PG Super25 Championship: Tri-State Arsenal 3, Canes 2

An epic championship game concluded the PG Super25 championship, with Tri-State Arsenal taking a 3-2 win over the Evoshield Canes.

The game was scoreless until the bottom of the fifth, when the Canes scratched out a single run that briefly looked like it might be enough to win. Arsenal then struck back with three in the top of the sixth (cameras were able to capture the following very telling footage of their scoring play in the top of the sixth, with the real action beginning around the 25-second mark), only to watch the Canes get back within one run with the tying run on base in the bottom of the frame.

Outstanding pitching on both sides ruled the game, with Tri-State using a pair of hurlers and the Canes throwing only Andrew, who was terrific all morning. The Evoshield defense also backed him up with error-free play for most of the day, making both routine and spectacular plays look easy. The depth of both squads' pitching staff was on display, with both teams still having enough arms even after a long tournament to keep quality opposing offenses in check.

The season ended with some tears and lots of hugs, but also with a 73-4 record for the combined 12U season (fall and spring). That includes wins over teams from eleven different states. The Canes entered a total of 17 tournaments in the fall and spring and won 14 of them, eventually finishing second in the nation overall.

Good job, guys.

Championship Canes scoring plays

Fifth inning

Ben singled and went to second on a passed ball. Asher dropped down a bunt and Ben sprinted all the way around to score the game's first run.
Score after five innings: Canes 1, Arsenal 0

Sixth inning
Gavin walked and went to third on Drew's single. Reid drove in a run with a one-out fielder's choice.
Score after six innings: Canes 3, Arsenal 2

Pitching Performances

Andrew was incredible, going all six innings and allowing just five hits. He was perfect the first time through the powerful Arsenal lineup, retiring all ten batters in order.

Dugout wisdom
Shoutout to the variety of lucky charms the Canes used in the dugout throughout the week in Florida, from Jerry the Sloth to rally cups to sitting in whatever spot happened to be lucky at any given time.

This particular arrangement is known as the King Tut:

Also, if you would like to roll like the Canes, here's the Fort Myers playlist. I would highly emphasize the importance of getting the clean versions of these songs, or you may find yourself with a slightly more hardcore playlist (that unedited Frozen soundtrack is pretty gangsta).

Human--Rag 'n' Bone Man
Call Me Maybe--Carly Rae Jepsen
Let It Go (from Frozen)--Idina Menzel
Rapper's Delight--The Sugarhill Gang
Pokemon Theme--Pokemon X
Eli's Coming--Three Dog Night
Despacito--Luis Fonsi, Daddy Yankee, Justin Bieber
Butterfly Effect--Travis Scott
Weak--AJR
Rolex--Ayo & Teo
Location--Khalid
Started from the Bottom--Drake
Bounce Back--Big Sean
Congratulations--Post Malone
Tunnel Vision--Kodak Black
God's Gonna Cut You Down--Johnny Cash
XO Tour Lif3--Lil Uzi Vert
DNA--Kendrick Lamar
And every trip through the playlist is required to end with Ando en la Versace by Omega El Fuerte, which your player probably knows as "that Spanish song."

Championship Web Gems

• Gavin made multiple nice plays on blistering grounders to short.
• Drew pounced on a bunt in front of the plate and threw a seed to first to get the hitter.
• Drew threw to JT to cut down a runner trying to advance to third in the sixth.

Championship line score	1	2	3	4	5	6	R	H
Arsenal	0	0	0	0	0	3	3	5
Canes	0	0	0	0	1	1	2	3

PG Super25 Semifinals: Canes 13, Five-Star National 11

Remember what we said about playing tournaments in Florida in July? Here's a scene from Saturday's fourth inning:

If it's #pgsuper25, it must be a rain delay. Canes hanging out in the team van during today's thunderstorm, which is still happening. #lighters #teamplaylist #shevanigans

A post shared by Canes-Gallaher (@canesgallaher) on Jul 22, 2017 at 9:43am PDT

That's right, it's another thunderstorm delay. But that's OK, because as Coach Sean said, "We just needed some naps."

When the thunderstorm hit, the Canes had just endured a rough bottom of the third inning and trailed 9-4. After going back to the hotel and killing a couple hours, they returned to the field needing to score five runs just to tie against a lefty pitcher who had been dominant in his previous appearances. 

