15U National Team Championships NC // Homepage // Schedule & Results (GameChanger)
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | R | H | E | |
| ELITE SQUAD | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 8 | 1 |
| TEAM ELITE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 7 | 6 | 1 |
| Win: Gregory Bruno Loss: Mason Elrod Save: Jacob Mcghee // Box Score |
CARY, N.C. - Team Elite used a six-run fourth inning to secure a close 7-6 victory over Elite Squad and the gold medal at the 15U USA Baseball National Team Championships North Carolina on Sunday at the USA Baseball National Training Complex in Cary, North Carolina.
Team Elite finished the tournament with a 6-2 overall record, while Elite Squad fell to 5-3 with the loss. Two of Team Elite's players were also named to the All-Tournament Team following the event: Brysen Nepute and Drew Titsworth.
No. 1 ??
Congrats to @TEAMELITENATION on claiming the 15U ?? at #ChampsNC20??! pic.twitter.com/CrkQWI5v5f
- USA Baseball (@USABaseball) August 9, 2020
Elite Squad was the first team to get its offense going in the championship game. Benjamin Reiland led off the game with a walk and came around to score on a Peyton Woods RBI-double before Woods moved to third on an error and stole home to give the team a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning.
Team Elite didn't waste any time responding though as it got a run back in the bottom half thanks to a bases-loaded RBI-groundout by Nazzan Zanetello that made it 2-1.
But Elite Squad quickly widened the gap once again in the top of the second inning. A leadoff hit-by-pitch to Ryan Liss and a single by Mason Elrod put two runners on for Jacob Gomberg who's RBI-single one batter later scored Liss and gave Elite Squad an early 3-1 lead.
That lead would hold until the fourth inning when Elite Squad broke the game open with three runs in the top half of the fourth. Back-to-back singles kicked off the inning and a one-out fielder's choice loaded the bases once again for Angelo Prieto who drove a two-RBI single into left field for a 5-1 lead. Ayden Gurevich then piled on with an RBI single of his own that brought home Elrod and gave Elite Squad a 6-1 advantage.
The lead didn't last long though as Team Elite answered right away with six runs in the bottom of the fourth to take its first lead of the game. The team scored three runs with no outs on three straight walks a Bret Yarger RBI single, a hit-by-pitch and a sacrifice fly by Colt Emerson to cut the deficit to just two.
With a runner at third and one out, Cade Arrambide lined a two-RBI double to right field that tied the game at six runs apiece before Nazzan Zanetello followed immediately with a single up the middle to score Arrambide and give Team Elite a 7-6 lead after four.
After a leadoff walk to kick off the fifth inning, Elite Squad couldn't get anything else going against Team Elite's Jake Mcghee, who shut things down on the mound to earn the save and secure Team Elite's 7-6 victory and the 15U National Team Championships North Carolina gold medal.
Arrambide (2-for-3) and Yarger (2-for-2) led the way at the plate for Team Elite, both recording multi-hit games while Arrambide led the team in RBIs with two. Woods was the spearheaded the Elite Squad offense, finishing 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored.
Gregory Bruno (1-0) picked up the win for Team Elite after giving up one run on two hits in his relief appearance while Mcghee's scoreless and hitless inning of work earned him the save. Elrod (0-1) suffered the loss in the contest after surrendering six runs and issuing four walks in his 1.1 innings of relief.
The Inaugural 15U National Team Championships North Carolina featured 16 teams and 52 games in six days at the National Training Complex. The 16U age group of the National Team Championships is set to being on Tuesday, August 11, with 16 teams from across the U.S. traveling to Cary. Follow @USABChamps_NC for the latest information about the tournament.
