CARY, N.C. – Reed Johnson Baseball Academy (5-1) registered 10 hits on the day and Luke Pearson went 2-for-4 with two hits and an RBI in a 7-3 victory over SBA 13U National Team (4-2) to capture the second-ever 13U National Team Championships North Carolina gold medal.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Similar to the team’s semifinal game, RJBA got off to an electric start, scoring four runs in the top of the first inning. Tyce Johnson crossed the plate first on a ground ball single by Pearson. Nathan Reyes then walked with the bases loaded to bring in another run.
• Later in the inning, Isaiah Bastardo sent Troy Sibolboro home on a ground-out RBI and finally Pearson scored on a line drive single to right field by Noah Knudson.
• SBA battled back in the bottom of the first, making up two runs on a ground-out RBI by Luke Esquivel and hard ground ball single by Jarod Flowers bringing home Isaiah Cador and Julian Martinez.
• Martinez made it a one-run game in the third inning, reaching the bag on a sacrifice fly to center field by Flowers after reaching base on a line drive single.
• RJBA tacked on two more runs in the fifth when Sibolboro drove in Xavier Romero with a single to center field and Johnson scored on a passed ball.
• Luis Daniel Alonzo II walked to bring in a final run for RJBA in the top of the seventh to conclude the game with a 7-3 final score.

NOTABLE STATS

• Pearson led RJBA on offense, going 2-for-4 with two runs and an RBI.
• Johnson was also stout at the plate, finishing the day 2-for-4 with two runs.
• On the mound, Alonzo II pitched 3.0 shutout innings, allowing only one run.
• For SBA, Flowers went 2-for-3 with two RBIs and Cador had a memorable triple to left field.