Practice: Back at WR

Fresh off Saturday's win over the Scrappers, the Mudcats returned to West Raleigh on Sunday afternoon and had one of their best practices since the preseason. Under a sunny, warm sky that was a stark contrast to Saturday's chilly temperatures, the 'Cats spent the first 30 minutes in the batting cage.

Once they hit the field, the All Blacks split into infield and outfield groups. In the outfield, the focus was on calling the ball clearly when it was hit between two fielders. Outfielders also worked on picking the ball up barehanded when it goes off the fence and is at a standstill, so that they can turn and fire back into the infield immediately. Even a second's hesitation could mean an extra base for the opponent.

After working in groups, Coach Sean put the team through some game situations. Highlights included several close plays at the plate, a couple of throwing errors by Coach Andy, and Will clearing the bases with a walk-off home run way over the fence to conclude the situational drills. Practice finished with a relay race that ended--incredibly--in a dead heat, after Gavin turned in a great effort keeping up with Donovan on the final leg.

A host of Mudcat alums were around for the practice,  including Christopher, Drew, Coach Andrew, and Zach, who was overheard telling one of his Hooks teammates, "I hit one off that scoreboard against the Riverdogs." In reality, I think that ball went over the scoreboard, but it was nice of King Za to downplay it.

The 'Cats return to the field on Tuesday at 5:30 with a game against the Bats, with pregame beginning at 4:30. Keep your fingers crossed for tomorrow's doctor appointment for Christopher, whose status is uncertain due to an unfortunate encounter with a trampoline.

Game 10: Mudcats 18, Scrappers 3

In the most complete offensive explosion of the season, the Mudcats pounded out a season-high 21 hits--including at least one hit from every player in attendance--on the way to an 18-3 victory over the Scrappers. All the sprinting around the bases was very beneficial in running off some of the pregame carb load created by the traditional Mudcats 9 a.m. Buffet, which has grown so famous that even alumni coaches and parents from other fields (Hi, Coach Rob!) stopped by to eat doughnuts and Chick-fil-A say hello at chilly Nowell Field.

The slightly tweaked lineup, which featured Donovan--who during pregame proved it is in fact possible to eat an entire Chicken Mini in one bite while also holding a pair of doughnuts as backup--in the leadoff spot, began producing immediately. The 'Cats scored seven runs in the first inning, marking their biggest first inning of the season and tying for the second-biggest inning overall of the year. Almost the entire order came to the plate in the first, and by the time the morning was over, 11 different Mudcats had scored at least one run. The 18 total runs were more than the All Blacks had scored in the previous three games combined, and thirteen of the 18 runs came with two outs.

Just as impressively, the 'Cats didn't relax after the big early output, and stayed focused enough to outscore the Scrappers in every inning except the third. "The Mudcats," Coach Sean told the team as they gathered after the game, "are back!" Everyone received a sticker for the victory, while Brenner (defense), Donovan (defense) and Will (offense) received bonus stickers.

Assuming no rain for the rest of the day, the 'Cats have practice Sunday at 1:30 at West Raleigh.

Saturday's Mudcat scoring plays
First inning
The Mudcats' two-out offense returned, as the 'Cats plated seven runs with two outs. First, Gavin and Brady scored on Bryce's hard-hit ball to the right side. Gabe's hard shot to shortstop put runners on the corners, and Asher drove in Bryce with an infield single. Ben's infield single loaded the bases for the biggest play of the inning--a bases-clearing opposite-field triple from Colin. Brenner completed the scoring with a single to left, and the All Blacks had a big early lead.
Score after one-half inning: Mudcats 7, Scrappers 0


Second inning
In his first game in the leadoff position, Donovan ripped a one-out double, then came around to score on Gavin's single. Charley's two-out double scored Gavin.
Score after one a half innings: Mudcats 9, Scrappers 0


Fourth inning
Noah got the inning started with a one-out double to right-center. Will followed with a hard shot back up the middle that scored Noah, then moved to second on Donovan's twisting liner to left. Gavin picked up his second RBI of the day with a single to center. Charley (1 RBI) and Bryce (2 RBI) picked up important two-out RBIs, giving the Mudcats five runs in the inning and invoking the 10-run rule.
Score after three and a half innings: Mudcats 14, Scrappers 1


Fifth inning
Gabe singled and moved to third on Asher's double. Ben scored Gabe with an RBI fielder's choice, and Colin collected his fourth RBI of the day with a double to left-center that scored Asher.
Score after four and a half innings: Mudcats 16, Scrappers 1


Sixth inning
A two-out single from Gabe scored a pair, giving Gabe three hits and scoring the 17th and 18th runs of the day for the Mudcats.
Score after five and a half innings: Mudcats 18, Scrappers 2

Saturday's Web Gems

• On the very first hitter of the game, Brenner picked a line drive out of the air in right-center to set the defensive tone for the game.
• Not content with just one highlight-reel play, the Mudcat outfield turned in two of them in the first inning. Donovan took a couple steps in from center field to make the play more exciting and create some drama, then raced back and made a leaping one-handed catch to end the first.
• The Mudcat infield was tested all day, and responded with just two errors. Only four Scrappers came to the plate in four of the six innings, as the 'Cats infield made 13 of the game's 18 outs. Gavin, Charley, Gabe, Bryce, Asher, Brady, Colin and Brenner all had a hand in at least one out in the infield.