And then...boom. The Canes exploded for eight runs in the fourth, sending 12 hitters to the plate, getting deeper into the Five-Star bullpen, and eventually holding on for dear life to a 13-11 victory that puts them into Sunday morning's national championship game. The ten hits in the semifinal were the most for Evoshield in any game in the tournament. Seven different players had base hits and eleven different players reached base as the Canes persevered through injury, the weather, and a strong opponent to earn the win. 

Overall, the Canes were outhit 13-10, gave up four home runs and hit zero, had three extra-base hits to the opponent's five, lost the starting pitcher five pitches into the game due to injury, were down 9-4 after three innings...and won the game.

You should also know that at one point the Canes decided they were the most superstitious team in baseball for their variety of offense-producing quirks (rally cups, Jerry, snipers, humming Spanish songs, whatever it takes). This perhaps some of the reported behavior of the parents, including one unnamed individual who clutched a bloody Kleenex for the final three innings. Whatever it takes, folks.

This is what a massive comeback in the #pgsuper25 national semifinals looks like. Canes will play for title tomorrow.

A post shared by Canes-Gallaher (@canesgallaher) on Jul 22, 2017 at 2:11pm PDT

Tomorrow's championship game will be against a familiar opponent, the powerful Tri-State Arsenal squad, and will begin at 8 a.m. 

Semifinal Canes scoring plays

First inning

Gavin was hit by a pitch, stole second, went to third on a fielder's choice and scored on an error.
Score after one-half inning: Canes 1, Five-Star 0

Third inning
Asher hit a one-out single and went to second on a fielder's choice. Gavin singled and took second on the throw. Drew walked. Chace smacked a three-run double.
Score after two and a half innings: Canes 4, Five-Star 2

Fourth inning
Bryce reached on a game-turning error. Brady ripped an RBI double. Elias and Andrew walked. Ben poked a two-run single. Jake hit an RBI single. Gavin reached on an error and Ben scored. Drew's groundout scored Jake. Chace hit an RBI double. Reid's single scored Chace.
Score after three and a half innings: Canes 12, Five-Star 9

Sixth inning
Gavin singled and went to second on a wild pitch. He stole third and then scored on an error.
Score after five and a half innings: Canes 13, Five-Star 10

Pitching Performances

Mason had to leave after five pitches due to injury.

Chace came in with 2.2 innings of strong relief.

Colin threw 2.2 more innings of outstanding relief.

Gavin finished it out for the final two outs.

Dugout wisdom
Jake took a slightly questionable called third strike in the first inning. Chace then told a subsequent hitter, "Learn from Jake's mistake."

Jake, standing a couple people down, audibly snorted. "Pfffft," he said. "Learn from the umpire's mistake."

Brady grinned. "Jake's triggered," he said.

Semifinal Web Gems

• Gavin made one of his best plays of the year in the first, diving to get a ball in the hole, then throwing from the ground across the diamond to get the hitter by a fraction.
• Colin made a diving stop of a grounder ticketed for right field and then threw to first to get the out.
• Jake made a nice backhanded play up the middle and threw to Chace at first to retire the first out of the fourth.

Semifinal line score	1	2	3	4	5	6	R	H
Canes	1	0	3	8	0	1	13	10
Five Star	0	2	7	1	0	1	11	13

PG Super25: Canes 8, Elite Squad 4

The Canes stormed back from a 4-1 deficit after three innings to take an 8-4 decision over Elite Squad (Hialeah, Fla.) in the PG Super25 quarterfinals.

The Evoshield offense had managed just one hit through the first three innings. But the hitters came to life in the fourth, as the Canes batted around and sent eleven batters to the plate, scoring seven of them. 

In a slow-paced game, that turned out to be very timely, since the time limit expired after just four innings. Reid went the whole way on the mound. He got stronger as he went, retiring the final six hitters in a row.

The victory put the Canes in the national semifinals against Five-Star National. Three of the four teams in the PG Super25 semifinals came from the Canes' pool. 

Quarterfinal Canes scoring plays

First inning

Drew reached on a fielder's choice. A wild pitch put him on second, and a pair of errors scored him.
Score after one-half inning: Canes 1, Elite Squad 0

Fourth inning
Reid led off with a single. Bryce cracked a double. A wild pitch scored Reid. Colin walked. JT's fielder's choice scored Bryce. Brady beat out an infield single and Colin tore all the way around to score. A wild pitch put Brady on third. Elias singled. Jake hit a two-run triple and scored on a wild pitch. Gavin walked and stole second. Chace's two-out single scored him.
Score after three and a half innings: Canes 8, Elite Squad 4

Pitching Performances

Reid threw all four innings and scattered five hits while retiring the final six batters he faced in a row.

