Day three of the 13U National Team Championships North Carolina began with the quarterfinal round, as four teams advanced to Thursday morning's semifinal. Catch up with all the action!
REED JOHNSON BASEBALL ACADEMY 10, SCOTTSDALE DIRTBAGS 0
Xavier Romero went 2-for-2 with two singles, two RBIs, and a walk to lead Reed Johnson Baseball Academy (3-1-0) to a 10-0 run rule victory over Scottsdale Dirtbags (3-1-0) in the quarterfinals of the 2023 13U National Team Championships in North Carolina.
With the win, RJBA collects its third victory of the week to advance to the semifinal round.
RJBA jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first when a fielding error allowed Tyce Johnson to score from third. Two more runs went on the board for RJBA in the second when another error in the Scottsdale infield allowed two runners to score and establish a 3-0 lead. RJBA managed to plate five more runs in the third inning thanks to singles by Jayson Marquez and Romero, a fielding error, and a fielder’s choice bunt from Cole Chatelain. Another fielding error by Scottsdale and a bases-loaded walk made it 10-0 in favor of RJBA in the top of the fourth. Starting pitcher Julian Pardinas forced a quick three up, three down bottom of the fourth to secure the 10-0 run-rule win for RJBA.
Nathan Reyes hit a double and scored a run while Isaiah Bastardo contributed a single, two runs scored and a stolen base for the RJBA offense. Pardinas allowed just one hit through 4.0 innings of work. Adrian Sisco singled to record the lone hit of the morning for Scottsdale Dirtbags.
RJBA will begin semifinal play at 8:00 a.m. on Coleman Field tomorrow. Scottsdale returns to action tomorrow for consolation play at 8:00 a.m. on Field 3. Both games will be streamed on USABaseball.TV and live updates will be provided via Twitter @USABScores.
ZT PROSPECTS NATIONAL 6, CANES WEST 13U 0
ZT Prospects National (4-0) put up six runs in the bottom of the fifth to beat Canes West 13U (1-2-1), 6-0, in quarterfinal action at the 13U National Team Championships in North Carolina.
An early pitcher’s duel led to a scoreless game entering the fifth, as starters Zachary Estrada (ZT) and Anthony Ramon (Canes) exchanged zeros early on. ZT broke it open in the fifth, scoring six runs—including three in the same at-bat—to pull away and win the contest.
The game’s first run came on a bunt single by Adam Omelas, which was followed by an RBI fielder’s choice by Angel Gonzalez. Jacob Gray then drew a bases-loaded walk to increase the lead to three, before ZT took advantage of wild pitching to plate a trio of runs with two outs. With Estrada at the plate, Aaron Garcia scored on a wild pitch, Gonzalez came home on a balk, and Gray scampered home on another wild pitch as ZT’s lead became 6-0. The ZT bullpen followed with two shutdown innings, retiring the side in order in the sixth and seventh to lock down the win.
Lennex Minor was solid at the plate for the quarterfinal winners, going 2-for-3 with a run scored. Garcia also posted a two-hit day and scored a run, reaching in all three plate appearances. The Canes were only able to muster three hits, coming from Caleb Lozano, Josiah Park, and Samuel Pink.
In addition to Estrada’s strong work on the mound, reliever Adriel Rivera turned in 3.1 innings of one-hit relief to earn the win. Pink suffered the loss for Canes.
ZT advances to the tournament semifinal round, where it will take on Reed Johnson Baseball Academy on Thursday morning at 8:00 a.m. ET. Canes West falls into consolation play. Both games will be streamed on USABaseball.TV and live updates will be provided via Twitter @USABScores.
SBA 13U NATIONAL TEAM 10, TOP TIER SELECT 1
Sebastian Quiles pitched 7.0 innings allowing only one run and striking out six to lead SBA 13U National Team (3-1) to a 10-1 triumph over Top Tier Select (3-1) in the quarterfinals of the 13U National Team Championships in North Carolina.
