There were moments when it seemed like Stacked Baseball was not going to advance to the next round, or even the next inning, during its semifinal game at the 16U National Team Championships in Arizona.

But somehow, someway, Stacked found its way through.

In perhaps the game of the tournament, Stacked knocked off CCB Prime 10-8 in a thrilling extra-innings bout at Champs Arizona. With heart-stopping moments highlighting the final three frames of the game, Stacked survived CCB’s walk-off attempts in the bottom of the seventh inning.

It was an adverse situation that soon turned into an impossible one. After plating two go-ahead runs in the top of the seventh, Stacked’s 6-4 lead had quickly turned into a 6-6 tie. To make matters worse, its chances of making the gold medal match were in jeopardy after CCB loaded the bases with just one out to go.

But Stacked simply found a way. After a nearly four-hour game, Stacked survived the jam, put up four runs in the top of the eighth, and punched its ticket to the championship in heroic fashion.

“I don't even know what to say,” said head coach Kyle Davis. “That's one of the craziest games I've ever seen. We got out to a lead, they came back and tied it, we scored two, they tied it – almost a four-hour game. I felt like it was never gonna end. Nice to be on the right side of things.”

Stacked used a combination of special performances — such as left fielder Tristan Ramos’ 2-for-5 day with a home run — a selfless devotion to each other, and an unrelenting will to win to shake off CCB Prime.

“We all love each other,” Ramos said. “It's a brotherhood, and we're willing to put our bodies on the line and just put it out there for each other and win for each other.”

However, one performance stood out among all others for Stacked Baseball. Relief pitcher Wylan Rottschafer played hero for Stacked.

Entering with multiple runners on in the middle of CCB’s two-run bottom of the seventh, Rottschafer soon found his, and his team’s back, against the wall. It was 6-6, bases-loaded with only one out. CCB Prime smelled blood in the water

But up against it all, there was no one else Stacked Baseball would have wanted on the mound.

Rottschafer went right at CCB. Just a few pitches after his first punchout of the inning, he flamed another, quickly quieting a raucous CCB Prime dugout. Needing one more out, he completely silenced his opponents and sent his side into a frenzy as he forced a groundout and extra innings.

“I mean the kid is what Stacked Baseball is all about — the best kid on and off the field,” Davis said. “If we were going to lose, we were going to go with him, and we're glad to be on the winning side of it.”

Stacked had new life. Back from the impossible, the team took advantage of its newfound opportunity and struck with a four-run eighth inning.

With three outs to go, Rottschafer took the mound once more, and channeled the ice in his veins once more. CCB plated two, but the pitcher forced a critical double play and game-ending flyout to secure his team’s win.

Early in the game, Ramos smashed a home run to give Stacked a lead. Now, he and his team are headed to the gold medal match against FS21 Stars. He leads his squad with a selfless attitude and is bringing it into the final round.

“I love these guys, and I want to lay it out there for them,” Ramos said. “And it's a game I love, and I represent my family. I represent how I've been brought up, and especially these guys behind me here. So it's just all for them.”

Just one week ago, Ramos won gold in Cary, North Carolina at another National Team Championship event. Now, he has a chance to add his second win of the summer with a win against the Stars.

“Winning in Cary was fun, but I want to continue to win,” Ramos said. “And I want another gold.”

Like Ramos, Stacked also has the chance to add to its medal collection this summer. Stacked National took home gold at the 15U Champs Arizona competition just last week. Now, Davis and his team are trying to go back-to-back.

“What a great opportunity,” Davis said. “There’s 64 teams and for us to outlast the group and hopefully get another one back-to-back, that'd be special.”