CARY, N.C. - Day one of the 11U/13U National Team Identification Series (NTIS) Champions Cup opened up on Thursday with exciting action. Read up on all of the results from both age groups below.
11U NTIS CHAMPIONS CUP ROUNDUP
NORTHWEST STARS 4, NORTHEAST STRIPES 3
The Northwest Stars walked off the Northeast Stripes 4-3 in its first game of the week. Northeast plated runs in the second, third, and fifth innings, but Northwest tied things up in the bottom of the fifth with three runs, which included a 2-RBI single by Jase Ramirez. In the bottom of the seventh, Lane Reese played hero with a walk off single for the thrilling win.
SOUTH STRIPES 8, SOUTHEAST STARS 6
The South Stripes used a four-run third to capture an 8-6 victory. The South Stripes struck first on an RBI groundout in the first inning, but Southeast answered in the second with an RBI triple by Grant Colvin and an RBI single from Trae Dunford. The South Stripes took its lead back with a four-run third, then tacked on a run in the fourth on a passed ball to take a 6-2 advantage into the final three innings. Despite the South Stripes scoring two runs in the fifth and one apiece in the sixth and seventh, Southeast plated two late runs in the sixth and held off the opposition.
MIDWEST STARS 7, SOUTHWEST STRIPES 4
The Midwest Stars held off a late rally by the Southwest Stripes to earn a 7-4 win. After scoring a run in the first and a run in the second, Midwest used a 2-RBI single by Maverick Dunker as part of a three-run fifth, and scored two more in the sixth to take a 7-0 lead heading into the final frame. Southwest looked to rally in the seventh with four runs, but Midwest held on to secure the victory.
MIDWEST STRIPES 10, NORTHEAST STARS 8
The Midwest Stripes outlasted the Northeast Stars, 10-8, in a back-and-forth contest. Northeast used a 2-RBI triple by Luke Watts and an RBI groundout to take a 3-0 lead, and then the teams traded runs in the second to make it 4-1. Watts tallied another RBI in the third with a single to extend Northeast’s lead, but Midwest answered with six runs in the bottom frame to take a 7-5 lead. The teams continued to trade runs in the fourth and fifth innings, giving Midwest a 10-8 advantage, and the scored held the final two frames.
SOUTH STARS 4, SOUTHEAST STRIPES 2
The South Stars scored four unanswered runs to pick up a 4-2 win over the Southeast Stripes. Southeast got on the board in the first with a pair of runs, highlighted by Leo Fisher-Gil’s RBI double. The South Stars scored runs in the third and fourth to tie the score at 2-2. In the fifth, the South Stars took scored on two Southeast errors to take a 4-2 lead and held on in the final frames for the win.
NORTHWEST STRIPES 5, SOUTHWEST STARS 2
The Northwest Stripes defeated the Southwest Stars 5-2 in extra innings. Northwest broke the ice in the top of the third thanks to Kaikane Dolfo’s 2-RBI double, and Southwest used a passed ball and RBI groundout to tie it up at 2-2. The teams took the game into extra innings, and with runners put on base for international tie-breaker rules in the eighth, another RBI groundout followed by a fielder’s choice and a sacrifice fly by Caleb McDaniel gave Northwest the insurance it needed for the win.
13U NTIS CHAMPIONS CUP ROUNDUP
MIDWEST STRIPES 9, SOUTHWEST STRIPES 4
The Southwest Stripes took an early 2-0 lead and maintained possession of the contest until the Midwest Stripes got the offense rolling in the fourth and put up a crooked number to take a sizable advantage. Austin Lira drew a leadoff walk for Southwest Stripes and later came around to score the first run of the game while Christopher Worrell Jr. punched a ball through the right side in the fourth frame to hand the Midwest Stripes a lead it would never relinquish. A series of walks followed and plated three more insurance runs and secured the win for the Midwest Stripes. Arms took the spotlight at Coleman Field, as Southwest Stripes’ Asher Fajota threw 3.0 no-hit frames while Midwest Stripes’ Zayn Azzaline turned in a 4.1 inning performance and allowed no runs.
