As usual, the Canes and Quick Strike played a tight, well-played game in the semifinals of Border Wars in Rocky Mount. This time, the Canes broke it open with an eight-run fifth, plating all eight runs in the frame with two outs.
The Quick Strike had carried a 4-1 lead into the fourth, and some listless Evoshield play prompted what was later termed a "scary" speech from Coach Adam, who is normally very mild-mannered and easygoing. He now wishes he could remember what he said, because it was followed by eleven unanswered runs.
The win advanced the Canes to the Border Wars championship game.
First inning
Gavin reached on a ball to the left side, stole second, and scored on Drew's single.
Score after one-half inning: Canes 1, Quick Strike 0
Fourth inning
Jake walked and...well, you know. Gavin singled and went to second on a misplay. Drew rocked a two-run double. He tagged up and went to third on Chace's fly ball to right, then scored on Colin's sacrifice fly.
Score after three and a half innings: Canes 4, Quick Strike 4
Fifth inning
Brady singled. Elias walked. Asher moved them over with a sacrifice. Jake walked. After a fielder's choice, Drew came through with a two-out, two-run single. Gavin scored on a wild pitch. Chace walked. Drew scored on a wild pitch. Colin walked. Andrew hit a two-run single. Bryce walked. Brady knocked a two-run single.
Score after four and a half innings: Canes 12, Quick Strike 4
Score after one-half inning: Canes 1, Quick Strike 0
Fourth inning
Jake walked and...well, you know. Gavin singled and went to second on a misplay. Drew rocked a two-run double. He tagged up and went to third on Chace's fly ball to right, then scored on Colin's sacrifice fly.
Score after three and a half innings: Canes 4, Quick Strike 4
Fifth inning
Brady singled. Elias walked. Asher moved them over with a sacrifice. Jake walked. After a fielder's choice, Drew came through with a two-out, two-run single. Gavin scored on a wild pitch. Chace walked. Drew scored on a wild pitch. Colin walked. Andrew hit a two-run single. Bryce walked. Brady knocked a two-run single.
Score after four and a half innings: Canes 12, Quick Strike 4
Pitching Performances
Andrew started and went one and a third, including a quick 1-2-3 in the first.
Drew threw two and two-thirds scoreless innings of relief.
Chace closed it down in the fifth.
Dugout wisdom
In the first inning, a Quick Strike hitter lofted a high pop fly towards second base. "Run it out, you never know what's going to happen!" yelled a CQS parent.
Without missing a beat and before the ball came down, Brady said, "Yes you do. He's going to catch it."
One beat later, Colin settled under the ball and caught it.
Drew threw two and two-thirds scoreless innings of relief.
Chace closed it down in the fifth.
Dugout wisdom
In the first inning, a Quick Strike hitter lofted a high pop fly towards second base. "Run it out, you never know what's going to happen!" yelled a CQS parent.
Without missing a beat and before the ball came down, Brady said, "Yes you do. He's going to catch it."
One beat later, Colin settled under the ball and caught it.
Semifinal Web Gems
- Good presence of mind by Drew on the mound when a runner broke off first base in the second. Drew stepped off and threw to Gavin, who ran down the runner for the out.
- Jake made a nice play in center in the fifth.
- Chace recorded another Canes pickoff in the fifth.
Semifinal line score
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
5
|
6
|
R
|
H
|
Canes
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
3
|
8
|
X
|
12
|
7
|
CQS
|
0
|
4
|
0
|
0
|
2
|
X
|
6
|
5
|
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