Dugout wisdom
Mason has a unique way of running the bases that is blindingly fast but also isn't always in complete agreement with Coach Sean's signals. After Mason scored in the fourth after running through a stop sign, Drew asked him, "Mason, are you just your own base coach?"

Quarterfinal Web Gems

• Reid unleashed a lethal pickoff move on the leadoff man in the first.
• Great job by Reid to pounce on a bunt and terrific hustle by Jake to cover first to get the hitter in the second.

Quarterfinal line score	1	2	3	4	5	6	R	H
Canes	1	0	0	7	X	X	8	7
Elite Squad	1	2	1	0	X	X	4	5

PG Super25 Game 4: Canes 3, Raiders 2

In an entertaining game if you didn't care who won (nerve-wracking if you did care who won), the Canes edged the Raiders Baseball Club (Tenn.) 3-2 to clinch a spot in Saturday's top eight bracket play.

Bryce pitched a gutsy five innings and got some timely plays from his defense to keep the Canes close long enough for the offense to grind out a handful of runs. The offense was somewhat slow to come to life because of some adventures behind the plate, including four strikeouts looking on pitches that were, and I am trying to be gentle here and not exaggerate, the worst calls in all of baseball history.

After the game, tournament officials told the Canes to move to another field to finish the game against Five-Star, whereupon arriving at that field, tournament officials told the Canes to move back to the field they had just left to finish the game against Five-Star. It was that kind of day--but also a day that ended with a spot in the final eight among the top teams in the country.

Game 4 Canes scoring plays

Fourth inning

Drew demolished a solo homer to deep center.
Score after three and a half innings: Raiders 1, Canes 1

Fifth inning
Mason reached on a one-out three-base error. Reid tripled him home and scored on a wild pitch.
Score after four and a half innings: Canes 3, Raiders 2

Pitching Performances

Bryce was awesome, throwing five innings and scattering six hits while walking just two.

Mason shut it down in the sixth with a scoreless frame.

Dugout wisdom
Most of the things that were said in the dugout during this game don't need to be repeated. But it is absolutely true that when the game was over, the home plate umpire--if you saw the game, you probably remember him--walked into a circle of Canes parents and then said to my wife, "So, did someone win that game, or did it end in a tie?" 

Game 4 Web Gems

• With two outs and a runner on first in the third, JT handled a curveball down and away and still came up firing, throwing a rocket to Gavin at second to retire the runner trying to steal.
• Colin made a diving stop up the middle to spear a line drive leading off the fourth.
• With one out and runners at the corners in the fourth, JT came out from behind the plate to catch a bunt that was popped up, then threw to first to double off the runner.
• Colin made a quality play backing up on a pop-up into shallow right in the fifth.

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

PG Super25 Game 2: Five-Star National 7, Canes 5

Florida, folks, Florida. Although this was officially the second game of pool play, it was actually the last one to end. Originally slated for 10 a.m. on Thursday, the game didn't start until 11:25 because of a lightning delay. This game originally started at Veterans Park. To give you a little flavor of the surroundings, the field was located by a marshy pond. As you might recall, we are in Fort Myers, Florida. While walking up to the field, a foul ball went in the pond. A kid started to chase it and the lady at the gate who was stealing taking the money immediately yelled, "DON'T GO NEAR THAT WATER." 

She was very, very serious about this. "The gators hide in the tall grass," she said. I gave her a courtesy, "Ha ha, Florida joke," laugh. She stared back with a straight face. "They do," she said.

I did not chase any foul balls.

During the second rain delay, which was more like a monsoon delay, there was a complete downpour for about 45 minutes. As the rain was letting up, two hooligans idiots morons teenagers who had been hanging out at the park waded waist-deep into the pond. They did, as far as we know, return with all their appendages, thereby depriving all of us from YouTube riches we would've received from posting the viral video of their gator attack.

Oh yeah, there was a baseball game. Five-Star (a hybrid of the organization's Georgia and Florida teams combined for this event) won it, 7-5, while giving up just two hits. Both teams are in the top eight that will advance to single-elimination bracket play on Saturday morning.

It perhaps best sums up today that the umpire behind the plate in the resumption of the game was wearing one of the balloon chest protectors, making him perhaps the first human to wear one of those since 1985, and no one even thought it was all that weird.

