CARY, N.C. – USA Baseball’s 18U National Team Training Camp Phase One continued on Friday with matchups between Light Blue and Navy in the morning followed by Red and Grey in the afternoon at the USA Baseball National Training Complex in Cary, North Carolina. Light Blue claimed a 5-0 victory over Navy for their first win of the week, while Grey defeated Red 7-6 to move to 2-0.
LIGHT BLUE 5, NAVY 0
HOW IT HAPPENED
After a scoreless first inning, Jake McClurg reached base via walk before plating the first run of the contest for Light Blue, scoring on a Deuce Jenkins double in the top of the second.
In the fourth, Frank Thomas III led off the inning with a walk, followed by a McClurg single. Both runners scored and extended the lead to 3-0 after a Kyler Meccage groundout and a defensive miscue.
Meanwhile, Sammir Mohammed and Ethan Gustus anchored the defense, each throwing two innings and striking out four batters.
In the top of the sixth, McClurg reached base again on a fielder's choice before his excellent base running skills came into play as he stole second, reached third on a defensive miscue, then stole home to plate Light Blue’s fourth run of the day. This was followed by a Joe Mendazona Jr. single.
Meccage stepped up to the plate next and on the second pitch of the at bat, Mendazona Jr. stole second. Meccage then knocked a single to right field, scoring Mendazona for the fifth and final run of the day.
On the mound, Andrew Carlson and Meccage held it down for the final two frames for Light Blue, and Brogan Witcher and Harry Jones Jr. each tossed a scoreless inning for Navy to close out the contest. Light Blue won 5-0.
NOTABLE STATS
Mohammed and Gustus recorded four strikeouts each for Team Light Blue, the most of all pitchers.
The Light Blue pitching staff combined for a shutout, allowing just three hits and one walk while striking out 12 batters.
Jenkins went 2-for-2 and was the only hitter to record a multi-hit game.
McClurg was the only player to score multiple runs with three on the day.
GREY 7, RED 6
HOW IT HAPPENED
Team Red exercised great plate discipline to open the contest, as four of the first five batters made base via walk and leadoff batter, Carter Hadnot, plated the first run of the day. After Max Philips was hit by a pitch, Trip Ostergard scored the second run of the day to give Team Red an early 2-0 lead.
Jose Partida followed with a 1-2-3 in the bottom frame.
In the second, Team Red plated another run as Cooper Collins reached base via a walk and then scored on a Max Hemenway sacrifice fly.
Not to be denied, Team Grey bounced back in the bottom of the second, scoring its first run of the day as Jack Swanson singled to center scoring Caden Dawson from second base.
Brandon Bush stepped to the plate next and smashed a two-strike home run to left field and tied the game at 3-3. Grey struck again in the third inning as pinch runner Dylan Seward scored on a Lubin Rincon single to take its first lead of the day.
After a scoreless fourth, Team Red tied the game once more as Taylor Dodd, who opened the inning with a single, scored on a Hemenway base knock.
The back-and-forth game continued as Team Grey took a 5-4 lead on a Dawson double that scored pinch runner Tyson Moore. Dawson then tacked on another run, scoring on a Malachi Butler base knock to left field.
In the sixth, Phillips scored Sebastian Wilson, who led off the inning with a single, on a ground ball to right field. Team Red tied the game 6-6 after a defensive miscue, then held Team Grey scoreless in the bottom of the inning.
Both teams went scoreless in the seventh, but Jake Turner broke the tie in the eighth with a walkoff single that scored Swanson who was aboard via walk, giving Team Grey a 7-6 victory.
NOTABLE STATS
Both teams recorded seven strikeouts each, and Brady Guzzie and Colin Doyle led all pitchers with three apiece.
Four Team Grey hitters had a two-hit day – Sebastian Castillo, Moore, Dawson, and Bush.
Dawson and Swanson led all scorers, plating two runs each.
ON DECK
Game action will continue on Sunday, July 19 as Team Navy faces Team Grey at 1 p.m. ET and Team Red faces Team Light Blue at 4 p.m. ET at the USA Baseball National Training Complex in Cary, North Carolina.