Saturday's line score	1	2	3	4	5	6	R	H
Mudcats	7	2	0	5	2	2	18	21
Scrappers	0	0	1	0	1	1	3	8

Game 9: Bulls 12, Mudcats 1

In baseball, as a grizzled veteran once said (I think his name was "Coach Mike"), sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, and sometimes it rains. And, well, sometimes it rains and you lose. For the second straight game, the field required significant prep time to get ready after some sporadic mid-day rains. After yeoman's work from many coaches, plus Ben's dad, Kevin--who was so impressive Gabe might even hire him to do some work for Proctor & Pops Field Maintenance--the field was eventually playable. But that turned out to be the highlight of the evening, as the Mudcats dropped their second straight decision, 12-1. The loss gave the Mudcats and Bulls a split of the season series.

The Bulls led from wire-to-wire in snapping their four-game losing streak, building off a two-run homer in the top of the first and never looking back. Even the appearance of a mysterious well-dressed man--who for some reason insisted on being called "Coach Tom"--in the Mudcats dugout in the late innings couldn't reverse the fortunes. The stingy Bulls defense never cracked the door, and the 'Cats never sent more than five hitters to the plate in any one inning, making it very difficult to get a rally going. The offensive highlight belonged to Will, who recorded his first 2-for-2 West Raleigh day.

The original schedule had the Mudcats listed for practice on Friday night. That practice has been canceled due to a non-Mudcats game being rescheduled at the same time. The next All Blacks event is Saturday morning bright and early at 9 a.m. The traditional early morning Mudcat Buffet will be served, so come hungry for pregame at 8 a.m.

Thursday's Mudcat scoring plays
First inning
Gavin reached on a twisting grounder, moved all the way to third on Charley's hard hit ball to the right side, and then scored on Bryce's RBI fielder's choice.
Score after one inning: Bulls 2, Mudcats 1

Thursday's Web Gems

• In the first inning, Charley ranged to his right and made a backhanded catch on the outfield grass of a popup that looked ticketed for the outfield.
• On the very next hitter, Donovan was heads up backing up center field, and fired the ball back into second base on a double. That's where Gavin caught the relay and turned immediately to throw to Gabe, where the hitter was trying to stretch the play into a triple.
• Brenner closed out the inning by snatching a line drive out of the air in right-center.
• On a routine grounder that turned into a very tough play because of a bad hop leading off the fourth, Brady quickly adjusted to the unexpected hop and made the throw to first to retire the leadoff man.
• Two hitters later, Brady saved a base by backing up second on an errant throw.
• Still in the fourth, Asher picked up his second outfield assist of the season, throwing to Brady at second to record the force and cutting off what looked like a big Bulls inning.
• Charley went deep in the hole between third and shortstop to snag what looked like a grounder through the hole, then went to second to get a force in the sixth.

Thursday's line score	1	2	3	4	5	6	R	H
Bulls	2	0	3	2	0	5	12	14
Mudcats	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	8

How not to argue with the umpire

At West Raleigh, of course, there is never any disagreement with any umpiring decisions. Or, if there is, at least it doesn't go to quite these levels.

Game 8: Lookouts 9, Mudcats 4

At Thursday night's practice, Coach Sean told the Mudcats that defense would be very important over the second half of the season. Saturday's game proved him right, but probably not in the way he wanted. The 'Cats' defense suffered some rare breakdowns, the Lookouts made some terrific plays in sending the All Blacks to their first loss of the season, 9-4. The victory gave the Lookouts a split of the season series.

After West Raleigh was doused with a cloudburst just before the scheduled 3 p.m. game time, coaches and parents spent at least a half-hour getting the field in playable condition. The 'Cats took advantage, tallying a quick first-inning run after the eventual 3:30 start, but the big Lookout bats (including former Mudcat Ben Penchuk enjoying a 3-for-3 day and nearly hitting his second home run of the week) and some uncharacteristic defensive issues kept the Mudcats playing from behind for most of the afternoon.

By the time the offense--which managed a season-low eight base hits--awoke in the late innings (and Coach Sean remembered that it was unlucky for him to carry his keys in his pocket), the Lookouts had already taken a commanding lead. Time eventually ran out when the clouds opened yet again with Will at the plate in the sixth. Rain washed away the final inning, making the unsatisfying final 9-4.

The Mudcats have practice on Tuesday at Method Road before playing the Bulls on Thursday.

