The first three innings were fairly uncharacteristic, as the 'Cats picked up just three hits the first time through the order and had some lapses in the field. But trailing 8-0 after three, Coach Sean challenged them to give a quality effort over the final three innings and see what happens. The defense responded by allowing just four hitters to come to the plate in the fourth, and then the offense chipped away at the deficit with three runs in the bottom of the inning. That set the stage for a furious sixth-inning rally, as the All Blacks eventually brought the tying run to the plate, prompting even the Bees head coach, who was very gracious in victory, to tell the 'Cats after the game, "I was trying to tell my team I wasn't worried, but I was worried!"
Several team events remain, including Tuesday's closing ceremonies at 7 p.m. and Wednesday's final team party. In the meantime, tonight marked the final game in the Minor League for the eight-year-olds. They are:
Christopher: As Coach Sean said after Thursday's game, Christopher was always one of the loudest Mudcats in the dugout. Even a midseason wrist injury couldn't slow down his enthusiasm for baseball, and he continued to be a vital part of the team--even when he didn't have to be.
Noah: A two-season Mudcat, Noah showed rapid improvement over his two seasons in the all black uniforms. His bat turned into a weapon in the middle of the order, and he picked up some key hits in the second half of the season. He earned a spot at catcher and usually filled that role in the first two innings, where he was stellar behind the plate.
Donovan: Moved to leadoff midway through the season, his ferocious bat speed and tremendous footspeed on the bases were the primary catalysts for the Mudcat offense. In his first year with the Mudcats, he was among the team leaders in runs scored, hits, and doubles.
Charley: A three-year Mudcat, Charley settled in at third base this season and was very consistent on defense. His experience in the league was invaluable to the younger players--no matter what happened, Charley could always explain the play or provide some insight into what was happening. Charley led the team in RBI and hits this season.
Bryce: In his first year with the Mudcats, Bryce solidified the first base position and made himself into one of the best players in the league at that position. He caught fire offensively over the last month, and reached base in seven of his last nine trips to the plate. He was consistently one of the most vocal Mudcats in the field and always a supportive teammate.
Brady: Originally, I was convinced that Brady was part of Coach Mike's master plan to turn Asher into an NC State fan. It turned out, thought, that Brady was a natural on the diamond. His line drive stroke was essential to the top half of the All Blacks order, and he developed into a solid second baseman with tremendous range. In 18 games of standing in the dugout, I never heard him say one negative word to a teammate.
Gabe: It is hard to imagine the Mudcats without Gabe on the team. Not just because I'm not sure who will keep the field in pristine condition, but because he was always the most eager to be part of everything that was going on at the field. Play pickle? Gabe is there. Play wall ball? Yep. Buying drinks for the whole team? Sure. It sums him up that when the Bees needed to borrow a chest protector during Thursday's game, it was Gabe who wanted to be the one to hand-deliver it to them each inning, and to recover it from them after three outs. He also was one of the 'Cats most consistent hitters all season, finishing among the team leaders in batting average and hits.
We also lose three coaches after this season. They are:
Coach Andy: In his one and only season with the Mudcats, Coach Andy had a Dimaggio-esque record of always being the first person at the field. By the final month of the season, Asher would always scour the parking lot to see if, by chance, we beat Coach Andy and Bryce to the field. It never happened. In addition to his tireless work at practices, before games, and occasionally in the third-base coaching box, Coach Andy was also one of the centerpieces of the rowdy fans down the first base line, where they could safely talk about important issues such as why the coaches kept messing up all the time.
Coach Tom: I think Coach Tom would take this as the highest possible compliment, which is exactly how it is meant--on most nights, I think he may have had more fun at the baseball field than anyone over the age of eight. Good for a positive word for anyone who was feeling a little down, Coach Tom at one time or another called everyone on the roster, "My favorite Mudcat." A little-known fact about Coach Tom: he has a greater collection of baseball tools and toys than anyone in America. No matter what hitting problem you are having, Coach Tom probably has a gadget that can help solve the problem--and he'll likely be even more excited than you are when that work translates to the field in the next game.
Coach Mike: Asher was drafted onto the Mudcats in the fall of 2010. When GM Jenn was telling me about the coaching staff, she said, "One of our coaches is a huge State fan." We live in Chapel Hill, where they have not invented State fans yet, but I grew up in Cary, so I thought I remembered something about State fans. The very first day I met Coach Mike, he said, "Did Marvin Austin give you those blue shorts as a gift?" I was wondering what we had gotten ourselves into. What he taught both Asher and me is that it is possible to hate everything about Carolina (except Woody Durham) and still be a great guy. I secretly think Coach Mike has a little Carolina in him, and I think he secretly thinks I have a little State in me. Maybe that is true on both sides. I just know I feel very lucky that no matter who he cheers for in his spare time, that he coached Asher and all the rest of the Mudcats for two years.
One of Coach Mike's greatest achievements is that he somehow persuaded Team Photographer Tonya to put up with him. We probably take it for granted that after every game, there are going to be terrific photos on the blog. Just so you know, that's not the case for any other team. She somehow managed to juggle taking care of a big kid--not Gabe or Luke, but Coach Mike--with also being at the West Raleigh field virtually every night to watch Gabe and Luke, all while taking great pictures.
Now that the season is over, it's probably OK to reveal some Mudcat secrets. For example, remember those high-level strategy talks held by the 'Cats in the corner of the outfield before each game? You probably thought that was about making defensive plays and getting good swings, right? Well, not exactly. This is how I'm going to remember the 2012 Mudcats, although some of the questionable dancing by a certain #10 makes me question what his mother has been teaching him.
Thursday's Mudcat scoring plays
Fourth inning
The offense awoke in the fourth, as Donovan ignited the rally with a one-out single. After a fielder's choice, the 'Cats put three two-out runs on the board, capped with an RBI single from Brady that scored Bryce.
Score after four innings: Bees 8, Mudcats 3
Sixth inning
With the dugout gaining confidence with every hitter, the Mudcats threw a major scare into the Bees with a sixth-inning rally. Ben started it off with a leadoff single, the second of his two hits on the night. With one out, Channing drove in Ben with a single. Donovan ripped a single to left, then moved to second on Charley's single. With the bases loaded, Bryce picked up two RBI with a hard-hit single to left. Brady completed the scoring with a hard-to-handle drive to the shortstop.
Final score: Bees 10, Mudcats 7
Thursday's Web Gems
- Donovan made a leaping catch in left-center to rub a Bee of extra bases in the second inning.
- Will made a terrific snag of a fly ball in right-center to help the 'Cats hold the Bees scoreless in the third and keep the game within range.
- Noah made a tough play look easy leading off the fifth, snagging a fly ball down the line.
- On the very next hitter, Bryce made a diving stop of a hard line drive that looked headed down the first base line for a double.
| Thursday's line score | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | R | H |
| Bees | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 10 | 17 |
| Mudcats | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 7 | 12 |
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