1 pitch deep to give the Canes their first lead since the top of the first. Chace closed it out in the bottom of the inning.

Did we mention this game was televised nationally on CBS Sports Network? In other words, it was the kind of afternoon no one who played or was in attendance will ever forget. Petaluma actually handily outhit the Canes, 7-4, but three of those four hits were home runs, and the offense took advantage of six walks and a hit batter to generate some baserunners and run up the California starter’s pitch count to eventually knock him out of the game.

Postgame featured a team photo with longtime MLB player and manager Dusty Baker plus a rowdy celebration with the Canes cheering section down the left field line. The win secured a spot in Friday’s bracket play, with matchups to be announced later today.

Game 4 Canes scoring plays

First inning

Eli tagged a leadoff solo homer.

Score after one-half inning: Canes 1, Petaluma 0

Third inning

Colin walked and went to second on a fielder’s choice. Eli was hit by a pitch, Gavin walked, and then Drew collected a two-out RBI walk.  

Score after two and a half innings: Canes 2, Petaluma 2

Fifth inning

Andrew blasted a solo homer down the left field line, prompting Coach Sean to do his best Carlton Fisk impression in the third-base coaches box to keep the ball fair.

Score after four and a half innings: Canes 3, Petaluma 3

Sixth inning

Chace walked. Gavin ran for him and went to third on an error. Wes dropped in an RBI single. Macon hit a two-out solo homer to give the Canes the lead.

Score after five and a half innings: Canes 5, Petaluma 4




Pitching Performances

Andrew started and fired an inning and two-thirds, walking zero.

Drew also tossed an inning and two-thirds.

Wes worked through an inning and a third of hitless relief.

Chace faced five batters and allowed just one hit.

Dugout wisdom

In the excitement after Gavin went to third on an error in the sixth, where he was the tying run, Andrew kicked over a ball bucket in the dugout. As Andrew walked back down the dugout and surveyed the sudden explosion of baseballs, he said, “Sorry guys, that’s on me. I’ll take that one.”

Game 4 Web Gems

•   A quietly big web gem in the third. Petaluma had already plated one run and appeared to have scored another on a sacrifice fly to center. But an appeal to third base resulted in the runner being called out for leaving early, taking his run off the scoreboard.

•  With a runner on second and one out in the fourth, Gavin scooped up a grounder and fired to Ty, who applied the tag for the out.

•  Huge play in the sixth. With the leadoff man of the inning on first and representing the tying run, the next hitter attempted to bunt him over. But he bunted through the ball, and Macon threw a laser to Drew at first to pick off the runner.

Game 4 line score	1	2	3	4	5	6	R	H
Canes	1	0	1	0	1	2	5	4
Petaluma	2	0	1	0	1	0	4	7

NYBC Game 3: Tri-State Arsenal 3, Canes 0

The Canes fell victim to one of the best pitching performances against this group in recent memory, as Tri-State Arsenal got a two-hit shutout to win the third game of pool play, 3-0. The offense was only able to get two runners as far as third base, one in the second and one in the fifth. 

The great Arsenal pitching overshadowed the fact that three Canes pitchers combined on a four-hitter, keeping the team close enough to mount a couple of threats that just never produced that one big hit. 

Despite the loss, the Canes are sitting 2-1 going into tomorrow's fourth game of pool play, which is on CBS Sports Network at 1 p.m. Yes, like actual television. Tune in to see a live look at the #DadHats.

Pitching Performances

Bennett worked out of trouble in the first.

Macon threw a great three innings of relief, allowing just two hits.

Eli casually went 1-2-3 through the top of the order in the fifth.

Game 3 Web Gems

• Wes sprawled to make a good play up the middle that ended a threat in the first.
• Textbook relay from deep right in the third that went Andrew-Chace-Drew to cut down a runner at the plate.

Game 3 line score	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	R	H
Canes	0	0	0	0	0	0	X	0	2
Arsenal	1	0	2	0	0	X	X	3	4

NYBC Game 2: Canes 13, Yeti Crawdads (Tex.) 4

More solid pitching led the way in the second NYBC pool play game, as the Canes won a 13-4 decision over the Yeti Crawdads (Tex.) in a four-inning game due to the time limit. Four Canes pitchers saw action and allowed a total of just five hits. 

