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Gainesville Cannons bring home two tournament wins
The 9U Gainesville Cannons baseball team knew it was up against one of the best travel teams in the country Sunday during the Battle at Bull Run championship at Catharpin Park.So the 15-0 final called after three innings may have led some to be surprised that the game would really get that out of hand ... with the Cannons in the W column.
"You could see the jump in their step. They were holding the trophy in the circle singing 'We are the Champions' and that's what it's about," said manager Greg Michna after the final game of the Cannons' season.
The win was the organization's second of the 41-team tournament as the 8U team won its bracket as well. 10U Cannon Grayson Gough also brought back wins of his own in the home run derby and "roadrunner" speed contest. Ryan Powell of the Virginia Generals also brought back a win at the 9U level while Jake Brown of the 8U Cannons won his level.
Gainesville's 9U hit parade Sunday afternoon started in the first inning with pitcher Jake Brown benefiting his own cause by beating out a close throw from shortstop to first base for an infield single. A blooper down the right field line put runners in scoring position and a passed ball brought in the first run of the game.
Then, leading 2-0 after a passed ball scored Michael Fyvie, Jake Michna cracked an RBI single to right field, putting Gainesville up 3-0. A bases-loaded walk to William Heltibridle tallied the fourth Cannons run, leading to a pitching change.
With two outs, and the bases still juiced, Ernie Bass broke open what was expected a down-to-the-wire match.
As a right-fielder batting in the 9-hole, perhaps little was expected out of Bass, who earned cheers from his coaches just for making contact on two consecutive foul balls.
But he had his own agenda. Bass crushed a 2-2 line drive through the gap in right-center-field that rolled to the wall and cleared the bases as part of a three-run triple that left him standing at third.
"We only had three runs at that point with two out and that by far was his hardest hit ball all year," Michna said.
By the time the dust finally settled on the first inning, Gainesville had batted around and led 8-0. Brown continued his dominance on the mound through the second and third innings before the slaughter rule was called in the bottom of the third.
Plowing through the tournament with an undefeated record allowed several Cannons players to shine the brightest they have all season, according to the manager. For instance, third baseman Reese Varley turned an unassisted 5-3 double play to close out the first half of the first inning with GBI runners threatening to score.
At the plate, he smacked 10 hits in 11 at bats in total over the two-day competition, rocking seven singles, two doubles and a triple, totally 12 RBIs in the process.
"He had a sensational tournament," said Michna.
Bass had shown signs of potential throughout the year, but ran into trouble consistently getting hits, according to Michna.
Then came this weekend.
Along with his triple, Bass scored an inside-the-park home run earlier in the tourney and played "his best weekend this weekend," said Michna.
As an 8-year-old playing at a 10U level, Brown gave up three hits in his three innings of work Sunday against the team from North Carolina, hitting one batter and walking no one.
Michna credits Battlefield pitching coach Dave Carroll for developing players like Brown.
"And we follow up as coaches with what he teaches them. Our kids for the most part throw a lot of strikes," he said.
Griffin McKeever kept Brown at ease by acting as backstop that would not allow a single passed ball.
"When balls were in the dirt, he was blocking them and keeping them in front," said Michna, adding that it gave Brown "confidence ... [to] throw the ball in locations where the batter can't hit the ball, basically."
McKeever ended up second on the team with eight hits in 11 at-bats.
"So, we build up in the season and finish out with a tournament win which I think will carry over in the next season" at the 10U level, said Michna.
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