Super NIT Championship: Canes 9, Durham Indians 3

The Canes claimed the Super NIT championship with a 9-3 win over the Durham Indians in a game shortened to four innings by a very short time limit and by Ben's desire to preserve his 0-for-0 day. 

In the last two games combined, the Canes defense committed just one error, and they also got outstanding pitching (71% first pitch strikes in the last two games combined). The win gave the Canes their fourth straight championship of the fall and also gave them the opportunity to practice their postgame photo skills. How do you prefer your team photo?

Posed?

Posed but a little crazy?

Or selfie style (it should be noted there were postgame cookies which accounts for some, but not all, of the weird faces):

Championship Canes scoring plays

First inning

Gavin tripled. Drew hit an inside-the-park skillet. 

Score after one inning: Canes 2, Indians 0

Second inning

Colin walked and went to second on an error. Bryce's fielder's choice moved him to third and Asher drove him in with a single. Asher stole second and took third on a wild pitch. Jake walked and--you will never guess!--stole second. Gavin's double drove in two. Drew singled home Gavin. A throwing error advanced Drew to third, and he scored on a wild pitch.

Score after two innings: Canes 7, Indians 0

Third inning
Brady reached on a fielder's choice and stole second. JT's fielder's choice moved him to third. Colin reached on a fielder's choice and stole second. Bryce's shot to the right side scored a pair.
Score after three innings: Canes 9, Indians 1

Pitching Performances

Drew started and threw two scoreless frames, striking out four.

Colin pitched in the third and fanned one.

Brady finished it up in the fourth while also tallying one strikeout.

Dugout wisdom
If this tells you how much wisdom was in the dugout, here was your first base coach for a good portion of the championship game:

When assessing the opposing pitcher, JT said, "This guy is so slow I have time to read the paper while the ball is on the way to the plate. Not that I would ever read the paper."

Brady was dutifully keeping tabs and doing a great job until he encountered a major problem. As he tried to write, he said, "This pencil is out of ink." Someone explain the difference between a pencil and a pen to Brady.

Championship Web Gems

• JT hosed a runner trying to steal second for the final out of the third inning, with Jake applying the tag.
• In the fourth inning, Bryce made a sweet sprawling stop of a hot grounder, then threw to first to a stretching Asher (!) for the out.

Championship line score	1	2	3	4	5	6	R	H
Durham Indians	0	0	1	2	X	X	3	4
Canes	2	5	2	X	X	X	9	7