1	2	3	4	5	6	7	R	H	E
Team Utah 2022	1	0	0	3	0	1	0	5	12	2
CBA Marucci National	2	0	0	0	0	1	0	3	1	0

Win: Brayden Marx Loss: Mason Kelley Save: Ashton Johnson

Box Score | Play-by-Play | Cumulative Stats

PHOENIX — Brayden Marx, Rylan Evans and Ashton Johnson tossed a combined one-hitter to lead Team Utah 2022 to its first-ever gold medal at the 17U National Team Championships Arizona with a 5-3 win against CBA Marucci National on Tuesday at Peoria Sports Complex.

Team Utah head coach Brandon Turley chalked up the gold-medal finish to his team's experience and understanding of playing in the moment. Utah's roster, including Evans and Johnson, featured a large group of players who suited up for the 15U club that captured silver at the tournament in 2019.

"They always have each others' backs no matter the situation — highs or lows — and we saw that today," Turley said. "They have the best team chemistry and it shows. That sort of continuity goes a long way."

Marx, who battled back from a two-run first inning (both unearned), delivered 3.1 innings of no-hit ball for Team Utah. The right-hander worked around seven walks and struck out five batters to earn the win.

"Brayden (Marx) did an awesome job," Turley said. "He just fought and kept competing. That's what we ask our guys to do. Just compete every pitch."

Evans collected a hold after he tossed one scoreless frame to preserve Utah's 5-3 lead late in the game. A leadoff single from Andrew Pyle (CBA) aginst Evans on a hot shot down the third-base line proved to be the lone hit of the game for CBA Marucci National.

With CBA Marucci National ahead by a slim 2-1 margin, Team Utah put up three runs in the fourth to regain the lead. Cade Nalder plated a pair of runs with a go-ahead single to left and Rylan Evans provided an insurance run with a sacrfice fly.

Team Utah saw its lead grow to 5-2 when Easton Romero sent a double to left to score Johnson in the sixth.

CBA Marucci National refused to go down without a fight, however, and cut the deficit back to a pair of runs in the bottom half of the inning after TJ Adams contributed a sacrifice fly.

CBA Marucci National put the potential tying run on second base with two away in its final at-bats, but Johnson fielded a sharp comebacker and fired the ball to first to seal the win and the championship.

Team Utah 2022 finished off the 17U National Team Championships with an 8-1 record. The team allowed just 10 combined runs across its final five games at the event.

CBA Marucci (8-1) suffered its first and only loss of the event, but earned its third consecutive silver medal at the 17U level.

Easton Prime Red (8-1) was awarded the bronze medal with a 7-1 win against GBG Navy 2022.

Key Moments

• Logan West (Utah) opened scoring with a one-out RBI-single through the left side in the first inning.
• CBA Marucci National put a pair of runs on the board in the bottom of the first after Brady Reynolds reached via an error.
• Cade Nalder (Utah) pushed Team Utah back in front with a two-run single to left in the fourth.
• Rylan Evans (Utah) extended Team Utah's lead to 4-2 when he contributed a sacrifice fly to score Easton Romero in the fourth.
• Team Utah saw its biggest lead of the game at 5-2 after Easton Romero doubled to left in the sixth.
• TJ Adams (CBA) delivered a sacrifice fly to cut CBA Marucci National's deficit to two runs in the sixth.
• Ashton Johnson (Utah) sealed the gold medal for Team Utah 2022 when he fielded a comebacker and recorded the final out with the potential tying run at the plate.

 

Notable Information

• "For us to come out and win this event is huge, and to do it against that caliber of team (CBA Marucci National) is tremendous. It's fun to see where the state of baseball is in Utah. Hopefully we'll keep moving forward with it." — Team Utah 2022 head coach Brandon Turley

 

In Conclusion

• Team Utah 2022 concluded the 2021 17U National Team Championships with an 8-1 mark, which included eight consecutive victories following a Day 1 loss. The gold medal marks the first for the program at any level at the event.

• CBA Marucci National (8-1) suffered its first and only loss at the 2021 17U National Team Championships, but collected its third straight silver medal at the event.

• Easton Prime Red (8-1) was awarded the bronze medal with a 7-1 win against GBG Navy 2022.

 

Social

• Stay tuned to @USABChamps_AZ on Twitter for the most up-to-date news about the National Team Championships Arizona.