CARY, N.C. - I AM Baseball used a five-run sixth inning to defeat KC Crusaders, 5-0, on the first day of the 2019 11U Futures Invitational at Thomas Brooks Park in Cary, North Carolina on Thursday.
Yuniel Paredes earned the win on the mound for I AM Baseball (1-0) after throwing three shutout innings and striking out three batters. I Am Baseball's starting pitcher Luis Sosa earned a no-decision after pitching three scoreless innings and allowing just one hit. Brandon Neis suffered the loss for the KC Crusaders (0-1) after allowing three earned runs in five innings.
Jose Correa and Derek Guzman went 2-for-3 to lead I AM Baseball at the plate. Sosa paced I AM Baseball with two RBIs in the contest. Tanner Krier went 2-for-2 at the plate to lead the KC Crusaders.
Key Moments:

• The KC Crusaders used two walks and a single to load the bases with no outs in the third inning. I AM Baseball's Luis Sosa forced two fly outs and a strikeout to get out of the bases-loaded jam and keep the game scoreless.
• Henry Pancoast (1-for-3) opened scoring with an RBI-double to shallow center field in the bottom of the sixth before Yuniel Paredes drew a walk to load the bases.
• Back-to-back singles from Derek Guzman (2-for-3) and Sosa cleared the bases to extend the lead to 4-0.
• Two batters later, Jose Correa (2-3) singled to left field to bring home Sosa giving I AM Baseball the 5-0 advantage.
• Sebastian Echeverry took the mound for I AM Baseball in the top of the seventh and retired the side in order to end the game.

• Yuniel Paredes (1-0) pitched three scoreless innings and struck out three batters to earn the win on the mound. Brandon Neis (0-1) picked up the loss after giving up three runs in five innings.
• I AM Baseball improves to 1-0 in the tournament with the win, while the KC Crusaders fall to 0-1.

• PDP Testing will kick off day two of the 2019 11U Futures Invitational, beginning at 8 a.m. ET at the National Training Complex in Cary, North Carolina.
• Eight games will follow the PDP testing at Thomas Brooks Park in Cary, North Carolina, with the first session of games beginning at 11 a.m. and the second session starting at 1:45 p.m. ET.
• Two games, Elite Squad vs. Canes Baseball and Top Tier Americans vs. KC Crusaders, will be streamed live at 11 a.m. and 1:45 p.m., respectively. Fans can watch the games live here.
• The day will conclude with a Home Run Derby at the National Training Complex, beginning at 6:30 p.m. ET.

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