In a pair of dramatic semifinal matchups, both Team Elite and ZT Prospects National punched their tickets to the gold medal game at the 13U National Team Championships North Carolina in thrilling fashion. Team Elite battled through a tense, extra-inning showdown with the Scottsdale Dirtbags, ultimately sealing an 8-7 win with a walk-off that sent their fans into a frenzy. On the other side, the path to victory came in the form of a late-game seven-run surge for ZT Prospects National—an explosive rally that flipped the momentum and secured its spot in the title game. With both teams coming off emotional wins under the hot Carolina sun, the stage was set for a high-stakes clash.
ZT Prospects National 13U jumped out to a commanding lead and never looked back, pouring on 10 unanswered runs through just four innings to take full control of its destiny.
The action began at the bottom of the first, with back-to-back RBI doubles from Landen Davis and Daniel Fernandez to plate three early runs. Jason Spray Jr. added an RBI single to make it 4-0, and after a wild pitch brought home another, Brixton Barraza capped off the inning with a two-run single to right, giving ZT a dominant 7-0 advantage.
When asked what it meant for this team to don their gold medals, Coach Tony Lujan expressed his staff's immense excitement as this group continues to develop throughout the game.
“We’re just excited—not only for the boys, but for the program as a whole. It’s special to be here in Cary at USA Baseball, and to win the gold medal here is unbelievable. I’m so proud of the kids and thrilled for what this means for them.”
Joining Lujan at the helm, Assistant Coach Omar Avila shared in similar sentiments for this group, saying:
“This experience is only going to help shape their character and prepare them for the future. We just hope they continue to grow and find success along the way. You want them to realize that talent alone isn’t enough. It takes dedication because there are a lot of kids out there working just as hard, if not harder. In a competitive environment like this, you see where players stand and what they need to do to keep developing and growing the game.”
The offense kept rolling in the fourth. Bryant Ju was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to force in a run, and Davis later grounded into a fielder’s choice that allowed another run to score. Spray stayed hot with a well-placed infield single to bring in yet another, pushing the score to 10-0.
ZT National’s offense was relentless, with production throughout the lineup and aggressive baserunning, capitalizing on every opportunity. With the win, the Prospects claimed their second consecutive 13U Champs NC title after winning the event in 2024.
While ZT claimed gold, the Scottsdale Dirtbags handled business in the bronze medal match. Dirtbags’ Joshua Pierre, a 12U National Team alum, went 3-for-4 with two RBIs to help his side to a bronze medal finish.