Game 2 Canes scoring plays

First inning

Jake walked, went to second on a wild pitch, and stole third. He scored on Drew's single. Drew advanced on a pair of wild pitches, then scored on a wild pitch.
Score after one inning: Canes 2, Five Star 0

Second inning
Ben walked and stole second. Reid was hit by a pitch. Jake reached on a fielder's choice and Ben scored on an error. Gavin hit a sacrifice fly.
Score after two innings: Canes 4, Five Star 0

Fifth inning
Asher reached on an error, then went to second and then third on passed balls. Gavin's one-out single plated Asher.
Score after five innings: Five Star 7, Canes 5

Pitching Performances

Reid started and worked into the third, allowing just two hits.

Asher tossed four outs of relief and recorded a pair of strikeouts.

Gavin got a pair of strikeouts.

Andrew finished up in the fifth.

Dugout wisdom
I was unpacking my bag when an envelope fell out. Chace didn't miss a beat. "Is that the money for the umpires?" he asked.

If it was, Chace, then obviously I need to put more in there next time.

Game 2 Web Gems

• Drew corralled a wild pitch and threw a rocket to JT at third, where an over adventurous runner was gunned down trying to advance.
• JT charged in and made a sure handed play on a nubber in the fourth, then threw to Chace for the out.
• Gavin made a ridiculous leaping play at short to spear a line drive, then tagged second for the inning-ending unassisted double play in the fifth.

Game 2 line score	1	2	3	4	5	6	R	H
Five Star	0	0	3	0	4	X	7	9
Canes	2	2	0	0	1	X	5	2

PG Super25 Game 3: Canes 6, Tri-State Arsenal 2

One day, folks, you may have the opportunity to play in a summer baseball tournament. And if you do, you should immediately ask the following questions:

1. Is it in Florida?

2. Is it in July?

If the answer to both of those questions is yes, you should bring a healthy supply of reading material, coloring books, activities, or whatever will keep you busy while you pass the time during the variety of rain/lightning/panther/gator delays. That's what happened again on Friday morning, as the Canes and Tri-State Arsenal nearly completed four innings before lightning and rain hit again. That led to an important coaching strategy session:

When you have been here for four days, started three games, and only finished one. #florida #dornit #raindelay #again 📷: Anonymous

A post shared by Canes-Gallaher (@canesgallaher) on Jul 21, 2017 at 8:25am PDT

The weather interrupted one of the best games of the tournament so far, with the Canes and Tri-State Arsenal manufacturing runs and getting great pitching, with the Canes ultimately pulling out a 6-2 victory in a game shortened to five innings by the time limit. The Evoshield win snapped a 26-game unbeaten streak for Arsenal, which had not lost since May 20.

The Canes set the tone quickly with two runs in the top of the first, and held a 5-2 lead when the thunder, lightning and rain came. The two teams adjourned for over three hours, then reconvened to play another inning that finished out the game.

Little ball carried the offense, as the Canes mustered just four hits--three singles and an Eli dinger. But they turned those four hits into six runs. Meanwhile, the Canes pitching was outstanding, limiting Arsenal to just two hits and retiring the final nine hitters in a row.

Although this was the third game of pool play, it was the second game to finish, leaving the Canes 2-0 in pool play with one full game and a resumption left to play today.

Game 3 Canes scoring plays

First inning

Drew coaxed a two-out walk and went to second and third on wild pitches. Chace walked and stole second. Andrew's single scored Drew. A wild pitch plated Chace.
Score after one-half inning: Canes 2, Arsenal 0

Third inning
Gavin reached on a missed third strike. He stole second. Drew walked. Chace singled. A wild pitch scored Gavin, and Colin's fielder's choice scored Drew.
Score after two and a half innings: Canes 4, Arsenal 2

Fourth inning
Elias hit a massive solo homer on a 1-2 pitch.

Score after three and a half innings: Canes 5, Arsenal 2

Fifth inning
Jake singled and stole second. He went to third on a fielder's choice and scored on an error.
Score after four and a half innings: Canes 6, Arsenal 2

Pitching Performances

Drew started and threw 3.2 innings, striking out the final four batters he faced.

Colin relieved in the fourth and retired four batters in a row to finish the game.

Dugout wisdom
After Gavin had arguably been interfered with trying to round third and score on a grounder one batter before, he scored seconds later on a wild pitch. "That's a 'Ball don't lie' moment right there," Brady observed.

Game 3 Web Gems

• JT stayed with a hard grounder down the third base line and made a sure throw to Chace at first for the out.

