14U D1 Zone Qualifier Semifinals: Canes 6, Zone Select 14U 4

The Canes completed play at the Top Gun zone qualifier at Middle Creek with a 6-4 rain-shortened win over Zone Select 14U. The downpour that began in the top of the fourth eventually washed away all the rest of the day's games, meaning the top-seeded Canes, at 3-0 for the weekend, were declared the champions. 

The story of the weekend was defense. The Canes played 15 defensive innings against D1 competition during the three games. They had five double plays in those 15 innings, meaning in a full third of the innings, they converted a double play. This was also the weekend that the offense roared to life, with a pair of big-field home runs each for Chace and Gavin, the first of the big field era. There were also a half-dozen other extra base hits to power the three victories.

The Canes will practice Tuesday before being off next weekend.

You thought we were playing a whole tournament, but really we just played three games. ☔️ 🏆 #illusions #raindelayactivities #tictactoe #eating #batart #threeandoh

A post shared by Canes-Gallaher (@canesgallaher) on Oct 8, 2017 at 7:40am PDT

Semifinal Canes scoring plays

Second inning
Macon singled and stole second. Colin singled. Andrew walked. Jake hit a clutch two-out, two-run single.
Score after two innings: Canes 2, Zone Select 14U 1

Third inning
Drew doubled. Chace hit a big do...uh, a home run. Bennett walked. Macon blasted a double. Ty singled home Bennett. Colin's fielder's choice scored Macon.
Score after three innings: Canes 6, Zone Select 14U 1

Pitching Performances

Drew started and pitched three dry innings and one very wet one.

Dugout wisdom
As we all know, some people go to great lengths to watch the Canes play baseball. But I believe this is the first time anyone has ever stolen a 747 to make it happen:

Just wait until he gets us signed up for that tournament in Shanghai.

Semifinal Web Gems

• More good PFP work in the first, as Drew dashed over to cover and took the flip from Chace to get the first out of the game.
• The Canes got yet another double play to end the first. With runners on first and second, Gavin fielded a grounder and flipped to Colin, who made the good turn to Chace at first.

Semifinal line score	1	2	3	4	5	6	R	H
Zone Select 14U	1	0	0	3	X	X	4	6
Canes	0	2	4	X	X	X	6	8

14U D1 Zone Qualifier Game 2: Canes 8, South Wake Storm 14U 6

One good inning was enough, as the Canes used an eight-run fifth to take an 8-6 victory over the South Wake Storm 14U.

The bats had been completely silent prior to the fifth, with 12 straight batters retired. That all changed with Coach Sean's new fake bunt strategy, as every hitter fake bunted on the first pitch. Soon, the runs were coming in buckets, eventually turning into an eight-run frame. That was enough to win a game shortened to five innings by the time limit.

The Canes finished the morning 2-0. Seeds will be determined later today, but the Canes already know they will play at 8:30, or what we like to call "Canes Time."

Game 2 Canes scoring plays

Fifth inning
Drew walked. Chace singled, and an error allowed Drew to score. Andrew singled. The third baseman threw away Macon's ball to third, scoring one. Ty cranked a two-run double. Colin walked. Bryce drove in a run with a sacrifice fly. Asher was hit by a pitch. Gavin smoked a three-run homer.
Score after four and a half innings: Canes 8, Storm 14U 5

Pitching Performances

Ty started and went two strong innings, including a perfect second.

Macon threw an inning and a third of good relief.

Asher worked out of a jam in the fourth.

Drew closed it out in the fifth, including three strikeouts.

Dugout wisdom
When the opposing pitcher made it to second base in the fourth, the ever-helpful Gavin said, "Did you know you have a perfect game going?"

Next Canes batter: walk.
Next Canes batter: single, error run.

Perfect game gone. No-hitter gone. Shutout gone. The pitcher left the game three hitters later without recording an out in the inning.

We also had this perhaps telling conversation with the base umpire after the top of the fifth, during which the Canes scored eight runs. As a reminder, the Canes had ZERO baserunners prior to the fifth. None. No people in yellow jerseys had been on the bases in the game prior to that half-inning.