SOUTHWEST STARS 6, SOUTHEAST STRIPES 5
A four-run first inning proved too much to overcome, as Southwest Stars used a nine-hit barrage to pave its path to a 6-2 victory on day one. In the first, the Southwest Stars strung together five hits highlighted by RBI base knocks by Adam Gonzalez, Justin Hinojoza, and Wyatt Peabody. After scoring two more in the second to take a 6-0 lead, a Colt Carter RBI single ignited the Southeast Stripes’ bats to cut into the deficit and make it 6-2 after three. A three-run rally late in the game fell just short for Southeast. Joshua Park and Hinojoza paced Southwest’s offense as they each tallied two hits apiece while Dave Beck hurled 2.0 scoreless innings for the winning team. Meanwhile, Hayes Ennis and Alexander Eatherly combined for 4.2 scoreless frames for the Southeast Stripes.
MIDWEST STARS 16, SOUTHEAST STARS 10
A back-and-forth affair transpired on Field 3, with the Midwest Stars ultimately coming out on top behind a four-run inning in the fifth. After falling behind early in the game, the Midwest Stars put up a five spot in the third as an RBI double from Philip Rousseau and back-to-back singles by Kooper Long and Andrew Mozley handed the team a 6-2 lead. The Southeast Stars responded and plated a pair in each of the next two innings to keep the game close. Despite Midwest’s consistency at the plate, Southeast’s bats took over and exploded for four runs in the fifth and six in the final two frames to cushion the team’s lead and cement an ultimately lopsided victory. Jeremy Clayton contributed two RBIs while King James went 2-for-3 with three RBIs for Midwest. Meanwhile, Southeast Stars’ Sawyer Campbell posted a 2-for-2 performance at the plate with a run scored.
NORTHWEST STRIPES 10, SOUTH STARS 6
The Northwest Stripes battled from behind and put up double digits in the run column to edge out the South Stars. After the South Stars surrendered a run in the top of the first, Bryant Herdina came through with a two-RBI single to hand his team a one-run advantage. After tacking on one more in the second, Northwest’s Dylan DiBenedetto hammered an 0-1 offering for a two-RBI double to knot the score at three apiece. Despite the South Stars seizing the lead in the home half, the Northwest Stripes plated seven unanswered runs en route to picking up its first win of the week. Northwest’s Nathan Koch scored two runs and tallied a hit while South’s starting pitcher Ben Willson went 3.0 innings allowing only one run and striking out three.
NORTHWEST STARS 13, NORTHEAST STARS 4
The Northwest Stars dumped double-digit runs on the Northeast Stars and allowed only three hits to collect a win on 13U NTIS opening day. Northwest jumped out of the gate hot, as Ryker Lum notched an RBI base hit and took advantage of a leadoff single off the bat of James Herzberg, making it 2-0 after one. A flurry of free passes handed the Northeast Stars a 3-2 lead in the second while Herzberg delivered his second base hit of the contest in the home half to knot the score at three apiece. Northwest surrendered a run an inning later but answered with back-to-back four-run innings in addition to a two-run sixth, making it 13-4 after six complete. Herzberg went 2-for-3 with an RBI and run scored while Nico Jones-Perez and Cannon Imbler struck out four batters, allowed only two hits and no earned runs in 3.0 combined innings. Northeast’s Tristan Jones, Henry Snyder and Owen Tennant each picked up a hit today.
NORTHEAST STRIPES 13, SOUTH STRIPES 7
The contest on Field 2 went the distance until a seven-run sixth inning blew the game open and powered the South Stripes to a day one win over the Northeast Stripes. A two-out error in the second allowed two runs to score and put the Northeast Stripes in a three-run hole after two. Despite the early deficit, Northeast responded emphatically in the top of the third, putting up three runs and taking the lead behind an RBI single from Jack Gamble and Alexander Osborne’s two-RBI base hit. Runs continued to be traded, as Nolan Bingham drove in a run for the South Stripes in the third while the Northeast Stripes scored one in the fourth, making it 5-4 South advantage after four. The sixth inning proved to be the difference, as Northeast forced five free passes and plated seven runs to take a commanding 13-7 lead. Northeast’s Joey Corradino drove in two runs on one hit and struck out five batters in his 3.0 inning outing on the bump. Hunter Kuhlman went 2-for-3 while Bingham and Tucker Curtiss each notched a hit and RBI apiece.