Saturday's Mudcat scoring plays
First inning
Brady tripled down the right field line, then scored on Charley's hard grounder to the right side to give the Mudcats an early lead.
Score after one-half inning: Mudcats 1, Lookouts 0

Fifth inning
After the Mudcat bats went silent during the middle part of the game, they woke up for the fifth. Gabe ripped a one-out single back up the middle, and then a rare misplay by the Lookout infield on Donovan's tough grounder allowed Gabe to score and Donovan to sprint all the way around to third. Asher slapped a single to left, scoring Donovan. After a fielder's choice, Noah blasted a single to right-center that scored Asher from second.
Score after four and a half innings: Lookouts 9, Mudcats 4

Saturday's Web Gems

• In the third inning, Gavin knocked down a line drive at shortstop, stayed with the play, and threw out the Lookouts' leadoff hitter from his knees to get the first out of the inning.
• Brenner took a couple steps in to catch a bullet of a line drive in center leading off the fifth.
• Later in that same inning, Gabe fielded a deceptively difficult grounder at third and made a very strong throw to first to end the inning.

Saturday's line score	1	2	3	4	5	6	R	H
Mudcats	1	0	0	0	3	0	4	8
Lookouts	4	0	5	0	0	X	9	11

Practice: Halfway there

After an incredibly long two-day hiatus from the West Raleigh fields, the Mudcats regrouped Thursday night for a short 90-minute session. The first 30 minutes were spent in the cage.

After moving to the field for the final hour--only after former Mudcat Ben Penchuk crushed an over-the-fence home run during the Lookouts-Bulls game--Coach Sean had one major focus: "We have to lock down our defense," he told the 'Cats. That meant a full 60 minutes of defensive work, beginning with outfielders hitting the cutoff man while infielders lined up the cutoff man and received and made quick throws. In the Minor League, unfamiliar base runners at first can sometimes mean there are force outs at second to be had on hard singles up the middle, and Coach Sean wants the outfielders to play aggressively and make those plays. The All Blacks have converted two force outs from the outfield through the first seven games.

The final 10 minutes were devoted to situations, with everyone on the play--infielders, outfielders and even the baserunners--required to think about what they were going to do before the ball was hit. Coach Sean managed to conserve his power and only hit one ball over the fence.

Even with all the defensive work, the best catch of the day was clearly by Channing. While on vacation with his family at the beach, he used his bare hands to catch what appeared to be a hammerhead shark. A photo of his wildlife taming was shown to the team, which was suitably impressed.

The next Mudcat event is a Saturday game at 3 p.m., which means pregame starts at 2 p.m. The 'Cats have now played every team in the league once, which means Saturday--against a tough Lookouts squad that was missing several players when the two teams first met--begins the second half of the season.

Game 7: Mudcats 13, Thunder 12

The last game of a long stretch of back-to-back games is usually the toughest. Such was the case Monday night at Nowell Field, which led to one of the most entertaining games of the season, as the Mudcats battled back from down 12-7 in the bottom of the sixth to claim a walk-off 13-12 victory.

The game marked the All Blacks' third game in three days and fourth game in five days. Still, even on a warm day, the Mudcats started fast, getting a couple highlight reel defensive plays early and following that with a 5-run first inning. But the Thunder, led partly by a 3-for-3 day for former Mudcat Tyler Key, fought back. When the 'Cat bats slumbered a little in the middle innings, the Thunder took advantage and eventually seized a 12-7 lead in the top of the sixth.

When the team ran in from a somewhat demoralizing top of the sixth, Coach Sean met them before they ever made it to the dugout. As the home team, the Mudcats had one final chance to tie or win the game. "Can you imagine how much fun it's going to be to score six runs and win this game?" Coach Sean asked them.

As it turns out, the answer is: very, very fun. It was a All-Blackout in the sixth, as the 'Cats scored six quick runs before they even made two outs. The day's hero was Brenner, who drove in the game-winning run and prompted a quick but hearty celebration on the field. It is believed to be his first career walk-off hit.

Postgame stickers were awarded to all Mudcats for the victory, and to Brenner (game-winning hit), Donovan (sweet catch in left field) and Asher (game-tying hit and some serious hustle on the game-winning run) for key plays.

On the way home, Asher was describing the game on the phone to a friend whose son plays for Carolina's baseball team. After describing the tense final inning (well, I wasn't tense, but Coach Mike was a little nervous) and the subsequent celebration, Asher put it this way: "I think now I know what it feels like to go to Omaha." Not through talent but through sheer good fortune, I have been in some dugouts after a team advances to Omaha. It's amazing in that moment how very similar it does feel...although the Tar Heels have never played well enough to earn a practice being canceled. Tuesday's scheduled practice is off, and the Mudcats will reassemble on Thursday at 6:30 at West Raleigh.

