Labor Day Champions!!

Toshi said it would happen. The team responded!!!

Week 3 was the New Mexico USSSA Labor Day Invitational Tournament. In short, the team went 6-0 in the tournament and brought home the gold rings.  

Another hot weekend in New Mexico and the Cubs were on fire,outscoring their opponents 93 to 23 over 6 games.

The tournament was a 3-day, double elimination format. Day one was pool play and the team played two games, scoring 11 runs in each game, allowing only 8 total runs.

Game one: Cubs vs. The Grinders. The team showed patience at the plate, scoring 11 runs on 8 hits and 5 walks.  The big boys got to work in this game with Issac hitting a TANK and Eli B snagging a double.

Game 2: Cubs vs The Goatheads.  Tyshawn and Josiah collected 3 hits each with Tyshawn going 3 for 3 with a walk and a double.  The team collected a total of 9 hits with another Home Run, this time off the bat of Camden!!!

Game 3: Cubs vs Grants Knuckleheads. Day one of bracket play and the team made it clear that they came to win it all.  In game 3 the team went off at the plate for a total of 15 hits, including 6 doubles and a triple off of Kai’s bat!!

Game 4: Cubs vs SW Snipers. A SHUT OUT!!! Lets hear it for the pitching. One great strength of this team is how well rounded the pitching is. In a game where the team picked up a total of 13 hits for 13 runs, I wanted to take an opportunity to congratulate the pitchers on a fantastic weekend allowing only 3.8 runs per game.  

 Game 5: Cubs vs USA Prime. Facing the toughest opponent of the weekend, the team continued to dominate the field. Gael, EJ and Issac all collected doubles with EJ leading the team going 3 for 3 at the plate.  The pitching continued to roll with Eli B, Eli S and Tyshawn combining for 6 Ks over 4 innings and allowing only 1 walk.  This game sent our Cubs to the championship game and USA Prime to the loser bracket where they would battle through and find their way to the championship game.  On another scorcher of a day, Prime showed a lot of heart for sure.

Championship Game vs USA Prime. Leaving no doubt about who the best team of the weekend was, the Cubs smashed a battered Prime team 26-9 on 22 runs and 7 walks, only striking out twice.  Camden put an exclamation point on the weekend with an inside the park home run.  

A big thanks to all the parents, family and friends that supported the team this weekend.  It was a first ring for several of the boys that are new to the team so it will hold a special place in their hearts. See you all soon next week when the team returns to league play on Sunday.