CARY, N.C. – Ryan Castetter smoked a walk-off double in the bottom of the eighth inning to lift the Midwest Stripes to a gold-medal game 3-2 victory over the Northwest Stars on Sunday afternoon at the 16U National Team Identification Series (NTIS) Champions Cup.

The thrilling victory gives the Midwest its first-ever 15U NTIS Champions Cup gold medal.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Midwest had a prime scoring chance in the bottom of the second, drawing three consecutive walks to kick off the frame. But Northwest starter Christian Moore punched out two batters and induced an inning-ending groundout to keep it scoreless.
• An error and single put two on with two out for the Stars in the top of the third before a strikeout halted the threat and maintained the 0-0 tie.
• The Stripes cracked the scoreboard in the bottom of the third when JD Stein doubled before coming home to score on an error, making it a 1-0 lead for the Southwest.
• Another scoring chance came and went for the Midwest in the bottom of the fourth; an error, single, and walk put runners on against Jake Sekany, but the Northwest righthander coaxed a groundout and strikeout to end the threat and keep his team within a run.
• Sekany escaped yet another jam in the top of the bottom of the fifth, loading the bases with one out before notching two straight strikeouts as the score remained 1-0.
• The Northwest finally got onto the board in the top of the sixth to tie the game. With two out and two on, Tyler Kardy lined a single over the leaping shortstop to plate Chase Nadeau and even the score at one and send the game to extras.
• Kardy drew a bases-loaded walk in the top of the eighth to bring in the go-ahead run for the Northwest and make it a 2-1 lead.
• With the bases full and nobody out in the bottom of the eighth, Castetter smoked a walk-off, ground-rule double over the left fielder’s head to secure the 3-2 victory for the Midwest.

NOTABLE STATS

• Castetter’s walk-off knock gave him a game-high two RBIs in the win. The walk-off hero went 1-for-2 in the win.
• Six different players picked up a hit for the Midwest, including Stein, who doubled and scored a run.
• Tyler Spangler had a strong day at the plate for the Northwest, going 1-for-2 while drawing two walks and scoring a run.
• Seven different Midwest pitchers combined to hold the Northwest to only five hits in the victory, including zero extra-base hits.
• Sekany was dynamite out of the Northwest bullpen despite the defeat, constantly working around trouble over his three innings of one-run work.
• The Midwest’s gold-medal victory is its first at the 16U level at the NTIS Champions Cup.