Monday's Mudcat scoring plays
First inning
The Mudcats started hot, with Gavin and Brady reaching on back-to-back liners. That set up Charley, who came through with a two-RBI double.After a fielder's choice moved Charley to third, he scored on Colin's grounder to make it 3-0. Donovan drove in a pair with a rip to left-center to finish the scoring
Score after one inning: Mudcats 5, Thunder 0

Second inning
The 'Cats did it again with two outs, as Ben--enjoying a 2-for-2 day--drove home Christopher.
Score after two innings: Mudcats 6, Thunder 4

Third inning
With Channing on third, Gavin drilled a line drive to deep center for a sacrifice fly.
Score after three innings: Mudcats 7, Thunder 4

Sixth inning
In one of the all-time great West Raleigh comebacks, Brady started the inning with a hard-hit single to right. Charley followed with another single to put two runners on base. With one out, Gabe sliced a single to left, scoring Brady and cutting the deficit to 12-8. Colin's grounder plated Charley, and the once-somber Mudcat dugout was starting to come to life. Donovan singled, and when the Thunder experienced some infield issues, used his blazing speed to advance all the way to third base, with Gabe and Colin scampering home to cut the Thunder lead to just 12-11. That brought Asher to the plate, at which point I blacked out. I have been told he singled up the middle, scoring Donovan. Noah singled to left, moving Asher to third, which brought up Brenner. Without any hesitation, Double B came up huge in the clutch, smashing a ball that was too hot to handle, and Asher sprinted home with a perfectly legal feet-first slide to plate the walk-off game-winning run.
Walk-off score after six innings: Mudcats 13, Thunder 12

Monday's Web Gems

• The 'Cats retired the Thunder 1-2-3 against the formidable top of the Thunder order, helped along by Asher starting the team's fourth double play in seven games by spearing a line drive at pitcher, then throwing to Bryce at first base, who made a nice stretch to ensure the runner was doubled off.
• On the very next hitter, Donovan soared to make a leaping, one-handed catch in left field to end the inning and lead all evening highlight shows.
• The middle of the Mudcat infield came through in the second, as with a runner on first, the Thunder hitter smacked a single to center. Charley alertly ran to cover second, where he received the throw from Asher to record the forceout.
• Bryce made a solid scoop of a low throw in the third inning to retire the Thunder's leadoff hitter.
• Gavin and Gabe helped limit what could have been an even bigger Thunder fourth. With runners on first and second, Gavin stopped a grounder to shortstop and fired to Gabe at third to force the lead runner.
• Gabe made what turned out to be a very big play leading off the sixth, as he stayed in front of a sizzling grounder and threw all the way across the diamond to record the first out of the final inning.

Monday's line score	1	2	3	4	5	6	R	H
Thunder	0	4	0	3	0	5	12	13
Mudcats	5	1	1	0	0	6	13	12

Game 6: Mudcats 19, Scrappers 4

In an offensive explosion the likes of which has never been seen before in recorded Mudcats history--well, at least Mudcats history that has been recorded by this particular writer on this particular blog, which dates back to the fall 2010 season--the 'Cats pounded out 19 runs and 19 hits (also known in technical baseball lingo as "a ton") on the way to a 19-4 victory over the Scrappers. The All Blacks scored in every offensive inning, had every player in the lineup reach base at least once, got hits from 11 different players and had 11 different players score a run.

In other words, they played pretty well.

They also showed the total lack of knowledge possessed by Coach Adam, who had--this is a true story--emailed Coach Sean on Saturday night pointing out that the 'Cats had just nine extra base hits through the first five games this season. The Mudcats proceeded to go out and knock nine doubles in one game against the Scrappers, doubling their season total in just five innings.

In reality, the All Blacks actually got two wins on Sunday in front of a crowd that included a host of Mudcat alums, including Smiley Mitchell, Drew DiMeo, Chris Gruskin, Coach Andrew, Coach Jim and GM Jenn. After taking a 13-3 lead after two innings, there was some chatter in the dugout about the impending victory. Hearing that, the coaches challenged the players to win the final four innings, and told them the score was resetting to 0-0. The 'Cats proceeded to go out and win again, with a 6-1 margin from the third through the sixth.

The win was even more impressive because of an injury list that makes the 2012 Carolina basketball team look like the picture of health. The very serious list of injuries included Gavin (bug bite), Noah (wrist), Gabe (finger...or something?), Coach Tom (rotator cuff from waving players around third), Charley (leg), Donovan (feet on fire after racing around the bases), and Coach Sean (major leg injury after a throw from Brady). In a related story, Brady will be arriving to Monday's game two hours early to run laps. It is possible that after two hours of running, Coach Sean might be able to catch him.

Coach Sean, whose memory is impeccable, once again remembered the stickers. Everyone received a sticker for the victory, and Brenner, Bryce and Colin earned an extra sticker for solid offensive and defensive play.

Naturally, the Mudcats have another game tomorrow to close out the grueling three games in three days/four games in five days stretch. All players (other than Brady) should arrive for pregame at 4:30, with the game beginning at 5:30. Coach Adam will be sending an email to Coach Sean shortly pointing out that the team needs to hit more home runs.

