Hustle Ball · Shock & Awe · 11u-B · Sunday Oct 18, 2026 · Montgomery County MD
Sunday Recap · 0–2 Pool
Stars Desai 11U. Weather pushed Saturday · Sunday compressed to 2 pool games · top-4 bracket Sunday evening (we did not advance). G1 vs AYRA: 3–4 (1-run loss) · G2 vs MoCo Grays: 4–9. Pool RD −6.
Final: 0–2 Pool · did not advance
The honest read
We lost G1 by one run to the team that went on to win the Gold Championship bracket (AYRA won bracket 11–6 over SP Green). Our defense + pitching held AYRA to 4 runs vs their 9/game season average —
the running-game containment plan worked (AYRA stole only 3 bases vs their 10/game norm). But
Logan S shut our bats down — 3.0 IP · 1 H · 6 K · 62.5% strikes — he was the opponent-pitcher cliff we had scouted and we fell off it.
G2 was lost in the first inning (5-run top of the 1st) and compounded by 4 unearned runs in the 5th on defensive errors. Our G2 BATTING actually improved vs G1 (4 H / 2 K vs 3 H / 7 K) — energy didn't die at the plate, pitching + defense did.
Game 1 · vs AYRA Athletics – Bruffey
Away · 5 innings · Morris Park – Walker Field
L · 3–4
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | R | H | E |
|---|
| Stars Desai (A) | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| AYRA Bruffey (H) | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 8 | 1 |
Stars Desai · Batting
| Hitter | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | K |
|---|
| A Andreas (P) | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| J Gallagher (SS) | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| G Madison (LF) | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Y Desai (3B) | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| M Moss (2B) | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| E Hundley (CF) | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| G Guevara (1B) | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| B Singleton (C) | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| C Kadak (RF) | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Totals | 19 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 7 |
SB: Y Desai, E Hundley (2), C Kadak, J Gallagher, G Guevara — 6 team SB · HBP: E Hundley · LOB: 4
AYRA Bruffey · Batting
| Hitter | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | K |
|---|
| James L (CF) | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Owen B (RF) | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Brayden G (C) | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Lonnie P (1B) | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Logan S (3B) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Bennett F | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Zachary R (LF) | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Nate T (SS) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Simon G (P) | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Xander T (2B) | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Conor J | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Sohum J | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Totals | 22 | 4 | 8 | 3 | 4 | 7 |
SB: Lonnie P, James L, Owen B — only 3 vs their 10/game season norm · HBP: Lonnie P, Logan S · LOB: 6
Stars Desai · Pitching
| Pitcher | IP | H | R | ER | BB | K | P-S |
|---|
| A Andreas | 4.0 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 88-47 (53%) |
| G Guevara | 0.2 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 21-11 (52%) |
| Totals | 4.2 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 109-58 (53%) |
WP: A Andreas · HBP: A Andreas, G Guevara · E: A Andreas, G Guevara · Note: Archie 88 P = Pitch Smart 4 days rest tier (would've been OUT Sunday if there'd been a bracket game)
AYRA Bruffey · Pitching
| Pitcher | IP | H | R | ER | BB | K | P-S |
|---|
| Simon G | 2.0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 30-19 (63%) |
| Logan S | 3.0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 48-30 (62.5%) |
| Totals | 5.0 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 78-49 (63%) |
BF: Logan S 12, Simon G 10 · HBP: Logan S · E: Logan S · Scout note: Logan S was 46-47% strikes historically — came out dealing at 62.5%
G1 observations
- The scout on AYRA's running game WORKED. They stole only 3 bases vs their 10/game season norm. Catcher throw-down install held.
- Logan S was the dagger. 3 IP · 1 H · 6 K · 62.5% strikes. Our hitters never figured him out. 7 K's in 19 AB = 37% K rate.
- Archie went 88 P in 4 IP — Pitch Smart 66+ tier = 4 days rest. Not an issue (no Sunday bracket for us) but strike rate was 53% — we needed 60%+ to stay ahead of count.
- 1-run loss means every HBP, every BB mattered. 4 BB from Archie, 2 HBP by our pitchers = free bases we couldn't afford.
- Hero bats: Gabe (1 H, 1 RBI, 1 R, 1 BB) and Carter (1 RBI). Ellison scored twice without a hit (HBP + 2 SB).
