FORT MYERS, Fla. – Jake Brown (Sulphur, La.) and Matthew Dallas (Arlington, Tenn.) exchanged zeros for the first four innings as the Stars and Stripes played to a 1-1 tie in the first game of 18U National Team Training Camp at Lee County Sports Complex in Fort Myers, Florida.
After both offenses were held off the scoreboard into the fifth, each side scratched a run across in the late innings to end in a tie. The Stars rallied for their run in the top of the fifth inning, when Edward Phelps III (Atlanta, Ga.) was hit by a pitch and eventually scored on a sacrifice fly by Aidan Miller (Trinity, Fla.) to make it 1-0 in favor of the Stars. The Stripes answered in the bottom of the sixth, as Roman Martin’s (Whittier, Calif.) infield single plated Ryder Helfrick (Discovery Bay, Calif.) to knot the game at one.
Strong pitching was on display throughout the entirety of the game, as both teams combined for just seven hits in the seven-inning contest. Camden Kozeal (Omaha, Neb.) was the only player with multiple hits in the game as the Stripes infielder went 2-for-2 with a walk. Jonny Farmelo (Centreville, Va.) and Roman Martin (Whittier, Calif.) had the only other two hits for the Stripes, and Gavin Grahovac (Orange, Calif.), RJ Hamilton (Hoover, Ala.), and Kevin McGonigle (Aidan, Pa.) had the only three hits for the Stars.
Pitchers combined for 21 strikeouts in the victory, with the Stars’ staff punching out 11 batters. Jake Brown (Sulphur, La.) started and turned in four scoreless innings for the Stars, allowing just two hits, before handing the ball to James Hays (Hawkinsville, Ga.) and Adam Hachman (Wentzville, Mo.) to finish the game. Matthew Dallas (Arlington, Tenn.) got the start for the Stripes and also allowed just two hits over four innings, and Stone Russell (Bradenton, Fla.) and Blake Mitchell (Sinton, Texas) combined to pitch the final three innings for the Stripes.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- RJ Hamilton singled for the Stars with one out in the top of the first but was picked off first base by Matthew Dallas to end the inning.
- Jonny Farmelo singled and Walker Jenkins was hit by a pitch to put two on with one out in the first for the Stripes, but Jake Brown struck out the next two batters to keep the game scoreless.
- The Stars put two runners on with no outs in the top of the second when Casey Borba walked and Gavin Grahovac singled, but a double play and ground out induced by Matthew Dallas kept the Stars off the scoreboard.
- Matthew Dallas worked around trouble again in the fourth when the Stars had two runners in scoring position and only one out. Dallas punched out Gavin Grahovac and got Max Clark to ground out to escape the jam unscathed.
- With Edward Phelps III on third and one out, Aidan Miller hit a high fly ball to center field for a sacrifice fly to give the Stars a 1-0 lead in the fifth.
- Colt Emerson walked and Camden Kozeal bunted for a single as the Stripes threatened to tie it in the fifth, but James Hays sandwiched a fly out between two strikeouts to maintain the Stars’ lead.
- In the bottom of the sixth, the Stripes' Ryder Helfrick walked and eventually came around to score on an RBI infield hit by Roman Martin to knot the game at one.
- Adam Hachman and Blake Mitchell each worked around baserunners in a scoreless seventh inning to end the game in a tie.
OF NOTE
- Every pitcher struck out at least one batter, with Matthew Dallas (6) leading the way. Adam Hachman (5) and Jake Brown (4) also had big strikeout days on the mound.
- Despite the low scoring output, both offenses made the pitchers work throughout the game. Batters from both teams combined to work 11 full counts, including three by the Stripes in the first inning.
- The Stars’ Casey Borba had two plate appearances and drew a walk both times.
- Five players stole a base in the game, with three coming from the Stripes and two from the Stars.
- Three baserunners were picked off in the series opener.
- Neither team made an error in the contest, converting on all 42 combined chances.
ON DECK
The teams return to the field on Wednesday at 11:30 a.m. ET for the second game 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.
