Day two of the 2025 12U/14U National Team Identification Series (NTIS) Champions Cup showcased closed games, shutouts, and spotlight performances. Read up on the action below that took place in Cary:

12U NTIS CHAMPIONS CUP ROUNDUP

SOUTH STARS 22, SOUTHWEST STRIPES 0

The South Stars scored seven runs in the first inning and never looked back in its dominant 22-0 win over the Southwest Stripes. Seven different Southwest pitchers combined for the shutout on the bump. After the first inning, which was highlighted by a 2-RBI triple by Ian Moreno, the South Stars proceeded to score a combined eight runs across the next three innings to take a 15-0 lead. After a run in the sixth, the South Stars brought six more across in the seventh en route to the shutout victory.

NORTHEAST STRIPES 10, NORTHWEST STRIPES 3

The Northeast Stripes opened up play with a 10-3 victory over the Northwest Stripes. Northeast plated a pair of runs early on run-scoring singles by Brycen Rigsby and Leonard Stephens III, but Northwest responded with two in the bottom frame to knot the score at 2-2. Northeast’s Graysen Flynn drove in the go-ahead run in the second inning, and then the squad proceeded to put up five runs in the fourth and two more in the seventh in spite of a late Northwest run to seal its victory.

SOUTHWEST STARS 10, MIDWEST STARS 3

The Southwest Stars plated a combined six runs across the first two innings to propel itself to a 10-2 victory over the Midwest Stars. With a 6-0 lead through three complete, Russell McGee extended the lead to 8-0 in the fourth with a 2-RBI double, and then RBI singles by CJ Chiapelli and Alonzo Duran in the sixth made it 10-0. Midwest scored two in the sixth on an RBI groundout by Dylan Davis and a Southwest error, and plated another in the seventh on a sacrifice fly, but the comeback fell short.

SOUTHEAST STARS 4, MIDWEST STRIPES 2

The Southeast Stars used two runs in the third and two in the fifth to earn a 4-2 win over the Midwest Stripes. After two scoreless innings, a couple of defensive miscues led to Southeast Stars striking first in the third. Midwest got on the board in the fourth to cut the deficit in half, but a 2-RBI single by Max Thomas in the fifth proved to provide insurance for the final frames.

SOUTH STRIPES 12, NORTHEAST STARS 2

The South Stripes picked up a 12-2 win over the Northeast Stars. Despite Northeast scoring early on a double steal in the first, the South Stripes scored 10 unanswered runs throughout the first five innings. Northeast added a second run in the sixth, but South plated a pair of runs in the bottom frame to give itself a 10-run lead and ultimately come away with the victory.

SOUTHEAST STRIPES 19, NORTHWEST STARS 4

The Southeast Stripes scored multiple runs in four of the first five innings on its way to opening play with a 19-4 win. After a seven-run first, Justin Hamilton Jr. and Jaxson Crews used RBI singles to extend the lead to nine. Even though Northwest plated runs in the third and fourth innings, Southeast continued to answer with a combined 10 runs in the middle frames. Northwest brought runs across in the sixth and seventh, but was unable to overcome its deficit.

14U NTIS CHAMPIONS CUP ROUNDUP

SOUTHEAST STARS 6, SOUTH STARS1

The Southeast Stars plated two runs in the second inning to jump out to an early lead, then added one run in each of the next two frames to build a 4-0 advantage. The South Stars got on the board in the top of the fourth, but Southeast responded with two runs in the fifth to push the lead to 6-1, where it would stay through the final two innings. Jacob Cordova (1-for-3) tripled to start the game for the South Stars, but Jacob Frangipane shut any hopes of winning down, striking out eight over five innings of one-run ball while allowing just three walks to secure Southeast’s win.

SOUTHWEST STARS 8, NORTHEAST STARS 2

The Southwest Stars plated a run in the first inning and broke the game open with a three-run third before adding another three in the fourth to take an 8-1 lead over the Northeast Stars. Northeast managed to push across single runs in the second and seventh innings, but could not mount a comeback as Southwest held firm down the stretch. Southwest Stars’ Lucas Salas (2-for-3, two RBIs) and Josiah Lavea-Aldridge (2-for-3, two RBIs) led the offense, while Salas also doubled twice and scored once. Southwest collected 10 hits in the win, with Caleb Smith and Danny Martinez each adding RBI singles to lock it down.

NORTHWEST STRIPES 21, MIDWEST STARS 2

The Northwest Stripes exploded for 21 runs to cruise past the Midwest Stars, who managed just two runs in the contest. The Stripes got on the board early with singles from Jason Spray Jr. and CJ Dornfeld, and Paris Head went a perfect 3-for-3 with three RBIs, while Spray finished 3-for-4 with four RBIs. Northwest continued to pile on runs across multiple innings, taking full advantage of walks and Midwest errors to extend its lead. The Midwest Stars’ scoring came in bits and pieces, but Northwest’s offensive charge proved insurmountable, turning in a dominant performance highlighted by multi-hit and multi-RBI efforts from Head and Spray.

SOUTHWEST STRIPES 7, NORTHWEST STARS 1

The Southwest Stripes wasted no time taking control, striking in the top of the first with a Ryan Nicolaus triple that set the stage for Mattias DiMaggio’s two-run home run, followed by a Jonah Hargrave triple to give them an early 2-0 lead. They kept the momentum rolling with a Riely Loggins double in the fourth, DiMaggio’s second homer in the fifth, another run in the sixth, and three-straight singles in the seventh to cap a 7-0 lead. The Northwest Stars managed to break through in the bottom of the seventh on a Brock Sandahl RBI single, but it wasn’t enough to close the gap. DiMaggio delivered a standout performance at the plate, going 3-for-4 with three runs scored, three RBIs, and two home runs, while Hargrave added two extra-base hits and scored twice. On the mound, Aiden Castro was dominant, striking out seven over six innings to secure the win for Southwest.

SOUTH STRIPES 1, MIDWEST STRIPES 0

The South Stripes and Midwest Stripes were locked in a scoreless battle through the first five innings, with both teams stranding multiple baserunners in the early frames. South Stripes finally broke through in the top of the sixth when Kingston George singled and Fenix Lewis delivered an RBI double for the game’s lone run. The South Stripes’ pitching staff was dominant, as Bowen Landry tossed 4.0 shutout innings with five strikeouts, and Max Martinez closed the final three frames, allowing just two hits and striking out one. Midwest’s Brennen Stout was stellar in defeat, striking out four across six innings while surrendering only one run. George led South’s offense with two hits, while Lewis drove in the decisive run to secure the 1-0 victory.

SOUTHEAST STRIPES 12, NORTHEAST STRIPES 5

The Southeast Stripes broke a scoreless tie with two runs in the top of the third, only for the Northeast Stripes to answer right back in the bottom half to even things up. Southeast reclaimed control in the fourth with three runs, then erupted for six more in the fifth to build a commanding lead. Northeast managed two runs in the fourth and another in the fifth, but the Southeast pitching staff clamped down, holding them to just seven hits and two runs after the second inning to seal the win. Elijah Caldwell (2-for-2) and Nathan Handley-White (2-for-3) paced the Southeast offense with multi-hit efforts, while Ryker Underwood and Chase Morning each drove in two runs.