Top Gun Battle for the Bats semifinals: 919 Nationals 6, Carolina Elite 2

919 rode a trio of solid pitchers and stellar defense to a 6-2 win over the Carolina Elite in the Top Gun semifinals in Rocky Mount.

Elite took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first after manufacturing a run without hitting the ball out of the infield. The Nationals battled through some frustrating early offensive moments, including leaving three runners in scoring position in the first two innings, before finally breaking through in a three-run third. That was enough offense to support the pitching of JT, Bryce and Asher, who walked just one in six innings and allowed only three hits. Just two Elite runners reached as far as third base on the afternoon.

The game was most noteworthy for featuring one of the best mound visits in 10U history, as Elite’s coach went out in the bottom of the fifth to remove his starting pitcher, who had thrown almost 90 pitches at that point and limited the usually potent 919 offense to a scant six runs.

"You were pretty good," his coach told him. "Not great. And not bad. And that's because you're not a great player, and not a bad player, but a pretty good player."

Yes, that really did happen. Suitably inspired, the kid left the mound and then called the nearest depression hotline.

Semifinal Nationals scoring plays

Third inning

Elias led off with a walk and stole second. A balk put him on third, and Asher walked. Asher stole second, and then a wild pitch scored Eli. Bryce’s fielder’s choice moved Asher to third, and then he hustled all the way around to the plate on the play. JT singled and stole second. Gavin’s fielder’s choice put JT on third, and a wild pitch scored him, giving 919 three runs on just one hit.

Score after three innings: 919 Nationals 3, Carolina Elite 1

Fourth inning

With one out, Banks doubled and then went to third on a wild pitch. Ben doubled him home.

Score after four innings: 919 Nationals 4, Carolina Elite 2

Fifth inning

Asher led off with a single and stole second. A wild pitch moved him to third, and Bryce cracked an RBI groundout. With two outs, Gavin singled, stole second, and went to third on a throwing error. Chace smacked the two-out RBI single to score him.

Score after three and a half innings: 919 Nationals 6, Carolina Elite 2

Pitching Performances

JT pitched a hitless first two innings.

Bryce followed that with two innings of one-hit, zero-walk pitching.

Asher closed it with a pair of scoreless frames.

Semifinal Web Gems

•    Gavin went up the middle to rob the leadoff man in the second and threw him out at first.

•    With a runner on first, Elias came in charging hard from center on a two-hopper, scooped it up, and rifled it to Gavin covering second for the force.

Semifinal line score	1	2	3	4	5	6	R	H
Carolina Elite	1	0	0	1	0	0	2	3
919 Nationals	0	0	3	1	2	X	6	7