CARY, N.C. – USA Baseball’s 18U National Team Training Camp Phase One wrapped up on Monday with matchups between Team Grey and Team Light Blue in the morning, and Team Red and Team Navy in the afternoon at the USA Baseball National Training Complex in Cary, North Carolina. Team Grey secured a 3-1 victory in seven innings with the help of strong pitching while Team Red tossed a shutout in a rain-shortened contest to secure a 2-0 victory.
GREY 3, LIGHT BLUE 1
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Both starting pitchers, Andrew Carlson for Team Light Blue and Jake Turner for Team Grey, tossed two shutout innings and struck out two batters apiece.
- In the bottom of the third inning Team Gray scored its first run of the day. Jack Swanson walked and Dylan Seward was hit by a pitch to start the side. Both runners advanced during Sebastian Castillo’s at bat before leading runner Swanson plated the first run of the day on a Team Light Blue error.
- After a scoreless fourth inning, Team Light Blue showed strong plate discipline in the fifth to help knot the game at 1-1. Graham Houston and Juan Diaz drew back-to-back walks, and then Broder Katke lasered a single to center field to plate Houston for the tying run.
- Team Grey responded with two more runs in the bottom frame to take its lead back at 3-1. Brandon Bush led off the side with a double before advancing to third on a Swanson sacrifice bunt. Blake Lundy followed this with a hard grounder to left, scoring Bush and reclaiming the lead for Team Grey.
- With Joshua Utash at the plate, Lundy advanced to third on a defensive miscue, and Utash followed with a walk to put runners on the corners for Luke Gladchuk. Gladchuk laid a perfect bunt to score Lundy and reach base himself. Team Grey held onto the 3-1 lead for the remainder of the contest to improve to 4-0 at Training Camp.
NOTABLE STATS
- Kyler Meccage and Brennan Neal struck three batters each, the most of all pitchers.
- Johnny Bowes, Carlson, Ethan Gustus, Brady Guzzie, Meccage, Neal, and Turner all did not allow an earned run in their respective outings.
- Bush, Malachi Butler, Darriel Carrion, Diaz, Gladchuk, Katke, Lundy, and Seward each recorded one hit on the day
RED 2, NAVY 0
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Team Red showed excellent discipline at the plate as Max Hemenway, Sebastian WIlson, Max Phillips, and Trip Ostergard drew consecutive walks to score the first run of the day in the bottom of the first inning.
- The impressive plate discipline continued in the bottom of the second as Brady Cunningham was hit by a pitch, and Cooper Collins and Taylor Dodd followed back-to-back walks to load the bases. Cunningham plated the second run of the day on a wild pitch to score what proved to be Team Red’s second and final run of the game.
- Dominant pitching from both sides kept the remainder of the game scoreless. The contest concluded after 7.1 innings due to inclement weather.
NOTABLE STATS
Each pitcher on Team Red recorded at least one strikeout.
Brogan Witcher struck out the side in his outing. He struck out all three batters, the most of all pitchers.
Tate Belfanti, Cole Cheathem, Cunningham, Colin Doyle, Jose Partida, and Liam Radke also turned in hitless outings.
ON DECK
The coaching staff and players will reconvene for 18U National Team Training Camp Phase Two on August 21-26 at the National Training Complex in Cary, North Carolina. The Phase Two roster will be announced at a later time.
