Wow! … It’s been over two weeks since I’ve updated the blog. But since that time, the Warriors (10-3) have played 5 games: A 6-0 victory of Halifax academy, losing both games in a double header to the Richmond (VA) Patriots Homeschool team, a victory over the Raleigh Hawks homeschool team, and an exciting come from behind win against Ravenscroft.
Some highlights from each of the games.
The Warriors hosted Halifax on Wednesday, April 1. Bill started the game throwing 4 innings shutout innings (7Ks, 3BB, 2 Hits) before giving up the ball to Thomas (1K, 0 BB, 1 hit) who pitched two shutout innings followed by Matthew who closed the game out facing 3 batters in the seventh. Offensively, Bill was 2-3, Caleb was 2-3 with two RBIs, and TJ had a triple.
On Saturday, April 4th, the Warriors hosted a double header against the Richmond Patriots Homeschool team. The Warriors lost both games, but gained some needed experience against a well coached, good defensive team. In the first game, TJ pitch an excellent three innings and was hurt by some defensive miscues in the second inning. In the second inning the Warriors gave up 3 runs, but only 1 earned run. TJ struck out 4 in 4 innings of work, walked 1, and gave up 5 hits. Chris came in and pitched to only 3 batters. He asked to come out due. He wasn’t feeling well and was dehydrated and nauseas. Caleb came in and finished out the game, allowing only 1 inherited runner to score.
Offensively, in the 1st inning, we ran ourselves out of a potentially big inning by being aggressive on the base paths. In the first, Zach worked a walk, Whit reach on an error and Caleb had an RBI single moving scoring Zach and moving Whit to 3rd. Caleb stole second, but on the throw down, the Patriots executed a perfect fake throw and cutoff to the second baseman who caught the ball behind the pitchers mound, and threw out Whit who was trying to score. Bill was up next hit a sharp ball to third, and caught Caleb off of second, and the TJ hit a nice single but was picked off of 1st base after taking too big of a turn. The Warriors scored a run in the second with Caleb getting an RBI single after Whit singled and stole second. The Warriors scored in the 6th after Josh stroked a single, took second on a passed ball, and scoring after a throwing error by the Patriots shortstop on Thomas ground ball. The final score of the ball game was 4-3 Patriots.
In the second game of the double header, Richmond Bill started off pitching for the Warriors going 4+ innings allowing 5 runs. Matthew came in the after Bill allowed two back-to-back doubles in the fifth. Matthew allowed 1 earned run in three innings. The Warriors had a chance to come back in this game and did come back scoring three runs in the bottom of the 7th but back to back strikeouts to end the games with the bases loaded left a bad taste in the Warriors mouths. Final score, Richmond 7 Warriors 5. Offensive highlights include TJ with another triple, Taylor going 2-3 with a walk and Matthew going 3-4 with and RBI, and Chris coming back (after getting some fluids and food in him) going 2-2 as a late inning replacement. 2 Good games, 2 less than good outcomes on the scoreboard, but definitely a learning process which will hold us in good stead going into the Homeschool regionals.
After the Richmond games, we had a game scheduled for Monday but the rain came and the game was cancelled. After taking off for Easter the well rested Warriors faced another homeschool rival, the Raleigh Hawks on Tuesday 4/14. After having rained on and off up until game time, the game was delay by about ½ hour as a thunderstorm rolled by. The rain delay didn’t seem to mean much to the Warriors as the beat the Hawks 3-0. Bill pitched the entire game giving up only two hits, no runs and two walks while striking out 8.
Offensively, Caleb provided the only offense we needed with a solo HR in the 4th inning. An additional run was manufactured, also in the 4th; Bill hitting a single, Taylor working a walk, Matthew bunting the players to 2nd and 3rd, and Thomas reaching on an error, scoring Mark (who was running for Bill) in the process. In the 6th inning, the Warriors added its third run on a sacrifice fly by Thomas.
Defensively, the play of game happened in the bottom of the 6th. The Hawks got their leadoff man on (and their fastest player); he stole second and took third on Whit’s throwing error on the steal. The next batter was retired, and the #3 batter was up to bat. On a sharp grounder to Zach at third, Zach looked back at the runner twice to make sure he didn’t break on the throw, fired the ball over to Thomas for the out at 1st. The runner on third did break for home. Thomas threw a perfect strike to Whit at home who blocked the plate, got the tag out for an inning ending double play. Perfect execution, scoring threat eliminated, shutout preserved, inning over and game effectively over. Warrior win!
Ravenscoft was the next challenge for the Warriors. After facing each other earlier in the season, the Warriors had revenge on their mind, and Ravenscroft wanted to continue its winning ways against the Warriors. (Coach Harvey could not remember ever beating the Ravens, losing 5 consecutive times).
TJ was on the mound for the Warriors and had a tough outing. He allowed three runs on 4 walks and 1 infield single. In the second inning TJ walked the 1st batter and pulled for Chris. Ravenscroft did not score another run. In 6 innings of work, Chris struck out 9 players, allowed two hits (one was a bunt single), and walked 3. Whit had a great game behind the plate, gunning down two potential base stealers.
Offensively the Warrior struggled for 5 innings scoring only 1 run on Caleb’s RBI single in the first until the fireworks in the 6th. Being down 3-1 after 5 completed innings, Coach Harvey gathered the team together and told them, “Pay attention to the signs, we may be playing a little small ball.” Chris leadoff with a leadoff double in the top of the sixth and Matthew laid down a perfect bunt moving Chris over to third and beating out the throw to first. Thomas hit the ball to shortstop who didn’t make the play. With Matthew on 2nd and Thomas on 1st, Taylor after going 2-2 (double and single) also laid down a great bunt. Ravenscroft threw over to third to try and get Matthew. He slid in head first to beat the throw to set up bases loaded for Zach. After throwing 1 ball to Zach, the Ravenscroft pitcher was lifted. Zach worked the count full and then on a 3-2 pitch drove the ball deep to left field. Going, going,,,GONE, grand slam home run. Warriors up 7-3 and with Chris on the mound, the game effectively over. It was a great game for us.
Tonight’s game against Rocky Mount has been cancelled, so our next game is now our tournament games. The homeschool regional starts on Wednesday and we’re all looking forward to it.
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