Cary, N.C. - The Southeast region won the 2018 13U National Team Identification Series Champions Cup gold medal after a daring walk-off steal of home, defeating the Southern California region by a score of 4-3 at Coleman Field in Cary, North Carolina.
Southeast got on the board early Sunday morning after Keilon Parnell scored from third base on a wild pitch to give Southeast the early advantage over Southern California in the first inning.

Southern California quickly reacted with a run of their own in the top of the second inning off of a passed ball by Southeast.
Southern California would not stop there. They would go on to take the lead in the third inning after a Southeast error allowed Joshua Donegan to cross the plate. They maintained the lead for much of the ballgame.
Things seemed to be going smoothly for Southern California as they aimed to close out the ballgame in the bottom of the seventh until back-to-back errors allowed Southeast to tie the game with just one out remaining in the ballgame.
With Keilon Parnell standing at third base and two outs, the unthinkable happened. Parnell dashed for home plate as soon as the Southern California pitcher, Kai Caranto, came set to deliver the pitch. Caranto stepped off to throw the ball home, but it was too late. 
Parnell slid under the tag and was called safe. Southeast won the ballgame by a score of 4-3 and are the 2018 13U NTIS champions.
Southeast finished the event with a perfect 4-0 record on their way to capturing the championship. Their victory gives the Southeast region the lead in points for the NTIS Champions Cup.
The 15U and 16U NTIS will be held in Cary, N.C. next weekend, August 17-19 at the USA Baseball National Training Complex.
For more information about the Championship game and the 2018 NTIS, visit the USA Baseball NTIS webpage or follow along on Twitter @USABaseballNTIS