CARY, N.C. – The 2022 Prospect Development Pipeline League was back in action on Monday with a pair of games at the National Training Complex in Cary, N.C., as the Team Navy and Team Red matchup ended in a tie while Team Gray clinched a victory over Team Light Blue.
TEAM RED VS. TEAM NAVY
Team Red got on the board in the third inning thanks to a clutch two-RBI single from Max Clark. Christian Rodriguez and Dylan Cupp laced back-to-back base hits up the middle with one out, and after the pair got into scoring position on a wild pitch Clark delivered with a line drive to center field.
In the fifth, Team Navy’s Ryan Helfrick drove in Dean Curley with a sacrifice fly to right field after he led off with a triple to right field.
Following the PDP League scoring rules, Team Navy had a one-run lead heading into the seventh. Team Red wouldn’t go down without a fight though, as it knotted the game up in the top of the inning when Coleman Mizell laced a single to center field to drive in Dylan Cupp, who reached on a hit-by-pitch and stole second to get into scoring position.
Team Navy looked to earn a win in walk-off fashion in the bottom frame, loading up the bases with two outs, but Team Red’s closer Tommy Roldan fanned the final batter to preserve the tie.
Team Red and Team Navy are both now 1-2-1 in the event.
Notables
- Team Navy’s Kendall George led all players at the plate with a 2-for-3 outing, while teammates Colt Emerson and Dean Curley tallied one hit apiece.
- On the mound, Team Navy’s Tai Peete tossed a perfect 2.0 innings, as he retired all six batters he faced. Additionally, Ryan Geraghty threw two scoreless innings out of the pen.
- Six different players from Team Red had a hit in the contest, as Max Clark had a game-high two runs batted in while Dylan Cupp led all players with two runs scored.
- On the bump, the Team Red trio of Justin LeGuernic, Josh Knoth, and Tommy Roldan combined to allow just one earned run and fanned six batters.
TEAM GRAY VS. TEAM LIGHT BLUE
In the second inning, Team Gray’s Blake Mitchell, Gavin Grahovac, Camden Kozeal, and Tre Phelps strung together four consecutive base hits to score a pair of runs. A double steal with Phelps and Kozeal at the corners brought in a third run in the frame.
Team Light Blue cut into its deficit in the bottom of the second when Walker Jenkins led off the side with a double and error to center field and scored on Eric Bitonti’s sacrifice fly to left field.
In the third, Team Light Blue tacked on another run when Zion Rose scored from second on Yahil Melendez’s RBI single to right center after reaching on a bunt single and moving to scoring position on a sacrifice bunt.
Team Gray extended its lead in the fourth when Blake Mitchell drew a leadoff walk, went to second on a wild pitch, stole third, and scored on a passed ball.
After a scoreless fifth, Team Light Blue plated its third run of the game in the sixth when pinch hitter Kevin McGonigle had a clutch two-out single up the middle, stole second, moved to third on an infield single, and scored on a wild pitch.
Team Light Blue attempted to rally in the bottom of the seventh by putting runners in scoring position with two outs, but Wil Libbert shut the door with a swinging strikeout to give Team Gray the victory.
Both teams are now 2-1-1 in the event.
Notables
- Five different players from Team Light Blue tallied a hit, while Yahil Melendez and Eric Bitonti were responsible for the two runs batted in.
- The Team Light Blue bullpen of Alexander Clemmey, Cole Schoenwetter, and Wil Libbert combined for five innings of not allowing an earned run and 11 strikeouts.
- Team Gray’s MJ Seo led all players with a 2-for-2 outing, while Blake Mitchell scored two of his team’s runs in the contest.
- On the mound, Team Gray’s Matthew Dallas threw 2.0 scoreless innings in relief while Nolan Stevens recorded five strikeouts in two innings of work.
ON DECK
The teams will return to action on Tuesday, July 5, in a pair of games at the National Training Complex in Cary, N.C. Team Light Blue and Team Red will match up at 12:30 p.m., while Team Navy and Team Gray will face each other at 3:30 p.m.
ABOUT PDP LEAGUE SCORING
USA Baseball utilizes a modified scoring system for its development programs to achieve load management and mitigate potential injuries due to overuse for its youth athletes. Pitchers are subject to a maximum pitch count of 25 per inning during game play. In the event an inning is rolled because a pitcher has reached their maximum pitch count, runners on base may be contributed to the game score. As a result of this system, the final game score may not match the overall statistics.
