CARY, N.C. – The first day of the 11U and 13U National Team Identification Series (NTIS) Champions Cup was full of action, highlighted by big offensive innings and solid defense for the 11U age group at Thomas Brooks Park and several dramatic games for the 13U age group at the National Training Complex.
11U
BIG INNINGS LIFT MIDWEST STRIPES, SOUTHWEST STARS TO OPENING-ROUND VICTORY
Big innings in the first, fourth, and sixth innings lifted the Midwest Stars to a 13-6 victory over the Southeast Stripes in the first round of 11U pool play. Ten of its runs came in those three innings, highlighted by a four-run fourth when JJ Brooks brought two runs in on a triple to center field and Vance Rowland added two more on an outfield single and error.
The Southwest Stars also put together big innings to earn a first-round win, as it scored five runs in the second and six in the fourth en route to a 13-6 result over the Northeast Stripes.
LATE SPARK GIVES SOUTHEAST STARS SHUTOUT VICTORY
The first four-and-a-half innings of the matchup between the Southeast Stars and Northwest Stripes was a close one, with the Southeast Stars holding a 1-0 lead heading into its half of the frame. A six-run spark, highlighted by a two-run single by Wells Grubbs and a two-run triple by Santiago Gordillo, in the bottom of the fifth though allowed the Southeast Stripes to extend its lead to seven. The squad eventually cruised to an 8-0 win.
VARGAS’ HOME RUN PUTS SOUTH STARS IN WIN COLUMN
Jonah Vargas blasted a three-run home run as part of a five-run first inning for the South Stars, helping his team to secure an 8-1 win over the Midwest Stars on day one of pool play. Despite the Midwest Stars getting on the board in the second, the South Stars gave its opposition no chance to cut the deficit any more thanks to a combined three runs across the third and fourth innings.
SOUTHWEST STRIPES HOLD OFF NORTHWEST STRIPES WITH GAME-ENDING DOUBLE PLAY
The Southwest Stripes held off the Northwest Stripes with a game-ending double play to secure a 4-3 win in 11U pool play. Down 4-1 heading into the seventh inning, the Northwest Stripes capitalized on a defensive miscue to make it a one-run game. The Northwest Stripes then loaded the bases up on one out, but pitcher Matthew Lipsky fielded a ground ball right to him and induced a 1-2-3 double play to end the game.
13U
EARLY RUNS PROPEL NORTHEAST STARS TO WIN
The Northeast Stars scored five runs in the first two innings en route to a 7-3 win over the Midwest Stars. Nico Sowers doubled to put two runners in scoring position and then an RBI groundout by Deakon Snavely opened the scoring, followed by a wild pitch that plated Mason Burke. The Midwest Stars drew a bases-loaded walk to get within one in the second, but the Northeast responded with a three-run bottom of the inning to pull away. The advantage was trimmed to 5-3 in the fourth before Northeast’s Leo Toulas entered in relief and stranded the bases loaded to keep his team in front and eventually secure the win.
MIDWEST STRIPES MOUNT EPIC COMEBACK TO TIE WITH SOUTHWEST STARS
The Midwest Stripes rallied for seven runs in the bottom of the sixth to secure a 9-9 tie against the Southwest Stars. The scoring in the contest started in the top of the first when James Miranda hit an RBI single to left to make it a 1-0 lead for Southwest. Midwest responded immediately in the bottom of the first on an RBI double by CJ Dornfeld, but Southwest answered with a five-run third to take a commanding lead. Miranda started the third-inning outburst with an RBI single followed by an RBI double by Jackson Mcaneeley, and Jesse Maddox added on with a two-run knock to make it 5-1. Ryder Serna, Mcaneeley, and Owen Lee chipped in RBIs to go up 9-1, but Midwest used a huge sixth to tie the game. Trailing 9-2, Spray hit a two-run single to left and Dornfeld drove in another two with a double to make it 9-6. Then, Andrew Greenfield socked an RBI ground rule double to make it a two-run game, and Caden Reesh singled to plate two more runs and tie the game at 9-9, which ended up being the final score.
INSIDE-THE-PARK HOMERS LIFT NORTHWEST STRIPES AND SOUTH STARS TO VICTORIES
Cole Lozano hit a three-run, inside-the-park home run for the Northwest Stripes as part of a big win as his squad capitalized on walks to beat the Southeast Stripes, 10-2. Later in the afternoon, a three-run inside-the-parker by Christian Choe helped the South Stars pull away from the Northeast Stripes in a seven-run sixth in a 12-4 victory.
SOUTH STRIPES, SOUTHWEST STRIPES NAB OPENING DAY WINS
The South Stripes and Northwest Stars were locked in a tight battle all game long, resulting in a 3-2 win for the South Stripes. Fisher Bresnahan had an RBI triple in the win for the Stripes, and Justin Eliskovich chipped in an RBI double for the Northwest. Later in the night, the Southwest Stripes erased an early deficit to win 6-3 over the Southeast Stars. They took the lead on a wild pitch in the top of the fifth before Julius Berrios and Noah Morales both scored on an error to make it a 5-2 lead. The Southeast got the tying run to the plate with no outs in the bottom of the sixth, but James Joseph got out of the jam unscathed en route to the win.
