CARY, N.C. – Game three of USA Baseball’s 2026 Collegiate National Team Training Camp Stars vs. Stripes series saw the Stars take a 3-2 victory over the Stripes with a late comeback on Thursday night at the USA Baseball National Training Complex in Cary, North Carolina.
The contest saw strong pitching, as seven pitchers combined to allow just two earned runs on eight hits. The win put the Stars up 2-1 in the Stars vs. Stripes series after the Stars earned a 4-0 win in the opener and fell to the Stripes 2-1 in game two.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Grayden Harris pitched three scoreless innings with five strikeouts for the Stars, while Stripes starter Aiden Stillman struck out two over three shutout innings to open the contest.
- The Stripes struck first in the fourth as JD Stein led off with a single before Will Geary laid down a sacrifice bunt to move him to second. Julio Solier followed with a single to center field, plating Stein and giving the Stripes a 1-0 lead.
- The Striped added to their lead in the sixth. Thomas Ealey opened the inning with a bunt single, and Casey Borba moved him to second with a sacrifice bunt. Stein followed with a single to center field, driving in Ealey to extend the advantage to 2-0.
- The Stars responded in the bottom of the sixth. A hit-by-pitch and a walk put two runners aboard before Gavin Kelly reached on a throwing error by the Stripes third baseman, allowing both runners to score and tying the game at 2-2.
- Stripes reliever Henry Zatkowski retired the side in order in the seventh, striking out two.
- The Stars broke through in the bottom of the seventh. Nico Partida led off with a bunt single before Chase Fralick later lined an RBI single to right field, scoring Partida and giving the Stars a 3-2 victory.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Stein and Partida each recorded two hits, the most of all batters.
- Harris led all pitchers with five strikeouts in his three scoreless innings of work.
- Harris, Luke Hemric, and Stillman each turned in scoreless outings.
- Hogan Denny, Ealey, Partida, Stein, and Waite each scored one run.
- Fralick, Solier, and Stein led all batters with one RBI apiece.
ON DECK
- USA Baseball’s Collegiate National Team Training Camp will take the field in Cary one final time in the fourth game of the Stars vs. Stripes series on Friday, July 3, at 6:00 p.m. ET at the USA Baseball National Training Complex in Cary, North Carolina.
