1	2	3	4	5	6	R	H	E
Twelve Baseball	0	0	1	0	0	0	1	6	0
Top Tier Americans	1	0	1	0	5	X	7	12	1

Win: J. Brande Loss: S. Smith Save: None

Box Score | Play-by-play

 

CARY, N.C. - Jake Brande struck out 12 in 5.2 innings and recorded two hits at the plate to lead Top Tier Americans past Twelve Baseball in the bronze medal game of the 2019 10U Futures Invitational at Thomas Brooks Park on Sunday.

The bronze marks the second medal for the Top Tier Americans at the 10U Futures Invitational after winning gold in 2017.

Brande earned the win for Top Tier Americans (4-1) after holding Twelve Baseball's (2-3) offense to one run, while striking out a tournament-high 12 in 5.2 innings on the mound. Christian Smith suffered the loss for the Twelve Baseball, allowing three runs on four hits in his 4.1 innings of work.

Ricardo Hurtado and Adrian Rosales led Top Tier Americans at the plate, finishing the game going two-for-two with a pair of RBIs and a run scored each. Brande, Gary Hennessy and Adrian Rosales each contributed two hits in the contest to help the Top Tier Americans to a bronze medal. Hayden Bogan went two-for-three and Braedon Sanches drove in a run to pace Twelve Baseball.

Minatee led Arizona National Baseball Academy at the plate with two inside-the-park home runs and four RBIs. Minatee, Franklin Miller and Blinn tied for the team lead with two runs scored each. Ricardo Hurtado led the charge offensively for the Top Tier Americans after going two-for-three with three stolen bases and crossing home twice. Jake Brande added a two-RBI home run and scored two runs of his own for the Top Tier Americans.

Key Moments:

• Kane Garcia led off the game for Top Tier Americans with a double to shallow right field and Ricardo Hurtado hit a fly ball over the center fielder in the next at-bat to drive in Garcia as the Top Tier Americans jumped out to a 1-0 lead.
• Christian Smith responded for Twelve Baseball in the top of the third with a leadoff triple to the gap in right-center. Braeden Sanches tied the game in the next at-bat with an RBI-double that fell between the right fielder and second baseman down the right field line.
• The back-and-forth game continued in the home half of the third as Hurtado hit a one-out single up the middle, before stealing second and third on back-to-back pitches. Adrian Rosales brought Hurtado home with an RBI single to give Top Tier Americans the 2-1 lead halfway through the contest.
• Garcia began the bottom of the fifth with his second double of the game and later scored on an RBI-groundout from Hurtado. Adrian Rosales extended the lead with a solo inside-the-park homerun that rolled to the wall in right-center.
• Back-to-back singles from Aiden Scout Escobedo and Jake Brande and a hit by pitch loaded the bases for Top Tier Americans as Gary Hennessy hit an RBI-single to right field. Kristopher O'Donnell hit an RBI fielder's choice and Tyler Vladic stole home to round out the five-run sixth inning.

 

Notable Information:

• Brande (2-0) earned the win on the mound for Top Tier Americans after pitching 5.2 innings and striking out 12. His 12 strikeouts are the most by a pitcher in a single game at the 2019 10U Futures Invitational.
• Twelve Baseball's starting pitcher Christian Smith (1-1) suffered the loss after giving up three runs in 4.1 innings on the mound.
• The win gave Top Tier Americans its second medal at the 10U Futures Invitational after winning the 2017 Futures Invitational championship. Top Tier Americans finished the tournament with a 4-1 record.
• Twelve Baseball fell to 2-3 in the tournament.

 

On Deck:

• The Futures Invitational will conclude on Sunday with a second session of games, highlighted by a gold medal contest between Arizona National Baseball Academy and Elite Squad at Thomas Brooks Park in Cary, North Carolina.
• First pitch of the gold medal game is slated for 11:00 a.m. Fans can follow along with all of the action from the gold medalhere.

 

Social

• Stay tuned to @USABFutures on Twitter and visit USABaseball.com for the most up-to-date news about the Futures Invitational.