CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Jack Hurley (Virginia Tech) had three hits and Jacob Wilson (Grand Canyon) drove in three runs as the Stars won the final game of the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team Training Camp series, 6-3, over the Stripes in front of a capacity crowd of 10,331 on Monday night at Truist Field in Charlotte, N.C.
Hurley finished 3-for-4 at the plate with a run scored and a stolen base, his second of the series, while Wilson went 2-for-3 with three RBIs, a run, and a walk. Wilson finished the series with a team-high .467 batting average (7-for-15) and nearly twice as many total bases (15) as any other player. He also drove in a series-high five runs in the five games.
Hunter Elliott (Ole Miss) collected the win as the Stars’ starter, striking out four and allowing just one hit in his two innings on the mound. Joseph Gonzalez (Auburn) followed with two perfect frames before handing the ball off to Jaden Woods (Georgia) who added two shutout stanzas as well.
For the Stripes, Christian Knapczyk (Louisville) led the way offensively, going 2-for-2 off the bench with an RBI triple, a stolen base, and a run scored. Mason Nichols (Ole Miss) was effective on the mound, as well, striking out four in two shutout innings.
KEY MOMENTS
- The Stars came firing out of the gate, plating a pair of runs in the game’s opening frame. Enrique Bradfield (Vanderbilt) took the second pitch of the game and punched it to center for a leadoff single. Dylan Crews (LSU) followed with a single of his own on the very next offering and Jacob Wilson (Grand Canyon) brought in the game’s first run with a looping single to left to score Bradfield. A pair of wild pitches to the next batter then allowed Crews to make his way around the bases to put the Stars up 2-0.
- The second inning saw the Stars continue to increase their lead when Kyle Teel (Virginia) was hit by a pitch, moved to third on a double by Brock Wilken (Wake Forest), and score on a base hit by ACC rival Jack Hurley (Virginia Tech).
- After a couple quiet innings, the Stars struck again in the fifth when Jacob Wilson (Grand Canyon) drew a one-out walk then scored on a double down the left-field line by Jacob Gonzalez (Ole Miss).
- The score remained 4-0 until the seventh when the Stripes cut their deficit in half on back-to-back RBI groundouts to first off the bats of Jack Payton (Louisville) and Ryan Lasko (Rutgers).
- Up 4-2 heading into the ninth, the Stars tacked on a couple of insurance runs when Jacob Wilson (Grand Canyon) laced a bases-loaded, two-RBI single into left.
- An RBI triple down the right-field line by Christian Knapczyk (Louisville) in the bottom of the ninth brought he final tally on the scoreboard to 6-3.
NOTABLE INFORMATION
- With their win on Monday, the Stars won the CNT Training Camp series, four games to one, over the Stripes.
- Hunter Elliott (Ole Miss) made his Stars debut and picked up the win with four strikeouts in 2.0 innings as the starting pitcher.
- Jacob Wilson (Grand Canyon) finished the five-game series as the leader in batting average (.467), hits (7), runs scored (5), doubles (2), home runs (2), RBIs (5), and total bases (15).
- With his three hits on Monday, Jack Hurley (Virginia Tech) moved into second among all players with a .357 average (5-for-14) for the series. He also tied Vance Honeycutt (North Carolina) for the most stolen bases with two.
ON DECK
- The Collegiate National Team final roster, which will compete in Honkbalweek Haarlem in the Netherlands, will be announced on Tuesday.
- Team USA will travel to the Netherlands this week and begin play at Honkbalweek Haarlem against Japan at 7 a.m. ET on July 9.
SOCIAL MEDIA
- Stay tuned to @USABaseballCNT on Twitter for the most up-to-date news about the 2022 Collegiate National Team Training Camp.