Game 3 line score	1	2	3	4	5	6	R	H
Canes	2	0	2	1	1	X	6	4
Tri-State Arsenal	2	0	0	0	0	X	2	2

PG Super25 Game 1: Canes 6, Line Drive Pro 5

The Canes opened play in the Perfect Game Super25 12U national championship in Fort Myers with a come-from-behind 6-5 win over Line Drive Pro, a team from the Orlando area. 

Because of the strict PG pitching rules, the game didn't have much of a rhythm, although the teams did manage to squeeze in six innings before the time limit. Evoshield limited LDP to just three hits, but still trailed 5-3 going into the bottom of the sixth (good job on the coin flip, Coach Sean). 

It took just three hitters to plate the three runs needed to win the game, as Gavin, Drew and Chace combined to walk it off, with Chace providing the final blow with a game-winning two-run homer.

This is what the aftermath of a walk-off two-run homer looks like in the opening game of #pgsuper25

A post shared by Canes-Gallaher (@canesgallaher) on Jul 19, 2017 at 8:09am PDT

After two sweltering hours, then it was time for the ride back to the hotel, which is often as entertaining as the game. This is how the Canes disembark the team bus. You should be aware that the song on the soundtrack was actually requested by a player and is one of the most popular songs on the team playlist.

Our condolences to the other non-baseball guests staying at the Residence Inn.

By the way, through some sort of Chaplin wizardry, if you want to go back and watch video of the game, it's available here.

Game 1 Canes scoring plays

Third inning

Jake walked and Gavin clubbed a two-run home run. Drew doubled and scored on Chace's double.
Score after three innings: Canes 3, LDP 0

Sixth inning
Gavin tripled and scored on Drew's single. Chace ended it with a two-run walk-off homer.
Score after six innings: Canes 6, LDP 5

Pitching Performances

Perfect Game pitching rules mean a variety of pitchers toed the rubber. Drew started and struck out four of the eight outs he recorded.

Mason got out of the third and worked into the fourth.

Chace pitched out of a big jam in the fourth.

Colin finished it up by retiring four of the five batters he faced.

Dugout wisdom
After the walk-off win, and after LDP had burned two pitchers for pool play, players were packing their bags when Jake announced, "We killed their pitching and their dreams."

A lot of things happen in the team van that probably shouldn't ever be discussed again. We're going to leave the names out of this story, but on the way back from the field after the game, a certain player exclaimed from the back, "Whoa, look at that van!" The driver and shotgun were completely oblivious, but several others began encouraging the van to catch a red van. So that's what happened, only to pull up beside it and see this (note composition of photo with Canes logo in foreground):

As Coach Kevin said, "They're not eight anymore."

Game 1 Web Gems

• Canes pitchers struck out nine, so not a lot of opportunities for web gems, but Drew and Gavin did team up for a pickoff for the first out of the game.

Game 1 line score	1	2	3	4	5	6	R	H
Line Drive Pro	0	0	0	5	0	0	5	3
Canes	0	0	3	0	0	3	6	6

PG Super25: Opening Ceremonies

The PG Super25 National Championship is underway in sunny Florida! Tuesday night brought what were described as "abbreviated" opening ceremonies. What this meant was that parents packed into the stands at Florida Southwestern University, and then the players moved as far away from them as possible to run the 30-yard dash. Chace, Elias, Andrew, Gavin and Jake ran for the Canes, with Elias finishing second overall and Jake placing third (note: these are unofficial stats, which means let's go ahead and say Andrew, Chace and Gavin tied for fourth).

The fastest man competition was followed by a home run derby. Approximately 12 of the 18 teams were in attendance, and each team was represented by one hitter. I had the really great idea to let Asher carry our GoPro around in the outfield during the derby to give you the flavor of the event. In case you weren't aware, here's what happens when you give Asher a GoPro while he's trying to shag fly balls: you get a lot of footage of his butt.

Here's the most usable of the group, with minimal butt shots:

Gavin was the Canes' home run derby representative, and advanced to the three-cut finals, where he defeated an opponent from the NBA Nationals.

And...that was it for opening ceremonies. The team van then returned to the team hotel. The team van playlist is a work in progress, because the concept of "clean" is not really something that is understood by anyone on a 12U baseball team.

The team then adjourned for dinner, because you're not you when you're:

Games start bright and early at 8 a.m. against Line Drive Pro.