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: Coach Sean is too nice to talk about this (unless it is the bottom of the fifth inning and he is supposed to be pitching), but Gavin's older brother, Riley, caught a 39-yard touchdown pass in South Carolina's spring football game on Saturday. He even earned some praise from Steve Spurrier. Congratulations to Gavin for coaching up his older brother and to Coach Sean for getting out of the way and letting Gavin do the teaching. Video of the play is available online, with the very cool bonus (scroll ahead to the 1:30 mark) of getting to hear "Riley Gallaher with the touchdown" over the PA.

Sunday's Mudcat scoring plays
First inning
Foreshadowing a double-happy day, Gavin led off with a double. Brady and Charley followed with back-to-back singles. With one down and Charley on second and Gabe on first, Colin dropped a double the other way to score a pair. Just a few pitches later, Donovan followed with still another double, scoring Colin. Donovan moved to third on Asher's single, then scored on Brenner's double--the fourth extra-base hit of the inning.
Score after one inning: Mudcats 6, Scrappers 3

Second inning
In an inning that was only shut down by the 10-run rule, the Mudcats sent eight hitters to the plate and saw seven of them score. Ben, Channing and Will got the inning started with all three reaching base, and then Gavin and Brady each reached. Charley joined the doubles club with a two-RBI rip to left, and then Bryce doubled to center to drive home Charley. Yes, if you're keeping score at home, that's six doubles in the first two innings. Gabe completed the scoring with an RBI single, giving the Mudcats a 13-3 lead and forcing the teams to change sides due to the rules.
Score after two innings: Mudcats 13, Scrappers 3

Third inning
Picking up right where they left off in the previous inning, Colin, Donovan and Asher loaded the bases immediately with no outs. Noah picked up an RBI fielder's choice, and Asher motored home on Chris's hard grounder to short.
Score after three innings: Mudcats 15, Scrappers 3

Fourth inning
Will drove the ball back up the middle, then moved to third on Gavin's double. Brady scored both 'Cats with yet another double, then came home on Bryce's RBI grounder.
Score after four innings: Mudcats 18, Scrappers 3

Fifth inning
Donovan hit--you guessed it--a one-out double, moved to third on Asher's single, and scored on Noah's grounder.
Score after five innings: Mudcats 19, Scrappers 4


Sunday's Web Gems

• To end the third inning, Gavin stopped a hard ground ball at shortstop and threw to first to complete the out.
• In the fourth, Bryce made a solid pickup at shortstop, then threw to first, where Charley--playing on an injured leg--still made a stellar stretch to nab the runner at first by a quarter-step.
• Gavin made a tough play look easy at second base leading off the fifth inning, throwing on the run to get the out.
• The series of Mudcat pitchers--including Ben, Asher, Colin, Brenner and Brady--combined to get six of the game's 18 outs from the pitcher position.

Sunday's line score	1	2	3	4	5	6	R	H
Scrappers	3	0	0	0	1	0	4	2
Mudcats	6	7	2	3	1	X	19	19

Game 5: Mudcats 8, Bees 4

Double plays are relatively rare in West Raleigh. They really are. That probably seems hard to believe, considering that the Mudcats seem to convert them with regularity. It happened again on Saturday, as a timely defensive twin killing helped preserve an 8-4 victory over the Bees bright and early at Nowell Field.

With team pictures scheduled for 8:30 a.m., there were lots of bleary eyes and blank stares as the Mudcats gathered around the photo area. But enough about the parents. The kids, as usual, were ready to play at any time or place, and they were soon fortified with the traditional Mudcat Saturday morning buffet of doughnuts, Chick-fil-A and fruit. Add a chocolate fountain next time, and we’ll have everything they have at Golden Corral.

The sugar rush showed, as the ‘Cats put up a quick first-inning run, but left the inning feeling like they potentially could have had even more, as the Bees infield made several solid plays. That proved to be the theme of the day: even on a day when the Mudcats collected 10 hits, there were at least half a dozen hard-hit balls that very easily could have dropped.

With runs likely to be in short supply, the All Blacks responded with stingy defense. They turned in two 1-2-3 innings, and just four batters came to the plate in two other innings. One of those frames was the fifth, when the Bees put the potential tying runs in scoring position with one out, but saw their rally snuffed out by Gavin’s unassisted double play at second base. Incredibly, the play marked the Mudcats’ third double play in just five games.

After solid field maintenance done by Proctor and Pops Landscaping, Coach Sean handed out a pair of stickers to everyone, and capped the day with an unexpected surprise: old school stickers from the Mudcat archives for solid plays on both offense and defense.

The next ‘Cats game is an ESPN prime time affair on Sunday night at 5 p.m. against the Scrappers. Pregame begins at 4 p.m.


