FORT MYERS, Fla. – Kendall George (Houston, Texas) hit a walk-off single to right field in the bottom of the sixth as the Stripes beat the Stars, 4-3, in game three of 18U National Team Training Camp on Thursday at Hammond Stadium in Fort Myers, Florida.
With the win, the Stripes clinch the series with one game remaining.
George hit the walk-off after also scoring the tying run in the bottom of the fifth. The outfielder walked to lead off the penultimate frame and later used his speed to score on a groundout to tie the game at three. Then, with the bases loaded and two outs in the bottom of the sixth, George punched a single through the right side to plate Eric Bitonti (Hesperia, Calif.) and win the game for the Stripes.
George was in the middle of the Stripes’ offensive output all game long, picking up a hit, an RBI, a walk, and two runs scored. Colt Emerson (Cambridge, Ohio) and Stone Russell (Bradenton, Fla.) both had two-hit games for the Stripes, who totaled a series-most nine hits as a team in the win. The lone multi-hit game for the Stars came from RJ Hamilton (Hoover, Ala.), who went 2-for-3 with a solo homer, the first roundtripper of the series.
Cameron Tilly (Newburgh, Ind.) got the nod on the mound for the Stripes and threw three innings, striking out a pair and allowing two runs. Justin LeGuernic (Dix Hills, N.Y.) started for the Stars and scattered six hits over three innings of work, allowing two runs (one earned) and striking out two. Adam Hachman (Wentzville, Mo.), James Hays (Hawkinsville, Ga.), Aidan Keenan (Morgan Hill, Calif.), and Roman Martin (Whittier, Calif.) also appeared on the mound in the game.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- RJ Hamilton singled and advanced into scoring position with no outs in the top of the first for the Stars, but Cameron Tilly worked around the traffic to keep the score at 0-0.
- After Kendall George reached on a throwing error, Stone Russell hit an RBI single to left field to give the Stripes a 1-0 lead in the first.
- Doubles to left field by Gavin Grahovac and Blake Balsz tied the game for the Stars in the second and Zion Rose used heads-up baserunning to score the go-ahead run and make it 2-1 Stars.
- Camden Kozeal and Jonny Farmelo hit back-to-back singles to open the Stripes’ second inning and Farmelo eventually scored on Colt Emerson’s RBI single to even the game at two.
- With one out in the top of the fifth, RJ Hamilton crushed an opposite-field homer over the right field wall to give the Stars a 3-2 lead. It was the first home run of Training Camp.
- Kendall George walked to lead off the Stripes’ half of the fifth and used his speed to score on an RBI groundout by Ryder Helfrick to tie the game at three.
- In the bottom of the sixth, Eric Bitonti drew a walk and advanced to third base on Danny Arambula’s double down the right field line. Kendall George followed with the game-winner, a walk-off single through the right side to pick up the 4-3 victory.
OF NOTE
- Kendall George notched his second game-winning hit in as many days as the outfielder also hit a go-ahead single in Wednesday's game.
- Camden Kozeal picked up another hit in the victory and is now batting .571 (4-for-7) through three games played. RJ Hamilton raised his series average to .500 (4-for-8).
- The Stripes stole four bases in the win, with Kendall George, Ryder Helfrick, Bryce Rainer, and Stone Russell all swiping bags.
- After strikeouts dominated the first two games of the series, the pitchers combined for just five strikeouts in Thursday’s game.
- The Stripes are now 2-0-1 at 18U National Team Training Camp. The Stars sit at 0-2-1.
ON DECK
The teams return to the field on Friday at 11:30 a.m. ET for the finale of the Stars vs. Stripes series at Lee County Sports Complex in Fort Myers, Florida.
SOCIAL MEDIA
To follow along with all the action at 18U National Team Training Camp, be sure to follow @USABaseball18U on Twitter and @USABaseball on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter.
