DURHAM, N.C. – The Stripes used a seven-run fourth inning along with strong pitching to top the Stars, 13-4, in the series opener of the 2021 15U National Team Trials on Saturday night at the Durham Athletic Park in Durham, North Carolina.

After an opening three innings dominated by starting pitchers Ethan Schiefelbein (Corona, Calif.) and Tristan Bristow (Helotes, Texas), Michael Torres (Miami, Fla.) started the scoring in the fourth with a two-run double. The offensive outburst was capped by an RBI-single by Jase DeSantis (Las Vegas, Nev.) to give the Stripes a 7-0 lead that they would not relinquish.

Torres’ two RBIs, along with a three-hit performance by Carson Page (Hahira, Ga.), led the offense for the Stripes. Henry Allen (Auburn, Ala.), DeSantis, Torres, and Cameron Uzzillia (Tampa, Fla.) added multi-hit games.

Two of the three hits for the Stars came from Cal Miller (Centervile, Utah), who also drove in a run. Aidan Harris (Midlothian, Va.) added the Stars’ only other RBI.

Ryan McPherson (Hollywood, Fla.) earned the win for the Stripes after tossing two innings and allowing a run. Dylan Franco (Las Vegas, Nev.) suffered the loss in the contest.

Key Moments

• After a quiet start to the game, an offensive explosion in the fourth inning put the Stripes in front. Xavier Neyens (Mount Vernon, Wash.) led off the inning with a single and then scored on Torres’ two-run double. Uzzillia then followed with an RBI single, before Page drove in the inning’s fifth run with a single of his own.
• The Stripes did not let up, adding another run in the fourth inning on an RBI-single by DeSantis before two more runs came across to give the Stripes a 7-0 lead.
• Konnor Griffin (Florence, Miss.) was hit by a pitch to lead off the bottom of the fourth inning and get the Stars offense rolling. He advanced to second on a stolen base and Harris drove him home with a single to left field that made it a 7-1 game.
• The Stripes’ offense stayed hot in the top of the fifth, adding a run on an opposite field, solo home run by Allen. Page drove in another run with an RBI-single and the Stripes plated four runs in the frame, taking an 11-1 lead.
• The Stars’ best offensive inning came in the sixth as led off with a walk and eventually advanced to third base. After two consecutive strikeouts nearly ended the inning, walked before Miller singled to right field to plate Riley Brown (Midvale, Utah), who had led off the inning with a walk.
• Kailand Halstead (Puyallup, Wash.) also drew a walk earlier in the inning and scored on a wild pitch before another run was added for the Stripes to give them an 11-4 advantage.
• Allen led off the top of the seventh with a double and scored on a wild pitch to make it 12-4, and Coy Allman (Marietta, Pa.) singled and scored on a groundout to give the Stripes a nine-run lead.
• Austin Nye (Roseville, Calif.) pitched the final two innings for the Stripes to secure the 13-4 win

Notable Information

• With the victory, the Stripes start the five-game trials series with a 1-0 edge.
• 10 different players on the Stripes recorded at least one hit, with the team totaling 16 hits in the win.
• The Stripes' pitching staff of Bristow, McPherson, Carson Messina (Summerville, S.C.), and Nye combined for 18 strikeouts in the victory.

On Deck

• Sunday, August 29: Stars vs. Stripes (3:00 p.m. ET; Durham, N.C.; Durham Athletic Park)
• Monday, August 30: Stars vs. Stripes (7:00 p.m. ET; Durham, N.C.; Durham Athletic Park)
• Wednesday, September 1: Stars vs. Stripes (3:00 p.m. ET; Cary, N.C.; National Training Complex)
• Thursday, September 2: Stars vs. Stripes (11:30 a.m. ET; Cary, N.C.; National Training Complex)

Social

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