Saturday's Mudcat scoring plays
First inning
Gavin led off with a single and moved to third on Brady’s double. After a fielder’s choice, Bryce drove in the first run of the day with a hard grounder to short.
Score after one-half inning: Mudcats 1, Bees 0

Second inning
A huge inning from the second half of the Mudcat order. It began with Donovan reaching second as the leadoff man, then moving to third on a fielder’s choice. Good baserunning by Donovan prevented a double play on Noah’s line shot to third, and gave the ‘Cats two outs with no runs in. But they were just getting started. Brenner drove in Donovan, then Chris and Ben loaded the bases with back-to-back hits. Good hustle from Ben between first and second prevented an inning-ending force out and scored Brenner. Channing pulled a ball straight down the third base line, scoring Chris and Ben to complete the four-run rally with two outs.
Score after one and a half innings: Mudcats 5, Bees 0

Third inning
Charley roped an opposite-field single with one out. With two on and one out, Gabe laced a single between third and short to score Charley.
Score after two and a half innings: Mudcats 6, Bees 2

Sixth inning
After a couple quiet innings, the Mudcat offense woke back up in the sixth. Brady led off with a bullet to center, then scored on Charley’s single. Bryce capped his two-RBI day with a run-scoring grounder to short.
Score after five and a half innings: Mudcats 8, Bees 4


Saturday's Web Gems

• Gavin and Gabe each bounced back from misfortune earlier in an inning to make key plays. In the second, the Bees had a runner in scoring position when Gavin hauled in a pop fly to end the inning. And in the sixth, facing the top of the Bee order, Gabe made a solid play on a hard-hit grounder and fired to second to record the force.
• One of the game’s key moments came in the fifth, with the All Blacks nursing a slim two-run lead. After the Bees hit back-to-back singles to put two on with no outs, Asher and Bryce teamed up to record an out on a grounder back up the middle. Then, with one out and the tying runs in scoring position, Gavin snagged a line drive and stepped on second to double off the runner, ending the threat, preserving the lead and giving the Mudcats an injection of momentum going into the sixth.

Saturday's line score	1	2	3	4	5	6	R	H
Mudcats	1	4	1	0	0	2	8	10
Bees	0	2	0	2	0	0	4	6

Game 4: Mudcats 9, Riverdogs 7

In general, the Mudcats discourage visitors in the dugout during the game. That rule was lifted before Thursday night's game against the Riverdogs, as the pregame speech was delivered by some goofy guy wearing a straw hat and googly glasses. This is one occasion where words simply aren't sufficient--you'll need to check the pictures (and don't forget volume 2 of the pictures as well). Suffice it to say that the speech seemed to get the 'Cats fired up, and they responded in what might have been one of the better games played in the Minor League this year, with tremendous plays on both sides. In a battle of the unbeatens, the All Blacks prevailed, 9-7, plating nine runs in the first three innings and then relying on solid defense over the final three innings to seal the win.

That defense, which included multiple highlight reel plays, helped limit a formidable Riverdogs offense that came into the game averaging 15 runs per game. The performance was so impressive that the Dogs' Coach Lance even stopped by the Mudcat huddle to offer his congratulations.

The win was actually a departure from the All Blacks' typical outing, as it was just the second time this season that they held the lead from wire-to-wire. Just to make sure they still provided some drama, however, the 'Cats had to survive a very stressful sixth inning. Someone, and I am not sure who, may have actually scratched a hole in his scorebook on one particular play in the sixth. But it all worked out, with Gavin scooping up a blistering line shot and tossing to Bryce for the final out of the game.

One of the only errors of the game came from the Coach Sean/Coach Mike combination, as they teamed up to forget the stickers on a day when dozens of stickers probably would've been given out. That led Coach Sean to make a generous proposal: if the 'Cats play well on Saturday against the Bees--and the coaches don't break the camera during team pictures--Tuesday's practice will be scrapped.

Before the Mudcats can go through their three-games-in-three-days set coming up this weekend, they have practice Friday night at West Raleigh at 5 p.m. Make sure to check your ESPN Classic listings for possible replays of tonight's game.

Thursday's Mudcat scoring plays
First inning
Gavin started the game with a single to right, then advanced all the way to third on Brady's line drive to right-center. With one out, Bryce smacked the ball back to the pitcher, and aggressive Mudcats baserunning scored two runs when the Riverdogs had trouble in the infield. Gabe connected for the first of his 3-RBI day with a single to left that scored Bryce to complete the three-run inning.
Score after one inning: Mudcats 3, Riverdogs 0

Second inning
Once again, the Mudcats got the leadoff man on. This time it was Noah, and he moved to second on Brenner's fielder's choice. Chris connected for an RBI opposite field single, and then Ben scored Christopher with a single right back up the middle.
Score after two innings: Mudcats 5, Riverdogs 2


Third inning
One of the biggest Mudcats innings of the season started with the leadoff man--Channing--reaching first for the third straight inning. That set up the top of the order, and Gavin and Brady knocked back-to-back singles. With the bases loaded, Charley's RBI fielder's choice scored the first run of the frame. Bryce's single loaded the bases again, and Gabe came through again, this time driving in a pair with a single to left. Donovan completed the scoring with a perfectly placed Texas leaguer to left, scoring Bryce and giving the All Blacks a four-run inning.
Score after three innings: Mudcats 9, Riverdogs 2