Nations Championship: Canes 13, Tidewater Outlaws 2

The Canes made it a successful trip to Chesapeake with a 13-2 win over the Tidewater Outlaws in Sunday's championship game. The title victory was another all-around solid performance, with great contributions from the offense, defense and pitching. Side note: I swear I am not making this up. The head coach of the Outlaws is Jesse James.

Nations hosted an elaborate postgame awards ceremony that was run by Tournament Director Coach Sean and Site Director Coach Kevin II.

Players celebrated with their very favorite activity of posing for a team photo:

There are two practices this week before packing up and heading for Florida.

Championship Canes scoring plays

First inning

Jake reached on an error and stole third to get some variety. Gavin drove him in with a single and stole second and third. Chace hit an RBI single and stole second. He went to third on Colin's fielder's choice and scored on Bryce's single.
Score after one inning: Canes 3, Outlaws 1

Second inning
Jake singled and stole second. He went to third on an error and scored on Gavin's two-run homer. Drew walked and scored on Chace's two-run homer.
Score after two innings: Canes 7, Outlaws 1

Third inning
Bryce reached on an error and went to third on Andrew's single. JT's fly ball to right scored Bryce. Brady's shot to third wasn't handled, scoring Andrew. Asher singled. Jake singled home Brady. Drew beat out an infield single and Asher hustled all the way around to score. Chace singled Drew to third, and then Drew stole home.
Score after three innings: Canes 13, Outlaws 2

Pitching Performances

Chace twirled a two-hitter over the four innings and did not allow a runner into scoring position in the final two frames.

Dugout wisdom
There is a new rule: when someone says something allegedly funny and then looks at me and says, "That's dugout wisdom right there," it does NOT go in the dugout wisdom section.

Also, I unfortunately did not get a transcript of the postgame conversation between Coach Kevin II and the home plate umpire, but it was very insightful, as you can probably imagine.

Championship Web Gems

• Colin aggressively charged a hopper to second, scooped it off his shoelaces, and fired to first to get the last out of the third.

Championship line score	1	2	3	4	5	6	R	H
Tidewater Outlaws	1	0	1	0	X	X	2	2
Canes	3	4	6	X	X	X	13	12

Nations Semifinal: Canes 9, Carolina Titans 1

There was some exciting action on the field during the Canes’ 9-1 semifinal win over the Carolina Titans, but the real energy was in the dugout. That’s where the two Coach Kevins proved to be able exterminators in addition to baseball coaches, as they first identified a wasp nest and then terminated it. 

That was not before, however, both Coach Kevins had used a towel to kill dozens of the little pests.

They weren’t all bad, though. After being stung in the middle of the first, Jake promptly hit a homer, and then his second time up hit it off the fence, meaning it may have been a Spider-Man type situation where the insect gives him superpowers.

Oh, the game. The Canes hit three straight homers in the third and got an outstanding effort on the mound from Drew. Sadly, this was the last game at Deep Creek, because the title game is at what now seems like the finest facility in all the world, Woodrow Wilson High.  

Semifinal Canes scoring plays

First inning

Within a span of about 30 seconds, Jake was stung by a bee and then smacked a leadoff homer.

Score after one inning: Canes 1, Titans 0

Third inning

Asher beat out a one-out infield single. Jake singled. Gavin blasted a three-run homer, giving him the home run cycle (solo, two-run, three-run, grand slam) in just five at bats. Drew followed with a solo homer, and then Chace made it three straight with another solo homer. Colin singled. Andrew hit a two-out RBI double.  

Score after three innings: Canes 7, Titans 1

Fourth inning

Ben singled. Asher singled. Jake walked. Chace drove in a pair with a single.  

Score after four innings: Canes 9, Titans 1




Pitching Performances

Drew was excellent in five innings, recording strikeouts for nine of the 15 outs he earned. Only two Titan runners reached third base.

Dugout Wisdom

When Chace hit his homer into the front yard of a nearby house, Asher yelled, “Hey, that’s private property!”

After Chace made a ridiculous barehand play at third base, Bryce said, “He can do that because he just spent a week with Jesus.”

Semifinal Web Gems

•   Quick reaction by Colin to spear a ball off Drew’s glove, then fire it to Chace at first to get the out.

•   Bryce gunned down a runner trying to steal second, with Gavin applying the tag.

•   Chace made a spectacular barehand play of a spinning hopper in the fourth, then threw to Brady at first to get the out.

Semifinal line score	1	2	3	4	5	6	R	H
Carolina Titans	0	0	1	0	0	X	1	2
Canes	1	0	6	2	X	X	9	12