CARY, North Carolina – Northeast Stripes scored a combined 10 runs across the final four innings en route to an 11-3 victory and gold medal at the 12U National Team Identification Series (NTIS) Champions Cup on Sunday afternoon at Thomas Brooks Park in Cary, North Carolina.
The victory is the Northeast region’s first gold medal in the history of the 12U event. Additionally, it marked the region’s fourth overall medal at the NTIS Champions Cup.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Northeast Stripes’ Nolan Marichal led off the game with a walk, then stole second and third, and scored on an RBI groundout by Jaden Godette to put his team on the board.
- Southwest Stripes knotted the score at 1-1 in the second when Jesse Maddox reached on a one-out single, and then a groundout followed by an error and a stolen base allowed him to cross home plate.
- A fielder’s choice, an error, and an outfield single with the bases loaded in the fourth inning gave Northeast Stripes a 5-1 lead.
- Southwest Stripes once again responded in the bottom frame to make it 5-2 when Riley Loggins started the side with an infield single, moved to third on Kolt Hampton’s base hit to right field, and scored on a fielder’ choice.
- A bases-clearing triple by Braylon Showalter and an RBI single by Deakon Snavely in the fifth pushed four runs across for Northeast Stripes to give the squad a 9-2 advantage.
- Southwest Stripes’ final run of the contest came in the sixth inning when Hampton scored on Maddox’s triple to right field.
- Northeast Stripes’ added insurance in the seventh, making it 11-3 thanks to an RBI triple by Showalter and an error which he scored on.
NOTABLE STATS
- Northeast Stripes’ Showalter (2-for-4), Snavely (2-for-4), and Mason Mercado (2-for-2) all turned in multi-hit performances, and Showalter drove in a game-high four RBIs. Additionally, Marichal, Godette, and Showalter scored two runs apiece to contribute to the team’s 11 runs.
- Southwest Stripes’ Loggins and Maddox both went 2-for-3 to pace their squad at the plate.
- On the mound, Mercado tossed 5.2 innings and surrendered three earned runs to earn the win.