Game 2 · vs MoCo Grays
Away · 5 innings · Morris Park – Walker Field
L · 4–9
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | R | H | E |
|---|
| MoCo Grays (H) | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 9 | 6 | 3 |
| Stars Desai (A) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 2 |
Stars Desai · Batting
| Hitter | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | K |
|---|
| A Andreas (CF) | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| J Gallagher (SS) | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| G Madison (C) | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Y Desai (P) | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| J Abiamiri (CF) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| M Moss (2B) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| G Guevara (LF) | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| E Hundley (3B) | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| B Singleton (RF) | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| C Kadak (1B) | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Totals | 20 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
2B: C Kadak · SB: B Singleton, A Andreas, J Abiamiri (2), M Moss, G Guevara — 6 team SB · LOB: 3 · Only 2 K — plate discipline improved vs G1
MoCo Grays · Batting
| Hitter | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | K |
|---|
| Asher H | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Ellis T (P) | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Will T (P) | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| Ben H | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Max S | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Conor K | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Finn J | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Bryce F | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Marcos N | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Emerson C | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Totals | 22 | 9 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 10 |
2B: Finn J · Finn J: 3 H, 3 RBI, 4 TB (the dagger) · SB: Asher H, Ben H, Finn J, Will T, Ellis T — 5 SB · HBP: Bryce F · LOB: 4
Stars Desai · Pitching
| Pitcher | IP | H | R | ER | BB | K | P-S |
|---|
| Y Desai | 3.0 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 78-39 (50%) |
| E Hundley | 2.0 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 48-32 (67%) |
| Totals | 5.0 | 6 | 9 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 126-71 (56%) |
WP: Y Desai 4 · HBP: Y Desai · E: J Gallagher, M Moss · Note: Ellison's 4 R were UNEARNED — defensive errors in the 5th gave them back the game after he held them scoreless in the 4th
MoCo Grays · Pitching
| Pitcher | IP | H | R | ER | BB | K | P-S |
|---|
| Will T | 4.0 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 67-42 (63%) |
| Ellis T | 1.0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 19-11 (58%) |
| Totals | 5.0 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 86-53 (62%) |
BF: Will T 18, Ellis T 4 · Note: Will T went 4 innings deep · we got to him for 3 earned, but didn't put up a crooked number
G2 observations
- The 5-run first inning WAS the game. Yash's line: 50% strikes, 4 BB, 4 WP in 3 IP. He's a position player we asked to be an emergency starter.
- Ellison was dealt a bad hand. 67% strikes, kept it to 2 H in 2 IP, but defensive errors gave up 4 UNEARNED in the 5th.
- Our bats actually got BETTER: 4 H vs 3 H in G1, only 2 K vs 7 K in G1. Carter doubled. Gabe RBI'd again. The "energy died" story is NOT a hitting story.
- Finn J (MoCo) was the opposing dagger: 3 H, 3 RBI, 4 TB (including a double). We never contained him.
- 6 team SB — base-stealing stayed aggressive even in G2. Base energy wasn't the issue.
★What we learned · for next tournament
1 · When the schedule compresses, re-trigger the plan
Weather turned a 2-day tournament into a 1-day event. The pre-plan ("Archie goes 75, save Michael for Sunday pitching") was built for a two-day format with a Sunday bracket. With no bracket, the arm-conservation math changed — we ended up with James + Carter + Michael never pitching, holding ammo we had no use for.
Next time: when the schedule compresses, re-draft the pitching plan in the parking lot before G1. Pool-play only ≠ pool + bracket.
2 · Rotation isn't optional, even short-handed
With 9 players in G1 and 10 in G2, 7 of 10 kids never sat an inning across the day. Michael played all 10 innings after being OUT all week. Bryce caught 6.2 innings on legs that had already caught G1. By G2 inning 5, legs were gone and defensive errors cost us 4 UNEARNED runs.
Next time: every player sits at least 1 inning per game. Pre-assign the sit-out rotation on the lineup card. Catcher caps at 3 innings per game, swap even if backup is "worse."
3 · Pitching strike rate decides the day
Our scout nailed it: AYRA runs when opposing strike rate drops below 55%. Our team strike rate G1 was 53% · G2 was 56%. Right at the cliff. Logan S (AYRA) was at 62.5% strikes and we got 1 hit. We didn't hit the strike-rate floor often enough.
Next time: no pitcher goes without a mid-outing strike-rate check. If a pitcher is under 60% through 10 pitches, pull early. Position-player emergency pitchers (Yash this game) carry extra risk — build in a hard 15-pitch leash on them.
4 · We hung with the field
AYRA went on to win the Gold Championship bracket (11–6 over Severna Park). We lost to them by 1 run. MoCo Grays went 1–1 in pool. This wasn't a talent gap — we lost G1 to a dominant pitching performance and G2 to a 5-run first inning. One timely hit in G1, one clean first inning in G2, and we're a different pool position.
What we take forward: the catcher throw-down install held AYRA to 3 SB (we scouted them at 10/game). The chest-protector sign system worked. Our bats improved game-to-game. We're closer to this field than the record shows.