Top Gun '18 Zone Qualifier: Canes 8, SW Storm 14U 0

The Canes completed an impressive roll through a 14U tournament at Middle Creek, taking an 8-0 victory in the championship game over the South Wake Storm. The win, which was finished well after the bedtimes of several coaches and caused everyone to unanimously agree that morning game times are clearly better, was the third shutout in four games for the pitching staff.

Drew and Wes teamed up on a one-hitter, unless you believe Chace's lobbying to receive an error on the one hit, in which case it was a no-hitter (sorry, Chace, it was a one-hitter). That means the pitchers allowed just five total hits in the four games.

Here's your championship group photo:

Championship Canes scoring plays

Second inning
Elias walked and stole second. Macon walked. A wild pitch moved them up. Ty walked. Colin's fielder's choice scored Elias, and Jake's single scored Macon.
Score after two innings: Canes 2, SW Storm 14U 0

Fourth inning
Ty walked, went to second on a wild pitch, advanced on a fielder's choice from Bryce and then scored when the throw got away.
Score after four innings: Canes 3, SW Storm 14U 0

Fifth inning
Jake singled and stole second. As he advanced to third on a wild pitch, the throw went into left field, scoring him. Chace walked and stole second. Drew's long fly to center wasn't handled. Wes hit an RBI single. Drew scored on Eli's sacrifice fly. Macon singled home Wes.
Score after five innings: Canes 7, SW Storm 14U 0

Sixth inning
Bennett singled. Two wild pitches put the winning run on third, and after a pair of walks, Chace hit the walk-off single.
Score after six innings: Canes 8, SW Storm 14U 0

Pitching Performances

Drew struck out five in two very efficient innings.

Wes allowed just one baserunner in four innings of work and only two balls left the infield.

Dugout wisdom
The names of these particular individuals are being removed to protect their identities. But at one point late in the game, there was a dugout discussion between two players.

Player one: "When you're pitching, do you try to throw a strike or do you just throw it as hard as you can?"

Player two: "Usually until it gets to two strikes, I just throw it."

Player one: "Me too! When I'm pitching I just sling the crap out of it."

Also, Jake constructed a radar gun to time the pitches:

Championship Web Gems

• With a runner on first, Chace made a sweet backhanded stop of a ball in the hole at first, then threw to Gavin covering second for the final out of the fifth.
• Drew fielded a ball down the line at third and made a strong throw all the way across the diamond to get the final out of the sixth.

Championship line score	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	R	H
SW Storm 14U	0	0	0	0	0	0	X	0	1
Canes	0	2	0	1	4	1	X	8	8