Thursday's Web Gems

• With a man on in the first inning, Bryce made a solid play backpedaling at first base and hauling in a looping liner.
• Charley went deep in the hole between short and third in the second inning, made a backhanded stop, and tossed a solid throw to Gavin covering second to short-circuit a Riverdogs rally.
• With a man on in the third inning against the top of the Riverdogs order, Chris raced into left-center to spear a line drive, then alertly fired to Brady covering second base for the double play. The inning-ending double play took on even more importance in the next inning, when the next Riverdog hit a solo homer--that would have been a 3-run homer without Chris's great play.
• I think that's about it for the standout defensive pla...ow! What's that sharp stick in my ribs? Oh, that's my wife. I almost forgot. Asher made a nice diving catch of a pop foul in the final inning with two men on as the Riverdogs were threatening with the meat of their order.

Thursday's line score	1	2	3	4	5	6	R	H
Riverdogs	0	2	0	4	0	1	7	10
Mudcats	3	2	4	0	0	X	9	11

Practice: All Blacks (and blue)

I have no idea how many games the Mudcats are going to win this year. But I do know for sure they are going to look like the toughest, meanest team anyone has ever seen in West Raleigh. The 'Cats brought their black eye total to two on Wednesday night when Coach Tom decided to hit Colin in the eye with a line drive.

Colin still made a catch on a pop fly later in the same practice, proving that you might need two hands to catch a fly ball, but you only need one eye.

Game 3: Mudcats 15, Bats 7

The comeback 'Cats did it again, as an early 3-0 deficit proved to be no problem, and a sixth-inning two-out explosion sent the All Blacks to a 15-7 win over the Bats.

The win was especially impressive because the Mudcats were playing without Coach Sean and Gavin. Coach Sean made up for his absence by sending copious texts to the scorekeeper, with the result that the scorebook may or may not resemble ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics.

Coach Sean's absence put Coach Tom on the mound, who was virtually unhittable until Donovan finally put a little fear into him by smoking a line drive off the crafty righty in the third. Coach Tom, alertly realizing the ball would only be a single, threw up his glove and knocked it down. That meant the ball was ruled foul, giving Donovan another chance--and he promptly smacked a double to left. Coach Tom's heads-up self-defense actually gave the 'Cats an extra base.

Donovan's great at-bat changed the tone of the game. After being shut out through three innings, the offense awoke in the fourth, and after collecting just four hits in the first three innings, the Mudcats exploded for 14 hits over the final three innings. Of the team's 31 runs this season, 17 have been scored with two outs, including 10 of Tuesday night's 15 runs.

The All Blacks paired that potent offense with solid defense, as they held a big-hitting Bats team that was averaging 13 runs per game to a scant seven runs, including just four runs over the final five innings. It was the second time this season that the 'Cats have come back from at least a two-run deficit midway through the game.

The only downside to the win was that it meant the very stingy Coach Mike was in charge of the stickers. The Mudcats celebrated the win with a slightly off-key rendition of Happy Birthday for Chris, plus cupcakes and a celebratory speakerphone call to Coach Sean, who unwisely appears not to screen Coach Mike's calls. The win takes the season into the Easter break, which is almost certain to be the last seven-day stretch without a practice or game that you'll see until June. The 'Cats don't hit the field again until practice next Wednesday at 5:30.

Tuesday's Mudcat scoring plays
Fourth inning
Coach Tom shut out the All Blacks the first time through the order, but the bats (not the Bats) finally woke up in the fourth. Getting his second look at the wicked slider of Coach Tom, Brady sliced it into right-center for a leadoff double. Charley singled to left, putting runners on the corners, and with one out, Gabe ripped a single up the middle to plate the first Mudcat run. Colin drove in Charley with a hard liner to left, and Asher picked up an RBI with a fielder's choice. That put the 'Cats in their ideal situation: two outs. As they have throughout the season, they continued to score, with Brenner roping an RBI single the opposite way and Noah going straight back up the middle to complete the five-run inning.
Score after three and a half innings: Mudcats 5, Bats 4

Fifth inning
The suddenly red-hot offense continued to put the ball in play and force the Bats to make plays. With one out, Chris, Channing and Will reached consecutively. That enabled Brady to pick up an RBI with a fielder's choice, and then (as usual), the 'Cats came through with two outs. This time, it was Charley lining a single to left-center to score Channing and provide a three-run lead.
Score after four and a half innings: Mudcats 7, Bulls 4


