Top Gun Battle for the Bats finals: Elite Gone Mad 5, 919 Nationals 1

On a frustrating afternoon in Rocky Mount, the 919 Nationals fell, 5-1, to Elite Gone Mad in the championship game of the Battle for the Bats. 

Four pitchers combined to throw the ball very well for the Nats, but the offense never got on track and the defense was uncharacteristically porous. Offensively, only three runners went as far as third base, and for what might be the first time in this group's history, they failed to get back-to-back hits at any point during the game. That was a rough combination with a few defensive hiccups, as five errors led to four unearned EGM runs.

"We have a lot of work to do," Coach Sean after the game, while also reminding the Nationals of a similar outcome in the first tournament of last fall--in a year that turned out pretty well indeed.

Practice this week is Wednesday at 919 and Friday at Ephesus.

Championship Nationals scoring play

Fourth inning

Gavin ripped a one-out single and stole second. A fielder's choice moved him to third, and Andrew collected the only 919 RBI of the game with a two-out double.

Score after four innings: Elite Gone Mad 3, 919 Nationals 1

Pitching Performances

Banks threw three strong innings to start the game, including striking out the side in the third.

Gavin struck out a pair in his one inning.

Chace threw only four pitches out of the strike zone in 21 tosses in the fifth.

Asher entered with a man on first in the sixth and went 1-2-3 to end the inning.

Championship Web Gems

• Elias craftily waited until his parents arrived to turn in the day's first web gem. With a runner on second and one out, the hitter lofted a sinking liner to center. Eli came racing in, scooped it off his shoelaces in a diving catch, and then threw to second to double off the runner and retire the side, even before John could set up Adam's chair settle into his seat.
• Another timely double play in the second. With a runner on second and one out, Bryce fielded a pop fly near second and then doubled off the runner to end the inning.
• Even after a scary collision in right-center in the fourth, Elias still turned in another Web Gem in the fifth. This time it was a running, diving catch in right-center that ended the fifth.

Championship line score	1	2	3	4	5	6	R	H
Elite Gone Mad	1	0	0	1	0	0	2	3
919 Nationals	0	0	3	1	2	X	6	7