CARY, North Carolina – Despite a late surge by South Stars to make it a one-run game in the top of the seventh, Northeast Stars managed to hold off the opposition to secure gold with a 7-6 victory at the 14U National Team Identification Series (NTIS) Champions Cup on Sunday afternoon at the National Training Complex in Cary, North Carolina.

The victory is the Northeast region’s first gold medal in the history of the 14U event. Additionally, it marked the region’s fourth overall medal at the NTIS Champions Cup.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• South Stars jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first thanks to three consecutive run-scoring singles from Camden Dean, Landon Bonner, and Jerry Brightwell after back-to-back walks started the game.
• Northeast Stars managed to tie things up in the bottom frame with a Julian Martinez RBI single, an RBI groundout, and a two-base error with runners in scoring position.
• Northeast Stars took its first lead of the game in the third, plating three runs on a bunt squeeze play, an RBI single by Rory Funke, and a wild pitch to make it 6-3.
• A bases-loaded single to right field by Jason Verderrosa in the fourth inning extended Northeast Stars’ lead to 7-3.
• South Stars cut its deficit to 7-4 in the sixth when Mark Rojas came home on a bases-loaded wild pitch.
• South Stars made it a one-run game at 7-6 in the top of the seventh when Bonner delivered a clutch two-run single to center field, scoring Hudson Brown and Eli Romero after they started the threat with back-to-back outfield singles. With Bonner at third after swiping a bag and two outs, reliever Joesph DiMeo fielded a ground ball right to him and flipped to first base to secure the win.

NOTABLE STATS

• Northeast Stars’ Ryder Sowa and Martinez tallied a team-high two hits apiece to contribute to the squad’s eight in the contest, while Verderrosa’s two RBIs were a team-best.
• Bonner, Brightwell, and Lucas Smith each had hits for South Stars, while Bonner’s three RBIs were a game high.
• On the mound, Max Boehm tossed 4.2 scoreless innings with five punchouts to earn the win, while DiMeo was credited with the save.