SARASOTA, Fla. - Oliver Santos (Newport Coast, Calif.) and Michael Kennedy (Troy, N.Y.) combined to toss a one-hit shutout as the Stars blanked the Stripes, 4-0, to close out the 2021 18U National Team Trials on Tuesday, August 31, at the Buck O’Neill Complex in Sarasota, Florida. With the victory, the Stars also claim the 18U trials series, 3-1.

The Stars jumped out to an early lead in the contest and never looked back, plating three runs on two hits in the top of the third, highlighted by a Dylan Cupp (Cedartown, Ga.) RBI-single that started the scoring. While Santos and Kennedy held back the Stripes offense from the mound, the Stars added one final insurance run in the top of the sixth for the final 4-0 score.

Cupp led the Stars offense in the win, going 2-for-3 with an RBI. The Stars’ four other hits were equally spread out as Malcom Moore (Sacramento, Calif.), Paxton Kling (Roaring Spring, Pa.), Chris Stanfield (Tallahassee, Fla.), and Walker Jenkins (Oak Island, N.C.) all collected base knocks. Karson Bowen (Anaheim Hills, Calif.) was responsible for the Stripes’ lone hit on the day.

Kennedy was credited with the win after his hitless, scoreless outing for the Stars. The southpaw allowed just one walk and struck out five in three innings of work. Stripes starter Blaise Grove (Summit Point, W.Va.) allowed three runs on three hits and suffered the loss on Tuesday.

Key Moments

• The Stars first threatened in the top of second when Blake Mitchell (Sinton, Texas) drew a one-out walk and Kling followed with a single to put runners on first and second. But Grove was able to escape the jam with a double play one batter later to keep it scoreless.
• In the next half inning, Jayden Hylton (Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.) battled at the plate to draw a leadoff walk for the Stripes. He then stole second and advanced to third on a flyout before Santos recorded his first two strikeouts of the game to erase the threat and end the inning.
• The Stars finally opened the scoring in the top of the third, stringing together a leadoff single by Jenkins, a hit-by-pitch, and a walk to Owen Murphy (Riverside, Ill.) to load the bases with no outs for Cupp, whose RBI-single brought in the first run of the game.
• With the bases still loaded, Moore gave the Stars a 2-0 lead with a sacrifice fly to right that drove in Cam Collier (Austell, Ga.).
• Another run then scored on an RBI-groundout off the bat of Tucker Toman (Columbia, S.C.) to give the Stars a 3-0 advantage.
• The Stars once again loaded the bases with no outs in the top of the fourth when Kling was hit by a pitch to lead things off, Stanfield singled, and Jenkins drew a walk. But a strikeout and a double play kept it a 3-0 game.
• The Stars added a final run in the top of the sixth when Stanfield took advantage of a couple Stripes errors to round the bases and give the Stars a 4-0 advantage.
• The Stripes tried to get a rally going in the bottom half of the sixth when Bowen drew a leadoff walk but Kennedy got a pop up, flyout, and strikeout to secure the 4-0 victory for the Stars.

Notable Information

• The 2021 18U National Team will be announced later this evening.
• With his single in Tuesday’s game, Jenkins finishes the 2021 18U Trials leading both teams in hits with four in four games.
• Murphy led all pitchers at trials in strikeouts, collecting seven in his three innings of work.
• The Stars pitching staff finished trials with 40 punchouts.
• Cupp and Gavin Kilen (Milton, Wis.) both finish the trials series with a .375 (3-for-8) batting average to lead all hitters.
• Cupp also led the 2021 18U Trials in RBIs with three.
• With the win, the Stars also claimed the 18U Trials series after winning three of the four games.

On Deck

• September 3: USA vs. Canada (6:00 p.m. EDT; Sarasota, Fla.; Ed Smith Stadium)
• September 4: USA vs. Canada (4:00 p.m. EDT; Sarasota, Fla.; Ed Smith Stadium)
• September 5: USA vs. Canada (6:00 p.m. EDT; Sarasota, Fla.; Ed Smith Stadium)
• September 6: USA vs. Canada (4:00 p.m. EDT; St. Petersburg, Fla.; Tropicana Field)
• September 7: USA vs. Canada (2:00 p.m. EDT; Bradenton, Fla.; LECOM Park)
• September 8: USA vs. Canada (1:00 p.m. EDT; Bradenton, Fla.; Pirate City)
• September 9: USA vs. Canada (2:00 p.m. EDT; Bradenton, Fla.; LECOM Park)

Social

• Stay tuned to @USABaseball18U on Twitter for the most up-to-date news about the 18U National Team.