CARY, N.C- The 12U Southwest Stars struck gold, defeating the Northeast Stripes 7–2 for their 11th NTIS title. Semifinal wins went to the Stripes (5–1 over South Stars) and Southwest (4–1 over Southeast), while the Southeast Stars took bronze with an 8–3 win over the South Stars. The 14U Southwest Stripes added another medal for the Southwest region in the Champions Cup standings, taking down the Midwest Stars 4-1.

12U GOLD MEDAL GAME: Southwest Stars 7, Northeast Stripes 2

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Carter Rahmutulla got things going early with a leadoff single in the first inning. He stole second and advanced to third on a ground ball. Rob Martin’s putout at first allowed Rahmutulla to come home for the game’s first run.
• In the bottom half, North Wakefield led off with a single and moved to second on a bunt by Jaxon Clay. Rahmutulla eventually brought him in on a sacrifice fly.
• Russell McGee led off the third inning with a single and stole second on the next pitch. CJ Chiappelli followed with a single to left, advancing McGee to third. McGee came around to score on an error by the left fielder. Chiappelli later crossed the plate on an RBI single by Oskar Cushman to left, extending the lead.
• In the bottom of the third, the Northeast Stripes added another run when Jack Carson singled to right, stole second, and advanced to third on a base hit by Graysen Flynn. A single from Craig Sleap brought Carson home to make it 4–1.
• In the fifth, Chiappelli doubled to right field, followed by another double from Martin. After Cushman was intentionally walked, Theseus Cardona singled to right, driving in Chiappelli. Martin then scored on a putout by Donovan Greyshock.
• Martin tripled to right field, and Cardona followed with a single to bring him home.
• Looking to rally in the bottom of the seventh, the Northeast Stripes saw Carson single, Graysen Flynn follow with another base hit, and Jack McCloskey ground into a fielder’s choice at second. One run ultimately came across on a wild pitch. However, nothing could slow the Southwest Stars’ 7–2 momentum.

NOTABLES

• As a whole, Southwest Stars has brought home the gold a total of 11 times at the NTIS Championship Cup.
• The 12U Southwest Stars age group won gold for the second time in event history, and this year marks the second time since 2019.

14U GOLD MEDAL GAME - SOUTHWEST STRIPES 4, MIDWEST STARS 1

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Southwest Stripes jumped out to an early lead, scoring two runs in the bottom frame of the first. Headlined by a Jonah Hargrave RBI single, driving in Mattias DiMaggio, who reached base with a walk.
• In the top of the third, the Midwest Stars got their first run on the board with an RBI single from Jason Spray Jr., bringing home Paris Head, who tripled before Spray’s at bat.
• Putting up two runs in the bottom of the fourth, the Southwest Stripes got RBIs in the form of a groundout from Aadin Rackow and a sacrifice bunt from Noah Chan to take a 4-1 lead.
• Zachary Lichtman came on in relief for the Southwest Stripes in the sixth inning, giving up one hit and surrendering no runs to keep the lead at three.
• Coming in to close out the win for Southwest Stripes was Hargrave, spinning a hitless frame and taking home a 4-1 win.

NOTABLES

• Five of the nine starters for the Midwest Stars recorded a hit in the game.
• Riely Loggins started on the mound for the Southwest Stripes, going three innings, only surrendering one earned run with a strikeout.
• Carter Unten had the team high in hits for the Southwest Stripes, going 2-for-3 with a run scored.
• Head recorded the only extra-base hit with his triple in the top of the third.

12U SEMIFINAL ROUNDUPS

Northeast Stripes 5, South Stars 1

The South Stars struck first in the top of the first, when Derrick James came around to score on a double by Declan Cretti. The Northeast Stripes answered back quickly, with a single from Craig Sleap driving in Jack Carson and Austin Showalter to take the lead. In the third, Julius Donado extended the Stripes advantage with a two-run double, and Graysen Flynn added another run in the fourth on an RBI single. The Northeast Stripes held strong the rest of the way to secure the 5-1 win.

Southwest Stars 4, Southeast Stars 1

It was a pitcher’s duel early, as both teams were held scoreless through five-and-a-half innings with just three total hits. The Southeast Stars broke through in the bottom of the fifth when Alonzo Duran scored on a sacrifice fly by Samuel Sowell. In the top of the sixth, the Southwest Stars tied it up when Christian Lin singled to left and advanced on an error, bringing Cameron Gayden home. Later in the inning, Max Choi ripped a double that scored Brooks Davis and Isaiah Landa to give the Southwest Stars a 3-1 lead. In the seventh, a walk from Kamdyn Fulson and single from Gayden set up a double steal, and Davis followed with an RBI single to right, sealing a 4-1 win for the Southwest Stars.

14U SEMIFINAL ROUNDUPS

Southwest Stripes 7, Southeast Stars 6

Punching their ticket to the gold medal game in a nine-inning thriller, the Southwest Stripes edged out the Southeast Stars in a 7-6 affair. The Southwest Stripes sent Julius Berrios to the plate with runners on first and second in the bottom of the ninth, looking to walk it off. In a 0-1 count, Berrios sent a ground ball through the right side, scoring the runner from second and locking up a spot in the gold medal game.

Midwest Stars 15, Southwest Stars 3

Scoring all 15 runs in the second and third frames, the Midwest Stars commandingly punched their ticket to the gold medal game. Out-hitting the Southwest Stars 11-to-2 in the game, headlined by an Austin Coleman two-RBI triple. Justin Balas led the team in hits, going 3-for-3 in the game while scoring two runs and helping lead the Midwest Stars to a 15-3 win.

BRONZE MEDAL ROUNDUP

12U - Southeast Stars 8, South Stars 3

In the first inning, Southeast Stars Christian Sosa singled and advanced on a throwing error before taking two more bases on a fielding miscue, giving them an early three-run lead. South Stars’ Bryson Cooper answered in the top of the third with a 2-RBI double to tie the game. The Southeast Stars responded quickly in the bottom half of the inning. Carlos Murray Jr. ripped an RBI double, Sosa drove in a run with a groundout, and Jackson Butler added an RBI single to keep the Southeast Stars on top, 8-3.

14U - Southwest Stars 4, Southeast Stars 2

In the 14U bronze medal game, the Southwest Stars defeated the Southeast Stars 4-2, securing a bronze medal finish. Southwest struck first in the first inning, after a walk to Lucas Salas, Josiah Lavea-Aldridge doubled down the left field line, driving him home for the first run of the game. A two-run bottom of the second, headlined by a Briggs Nelson RBI double, extended the lead 3-0. With a runner on third base, Danny Martinez of the Southwest Stars recorded an RBI groundout, putting up the team's fourth run of the game. Scoring two runs across the sixth and seventh innings, the Southeast Stars came up short, ending the game with Logan Marsical closing out the win.