Base umpire: "What have you got for the score?"

Helpful book guy: "8-6, us."

Base umpire: "Uh huh. How many of those eight did you get that inning?"

Helpful book guy: "Uh, all eight."

Game 2 Web Gems

• With runners on first and second in the first, Asher made a full extension diving catch on the line in left, then threw to second for the inning-ending double play.
• Chace hustled back to grab a pop up over his head at first in the second.
• Gavin went deep in the hole and made a very strong throw to end the second.
• Good savvy from Andrew with the time limit approaching in the fifth. A ball came on the field with the Storm at bat. Andrew meandered over and picked it up, then threw it back over the fence...only to not QUITE have the arm to get it over the fence, which meant he had to go retrieve it again and throw it over. Time did narrowly expire thanks to the crafty outfielder.

Game 2 line score	1	2	3	4	5	6	R	H
Canes	0	0	0	0	8	X	8	4
SW Storm 14U	1	0	1	3	1	X	6	9

14U D1 Zone Qualifier Game 1: Canes 7, Zone Select 14U 6

The first game of the zone qualifier at Middle Creek wasn't especially well-played, but was a tight game, as the Canes edged Zone Select 7-6 in an international tiebreaker.

Playing up 14U D1 for the second straight weekend, the Canes built a 5-3 lead after four but watched Zone tie the game in the fifth. Time expired, leading to an international tiebreaker in the sixth. Zone Select plated one run in the top of the inning, but the third double play of the game--essential in a contest that saw Zone Select outhit the home team 12-8--for the Canes defense ended the inning without further damage. 

That set the stage for the walk-off win. The Canes quickly tied the score, then watched Jake end it with a line drive in the gap that scored Andrew.

The first four Canes runs of the game were scored with two outs. Three different pitchers saw action in the game. The game also saw the first two home runs ever on the big field for this squad, with both Gavin and Chace going yard.

Game 1 Canes scoring plays

First inning
Drew roped a two-out double. Chace walked. Bennett drove in Drew with a single. Macon walked and Ty worked an RBI walk.
Score after one inning: Canes 2, Zone Select 14U 0

Second inning

Jake coaxed a two-out walk, stole second, and scored on Gavin's two-run, two-out homer.
Score after two innings: Canes 4, Zone Select 14U 0

Third inning
Chace led off with a solo blast to center.
Score after three innings: Canes 5, Zone Select 14U 3

Sixth inning
In the tiebreaker, Asher started and second and went to third on Colin's fielder's choice. He scored when Andrew's ball to right wasn't caught. Bryce singled. Jake ended it with a walk-off RBI hit.
Score after six innings: Canes 7, Zone Select 14U 6

Pitching Performances

Andrew started and went two scoreless innings.

Colin worked two innings of middle relief and carried the game into the fifth.

Bennett finished it out with two innings of relief work, including working out of the international tiebreaker situation with minimal damage in the sixth.

Dugout wisdom
As the team went through pregame stretching, Coach Kevin I had the players doing straight-leg marches. Ty observed, "This reminds me of when I was in college." So Ty is apparently now ineligible for 13U baseball.

Game 1 Web Gems

• The first of four double plays on the day came with runners on first and second in the second. Gavin came across the middle and gobbled up a grounder, stepped on second and threw to Chace at first to end the inning.
• Nice PFP work by Colin and Chace in the fourth, as Chace fielded a grounder and flipped to Colin covering first.
• Another double play in the fifth, as Gavin went to Colin at second for the out, and then Chace dug out the throw at first to complete the play.
• In a suitable ending to the game, the Canes turned a 4-6-3 double play, going Colin to Gavin to Chace.
• Bryce made a web gem catch in the dugout of a foul ball off Gavin's bat, reaching over the fence to make the play.

Game 1 line score	1	2	3	4	5	6	R	H
Zone Select 14U	0	0	3	0	2	1	6	12
Canes	2	2	1	0	0	2	7	8