Sixth inning
The biggest Mudcat inning of the season so far began with Gabe's third hit of the night, a single back up the middle. He moved to second on a fielder's choice, then raced to third on Asher's single. That set the stage for one of the biggest plays of the game. With one out, Brenner grounded to shortstop and immediately hustled to first. The Bats retired Asher at second and then tried to double up Double B. But Brenner's hustle prevented them from turning the double play, as the first baseman had to stretch off the bag to try and secure the throw. After a quick deliberation and some expert lawyering by Coach Tom, the umpires agreed that Double B was much too fast to be doubled up, and the inning continued, with Gabe's run counting and two outs. As it turned out, that was just the beginning: the 'Cats pushed across seven two-out runs, with nine straight batters reaching base and the inning only coming to an end because of the two-run rule. The additional RBI in the inning came from Donovan (who blasted his second double of the game to drive in a pair), Chris (who also picked up a 2-RBI line drive), Will, Brady and Charley.
Score after five and a half innings: Mudcats 15, Bats 5


Tuesday's Web Gems

• With a man on first, the second Bats batter of the game lined a hard shot up the middle. Charley made a diving attempt for it at shortstop and nearly snagged it, causing the runner to hesitate to make sure he wasn't going to make a terrific play in the air. The ball continued into the outfield, where Ben scooped it up and fired into Brady, who was alertly covering second, for the force.
• With two on in the fifth, just one out, and the meat of the Bats order due up, Donovan drifted back and made a one-handed catch of a towering fly ball in left center.
• With the Bats attempting to mount a rally in the bottom of the last inning, Bryce knocked down a hard grounder to first and had the presence of mind to stay with it while stretching to tag the bag and get the force.

Tuesday's line score	1	2	3	4	5	6	R	H
Mudcats	0	0	0	5	2	8	15	18
Bats	3	0	1	0	1	2	7	15

Rainout rescheduled

According to the West Raleigh website, the Mudcats-Scrappers game that was rained out this past Saturday has been rescheduled for Sunday, April 15, at 5 p.m. Yes, this means the All Blacks will play three days in a row and four games in five days.

Please add this game to your calendars. Pregame will begin at 4 p.m.

Game 2: Mudcats 4, Lookouts 1

After winning with an offensive display in their season opener, the Mudcats picked up a win Sunday night at West Raleigh with an impressive defensive showing. The All Blacks limited the Lookouts to just seven hits and made a series of highlight reel plays, allowing just one run--the second-fewest runs allowed by any Minor League team so far this season. The pitcher's duel was the lowest-scoring game of the young 2012 West Raleigh campaign.

"We made so many great plays," Coach Sean told the team as they gathered on the hill after the game. "Unfortunately, I forgot the stickers."

APRIL FOOL'S! Of course Coach Sean, who has a steel trap memory, remembered the stickers, and every Mudcat received two--one for Thursday's win and one for Sunday. Will received a bonus sticker for his sweet catch in left field, and Gavin also earned a defensive sticker for stellar play all over the infield.

Tremendous defense shut out the Lookouts, who were playing with just 10 players, for the first five innings. The visitors had at least one runner on in every inning, but the 'Cats tightened up with runners in scoring position and allowed just a lone run in the sixth. The Lookouts eventually put the potential tying run on first in the sixth as they loaded the bases with two outs, but a smooth Charley-to-Gabe force ended the inning and the game, running the Mudcat record to 2-0.

The All Blacks hit the field again on Tuesday at 5:30, which means pregame begins at 4:30.

Sunday's Mudcat scoring plays
Fourth inning
The Mudcats again did some two-out damage (seven of the 'Cats 16 runs this season have been scored with two outs), as Gavin singled to center and Coach Mike--against every impulse he had--held Gavin at first. Brady roped a double to right that scored Gavin, and Charley's line drive double scored Brady.
Score after four innings: Mudcats 2, Lookouts 0

Fifth inning
Gabe reached to lead off the inning and then moved to second on Colin's single to left. Coach Adam provided some expert batting tips to Asher, instructing him to, "Make it be a strike." Listening closely, Asher decided to swing at a pitch that almost bounced in front of the plate, pounding it into the dirt on a swinging bunt between the pitcher's mound and first. What Asher knew that Coach Adam didn't know is that the Lookouts were going to throw the ball into deep right field, scoring two runs.
Score after five innings: Mudcats 4, Bulls 0


Sunday's Web Gems

• Will set the tone in the first inning by snagging a fly ball in left field that would have otherwise scored at least one run.
• Colin continued a streak of four consecutive outs by the Mudcats when he ran under a fly ball to left-center leading off the second.
• With a man on second, Brenner saved a run by catching a fly ball later in the second inning.
• Gavin ranged far to his left and made a leaping grab of a pop fly that appeared ticketed for the outfield in the third.
• Proving he could do it anywhere in the infield, Gavin made a leaping catch of a line drive at shortstop in the fourth.
• With two on, Charley fielded a hard bouncing ball in medium to deep center field and fired a laser to Gavin, who was alertly covering second base. The rare 8-6 forceout ended what looked like could be a big Lookout fourth.
• Colin dashed to his left and made a diving catch of a pop fly at pitcher with a man on second in the fifth.

Sunday's line score	1	2	3	4	5	6	R	H
Lookouts	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	7
Mudcats	0	0	0	2	2	X	4	9