Zone Qualifier Semifinals: Canes 9, Tidewater Drillers 8 (7 innings)

In the best game of the season so far, the Tidewater Drillers jumped out to an 8-0 lead after one inning, only to watch the Canes mount an epic comeback that ended in extra innings with a 9-8 victory.

The eight-run first inning was the biggest single inning posted against this group during the 12U season (including the fall) and is one of the biggest single innings put up against this group since they began kid pitch in 9U. As it turned out, though, it just set the stage for an epic comeback the likes of which this team has not often had to make.

The Evoshield offense was given the opportunity to chip away by incredible relief work from Drew, who entered in the top of the second and was absurdly dominant. Keep in mind this was achieved against a team that sent 12 batters to the plate in the first inning and scored eight runs. Choose your favorite stat:

At one point, he struck out ten in a row.

After walking the second hitter he faced, he retired the next 17 in a row.

Only two of those 17 outs were on balls that were put in play; he recorded 14 strikeouts (I know the math doesn't work--see the web gems section).

No Tidewater runner made it past second base.

The Drillers sent 12 hitters to the plate in the first inning and sent only 18 batters to the plate in the next six innings.

Drew did not allow a hit, didn't even consider allowing a run, and held the Drillers at bay long enough for the offense to ignite. And when it did, it was with a Canes specialty--two-out runs.

Five of the final six Canes runs were scored with two outs, including a heart-pounding sixth inning that didn't even really get started until there were two outs. With two gone, Elias worked it to a 3-2 count, then hit a hard single. Ben then got into a hitter's count at 2-1 and crushed a two-out, game-tying homer.

That set the stage for a fun seventh. International tiebreaker rules put a runner at second to start the inning. The Canes promptly picked that runner off for the Drillers, meaning they needed just one run in the bottom of the seventh to win the game. With Jake on third and one out, the Drillers chose to intentionally walk both Drew and Chace. That brought up Colin, who didn't wait long before doing this:

The win was one of the biggest comebacks this group has ever had and advanced the Canes to the championship game of the zone qualifier.

Semifinal Canes scoring plays

Second inning

Chace cranked a solo homer to get the Canes on the board.
Score after two innings: Drillers 8, Canes 1

Third inning
Elias reached on a ball through the infield and went to second on a throwing error. Jake hit a one-out single. Gavin roped a two-run double and scored on Chace's single.
Score after three innings: Drillers 8, Canes 4

Fourth inning
JT singled. Elias doubled. Ben drove in JT with a single.
Score after four innings: Drillers 8, Canes 5

Fifth inning
Chace doubled and scored on Colin's single.
Score after five innings: Drillers 8, Canes 6

Sixth inning
Elias kept it alive with a single. Ben drove a game-tying two-run homer to right-center.
Score after six innings: Canes 8, Drillers 8

Seventh inning
Jake was on second due to international tiebreaker rules. Gavin's fly ball to center moved him to third. Drew and Chace were intentionally walked, and Colin ended it with an RBI single.
Score after seven innings: Canes 9, Drillers 8

Pitching Performances

Elias and Chace teamed up to get through the first inning and survive some red-hot Tidewater bats.

Drew came in and was dominant for six no-hit innings.

Dugout wisdom
Most of the chatter in this game was actually about, you know, the game. How boring. Why do you think we come to these games? Coach Kevin II did have an insightful comment in pregame about locating the balls, but we'll leave that for another day.

Semifinal Web Gems

• Brady made a leaping catch in right field of a hard line drive in the second.
• Bryce and Gavin teamed up on a heads-up pickoff in the seventh. With the international tiebreaker rules in place that put a runner on second, Bryce threw behind him and picked him off for a huge out.

Semifinal line score	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	R
Drillers	8	0	0	0	0	0	0	8
Canes	0	1	3	1	1	2	1	9