With the win, SBA improves its record to 3-1 and advances to the semifinal round of the event.
SBA got off to an electric start as Luke Esquivel scored on a double to left field by Julian Martinez after reaching base on a single to put the team on the board in the top of the first.
Top Tier Select wouldn’t let that stand and struck back in the bottom of the first, driving in one run on a sacrifice fly by Spencer Schiff to even the score.
It was deja vu in the third as Martinez once again drove in Esquivel, this time on a line drive to center. Martinez then reached home on a passed ball, bringing SBA’s lead to 3-1.
Martinez solidified that he deserved to be game MVP in the top of the fourth inning when he delivered, singling on a hard-hit ground ball to left field with the bases loaded to drive in Pablo Martinez and Isaiah Cador and put the score at 5-1.
Following a rain delay in the bottom of the fourth, SBA quickly found its rhythm again in the top of the fifth, bringing in runs on a sacrifice fly by Cador and a single by Esquivel.
SBA kept the good vibes going in the top of the sixth, bringing its lead to 8-1 when Trendyn Motley scored on a line drive to left field by Caden Borcherding.
The team just kept going, crossing into a double digit run count in the top of the seventh as Hudson Simmons came home on a sacrifice fly by Troy Haynes and Quiles crossed the plate on a passed ball.
Martinez led the SBA offense with a 3-for-4 day with a double and four RBIs.
For Top Tier Select, Abram Decena was strong at the plate, going 2-for-3 with two hits and one run.
SBA will face USA Prime National 13U in semifinal play at 8:00 a.m. on Thursday, July 20, on Field 2. Top Tier Select returns to action tomorrow for consolation play at 8:00 a.m. on Field 4 against Team Elite. Both games will be streamed on USABaseball.TV and live updates will be provided via Twitter @USABScores.
USA PRIME NATIONAL 13U 8, TEAM ELITE 5
Colin Raymond tossed 6.0 innings and hit 3-for-4 to send his team to the semifinals and lead USA Prime National 13U (4-0) past Team Elite (2-2), 8-5, at the 13U National Team Championships in North Carolina.
After a hard ground ball down the left field line by Brennan New, Team Elite took an early 1-0 lead but was nullified after a bases-loaded hit by pitch in the bottom of the frame. Colton Dabkowski put his team ahead once again with a sacrifice fly to center while a wild pitch in the bottom half scored Simeon Johnson and evened things out at 2-2. Team Elite picked up the lead again, as a sacrifice fly off the bat of Malachi Butler gave his team a 3-2 lead in the fourth.
After a short rain delay, USA Prime took off running, plating six runs in the sixth; back-to-back singles started the rally and Jaaron Frye took advantage, punching a ball to left to plate a pair. An RBI single by Raymond scored the fifth run while a couple two-out base knocks by Reggie Marshall and Colt Ward handed USA Prime an 8-3 advantage. Hudson Roeser and Ian Haase each plated a run with two-outs on the board to keep Team Elite in the fight but was ultimately shut down by Griffin Tillery to send USA Prime National to the semifinals.
Raymond just about went the distance for USA Prime National, pitching 6.0 innings and surrendering four runs on four hits in addition to going 3-for-4 at the plate with an RBI. Frye also did damage at the plate, as he was 2-for-2 on the day with a pair of RBI and runs scored apiece. Joshua Messer also collected two hits and scored a run for USA Prime National in the process.
Roeser and Butler each tallied an RBI and a run scored for Team Elite, Roeser went 1-for-1 in his outing while New and Bobby Smithnosky each posted a 1-for-2 performance.
USA Prime National will face SBA 13U National Team in a semifinal matchup slated for 8:00 a.m. on Field 2 Thursday morning while Team Elite will play Top Tier Select at 8:00 a.m. on Field 4. Both games will be streamed at USABaseball.TV, and live updates will be provided via Twitter at @USABScores.