The turning point came early, as Ty pitched out of a bases loaded, one-out jam in the top of the first. The Canes responded by also loading the bases with one out in the bottom of the first…and then scoring six runs to take a lead they never relinquished.  

Game 2 Canes scoring plays

First inning

Gavin drew a one-out walk. Wild pitches moved him to third. Chace and Drew walked. Wes worked an RBI walk. Macon’s fielder’s choice scored Chace. Jake drew an RBI walk. Ty’s single scored Wes. Andrew’s two-out single scored a pair.

Score after one inning: Canes 6, Yeti 0

Second inning

Gavin walked and stole second. Chace singled and stole second. Drew walked. Wes’ fielder’s choice scored Gavin. Jake singled. Ty singled home Drew and Wes and then stole second. Colin walked. Asher cranked a three-run double.  

Score after two innings: Canes 12, Yeti 0

Third inning

Gavin doubled. Chace walked. Drew’s fielder’s choice eventually scored Gavin after an error.

Score after three innings: Canes 13, Yeti 4




Pitching Performances

Ty started and threw a shutout inning and two-thirds.

Wes came in for relief and worked out of a jam.

Colin returned to the mound with an inning and two-thirds of excellent pitching.

Macon finished it up by getting the last batter.

Dugout wisdom

The team temporarily had to gather under a tent to wait out a rainstorm before the game started. The Dominican team wandered through during the break, and Bennett pondered having a quick discussion with them. Someone asked if he knows Spanish. “They don’t speak Spanish there,” he replied. “They speak Dominican.” If you were wondering, Spanish for “22” is “dos-dos.”

Wes went sliding across the turf into home in the first inning. When he came back into the dugout, he announced, “My butt’s a little warm! When you slide you get some friction.”

Game 2 Web Gems

•  With the bases loaded and one out in the first, Drew made a smooth play on a hopper to third and threw to Macon to cut down the lead runner.

•   Big play by Macon to conserve some pitches and stem the momentum by picking a runner off first base to end the second inning.

Game 2 line score	1	2	3	4	5	6	R	H
Yeti	0	0	4	0	X	X	4	5
Canes	6	6	1	X	X	X	13	7

NYBC Game 1: Canes 9, Canes-Maryland 0

The Canes began play at the NYBC in New York with a 9-0 win over a Canes team from Maryland. An extremely well-pitched game saw a trio of Canes pitchers give up just three hits over five innings. The offense scored in every inning, and four of the nine runs scored on either walks or wild pitches.

Tomorrow is a big one in pool play, with two games against very strong competition beginning at 10 a.m.

Game 1 Canes scoring plays

First inning
Gavin singled and went to third on an error. He scored on Chace's fielder's choice.
Score after one inning: Good Canes 1, Bad Canes 0

Second inning
Macon led off with a triple. He scored on Ty's single. Colin singled. A balk moved both runners over. Andrew smacked an RBI single. Colin scored on a wild pitch.
Score after two innings: Good Canes 4, Bad Canes 0

Third inning
Chace led off with a single and stole second. Wes smashed an RBI triple. He scored on a wild pitch.
Score after three innings: Good Canes 6, Bad Canes 0

Fourth inning
Eli was hit by a two-out pitch. He stole second and scored on Gavin's triple. Chace was hit, and Drew walked. Wes drew an RBI walk. Chace scored on a wild pitch.
Score after four innings: Good Canes 9, Bad Canes 0

Pitching Performances

Andrew started and was very efficient with his 35 pitches, going two and two-thirds innings.

Gavin fired two innings of one-hit relief.

Ty finished it up with the last out of the game.

Dugout Wisdom
Coach Sean and both Coach Kevins absolutely loved the NYBC rule requiring them to wear helmets while coaching the bases. The players deemed them "Dad hats," which I don't believe was a compliment, even though Dad anything is clearly the epitome of cool.

After throwing his two shutout innings, Gavin returned to the sunken dugout and was finishing off his drink. As he went to throw it in the trash can, three bags loudly fell off the bench onto the concrete floor. His eyes widened and he looked as guilty as possible. "All I did was try to throw a bottle in the trash can!" he said.

Game 1 Web Gems

• With a runner on second and no outs, Gavin speared a ball back to the mound, held the runner, and threw to Chace for the out.

Game1 line score	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	R	H
Canes-MD	0	0	0	0	0	X	X	0	3
Canes	1	3	2	3	X	X	X	9	9