CARY, N.C. – Team Red jumped out to a quick lead and never looked back to beat Team Blue, 5-2, and secure the Blue vs. Red series victory on Friday morning at Thomas Brooks Park in Cary, North Carolina.
Team Red rattled off four consecutive hits to start the bottom of the first inning, propelling them to a four-run frame. Cristian Matos (Belleville, N.J.) and Dylan Mercado (Houston, Texas) both singled to start the inning before Trent O’Malley (Great Falls, Va.) doubled to get Team Red on the board. Anthony Frausto (New Braunfels, Texas) followed O’Malley’s hit with a two-run single of his own to build on the lead, and Ty Chambless (Bridge City, Texas) drove in the inning’s final run with a sacrifice fly to give Team Red an immediate 4-0 lead. Team Blue chipped away in the later innings, but it was not enough as Team Red clinched the series.
Team Red had six hits in the win, with each coming from a different player. Frausto’s two-run single gave him a game-high two RBIs, with Chambless, O’Malley, and Stout III driving in the other runs for Team Red. Team Blue’s two runs came on RBIs from Jason Marll (Catonsville, Md.) and Braiden Miller (Waterford, Va.).
Stout III got the win after pitching two scoreless innings and allowing just two baserunners out of the bullpen for Team Red**. Conner Kingston** (Tarzana, Calif.) started the game for Team Blue and suffered the loss, allowing four runs in two innings of work.
KEY MOMENTS
- Alan Montes (Norwalk, Calif.) retired Team Blue in the top of the first on just five pitches, inducing two ground outs and a pop out in a quick frame.
- Team Red notched four consecutive hits to jump in front in the bottom of the first. Cristian Matos and Dylan Mercado hit back-to-back singles to open the inning before Trent O’Malley doubled to left field to give Team Red a 1-0 lead.
- Anthony Frausto followed Trent O’Malley’s double with a two-run single and Team Red capped its four-run opening inning with a sacrifice fly by Ty Chambless to make it a 4-0 advantage.
- Alan Parker (Wake Forest, N.C.) walked and stole second base to put a runner in scoring position for Team Red in the third, but Jordan Leon (Northridge, Calif.) picked up a strikeout to escape the jam and keep Team Blue within four.
- James Stout III (Artesia, Calif.) worked into and out of trouble on the mound in the fourth when Team Blue threatened after a hit-by-pitch and single but grounded into an inning-ending double play.
- Braiden Miller drew a bases-loaded walk in Team Blue’s half of the fifth to get his team on the board and within three runs.
- Team Red answered with a run in the bottom of the sixth, as James Stout III singled up the middle to score Maximus Villalva (El Cajon, Calif.) and make it a 5-1 lead for Team Red.
- Grady Klovstad (Orange, Calif.) singled and Jason Marll doubled to get another run on the board for Team Blue in the sixth, making it a 5-2 score which would end up being the final score.
NOTABLE INFORMATION
- With the victory, Team Red wins the Blue vs. Red series with a 3-1 record. Team Blue finishes the series at 1-3.
- After picking up a hit in the win, Team Red’s Dylan Mercado finishes Trials with a .667 (4-for-6) batting average.
- Jordan Leon led Team Blue in batting during Trials, batting .571 (4-for-7).
- Team Red’s pitching staff posted a 3.94 ERA throughout the four-game set, striking out 31 batters in 29 innings on the mound. They held Team Blue’s offense to a .227 average in the series.
- Team Red finished the series with 12 stolen bases in 14 tries. Team Red catchers also caught Team Blue stealing four times throughout Trials.
- Cristian Matos struck out five batters in three innings of work for Team Red to lead all of Trials in strikeouts.
- Both sides combined to commit just seven errors in the four-game set. Team Blue had a .975 fielding percentage, while Team Red posted a .969 fielding percentage.
- The 2022 12U National Team roster will be named on Friday afternoon.
SOCIAL MEDIA
- Stay tuned to @USABaseball12U on Twitter for the most up-to-date news about the 2022 12U National Team Trials.
