Baseball fall champions

Payton's Auburn Tigers won the First Colony Little League Pee-Wee fall championship Sunday defeating the North Carolina Tar Heels 18 to 7. This was sweet revenge agains the only team not only to beat them in the regular season but the only team to keep the score within about 10 runs. The Tigers were a powerhouse!

Payton played third base for most of the season and seemed to quite enjoy the change. Not that he's giving up first base on the Lightning by any stretch of the imagination though. As the oldest kid on the team, he was the one best able to make the throws all the way across the diamond. He did a very good job, besides some routine plays in the championship game he made one sparkler - a very sharp hit down the line that he backhanded on one hop and fired across to get the batter at first. His hitting was a bit off on Sunday, swinging over the ball and hitting grounders but I think he still went 3 for 4.

There were a few plays of note by other kids for sure - in particular Kanu came up big. He made a diving catch at shortstop early in the game to save what looked like a double. He also hit a big double in the middle innings that scored a couple of runs and in the bottom of the 5th he made the play of the year. The Tar Heels, trailing 15-7 but still showing lots of life, had the bases loaded with one out and John Noork at the plate. John had already slammed two home runs and was eyeing another. He ripped one to center field and Kanu made another sparkling diving catch. The runners of course had all taken off and so the Tigers scored an easy double play to end the inning and the Tar Heels last threat.

And in the top of the 6th the Tigers needed three runs to put the game out of reach - there's a ten batter limit per inning so an 11 run lead is insurmountable in one inning. Victoria, the team's most improved player throughout the year, slapped a single and later advanced to third on some throwing problems when runners ahead of her stole. Collin Lucas, hitless all season long, finally connected and was safe at first scoring Victoria for the championship clinching final run. That was definitely a terrific finish.

Now, for the truly terrific performance, check out my exquisitely artistic shot of the team posing under the winning scoreboard. This phone of mine is certainly a fine instrument.