The best of the best representing on the 16U #ChampsNC20?? All-Tournament Team ??
https://t.co/cF2NP1EYrt pic.twitter.com/UUdfSqUjMi
- USA Baseball (@USABaseball) August 16, 2020

16U National Team Championships NC // Homepage // Schedule & Results (GameChanger)

CARY, N.C. -- Huston Wynne took a no-hitter into the top of the sixth inning and Bradley Ramsden delivered a two-RBI single in the bottom of the sixth inning to lead Florida Burn to a 3-0 victory over Elite Squad to win the bronze medal at the 16U National Team Championships North Carolina on Sunday.

Congratulations to the 16U #ChampsNC20⚾️ bronze medalists, @FloridaBurn! pic.twitter.com/9Gqc5yjPNs

- National Team Championships North Carolina (@USABChamps_NC) August 16, 2020

Florida Burn finished the inaugural tournament with a 6-2 record while Elite Squad finished in fourth place with a 3-2-3 record.

Wynne was untouchable on the mound until the top of the sixth inning. He struck out five Elite Squad batters in his 5.1 innings of work before being lifted with one out in the top of the sixth inning. Jacob Budd came on in a relief and picked up the win, retiring all five batters he faced. Jason Torres went the distance on the mound for Elite Squad but suffered the loss after giving up three runs on three hits.

Logan Tribble and Ramsden supplied the offense for Florida Burn. Tribble picked up an RBI-hit by pitch in the bottom of the fifth to score the eventual game-winning run and Ramsden (1-for-3) added some insurance with a two-RBI single in the bottom of the sixth.

Mason Balsis (1-for-2) tallied the lone hit for Elite Squad in the game.

Key Moments

• Elite Squad's Mason Balsis hit a single into left-centerfield in the top of the sixth inning to break-up the no-hit bid by Florida Burn starting pitcher Huston Wynne.
• Logan Tribble was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the bottom of the sixth inning to score the game's first run, putting Florida Burn up 1-0.
• Bradley Ramsden laced a 2-2 pitch over the third baseman to score Zachary Root and Christian Parrish to extend the Florida Burn lead to 3-0.
• Jacob Budd retired the side in order in the top of the seventh inning to close the game and win Florida Burn the bronze medal.

Notable Information

• Florida Burn starting pitcher Huston Wynne pitched five innings of no-hit baseball before giving up a single in the top of the sixth inning. He struck out five batters in 5.1 innings of work and gave up just one walk in the no-decision.
• Jacob Budd game on in relief of Huston Wynne and retired all five batters he faced to pick up the win.
• Jason Torres went the distance on the mound for Elite Squad but suffered the loss, giving up three runs on three hits with a strikeout and four walks.
• Zachary Root went 2-for-2 with a run scored for Florida Burn and Bradley Ramsden finished the day 1-for-3 with two RBIs to lead Florida Burn to the bronze medal.
• Mason Balsis picked up the lone hit of the game for Elite Squad.

Social

• Stay tuned to @USABChamps_NC on Twitter and visit USABaseball.com for the most up-to-date news about the 15U National Team Championships North Carolina.

16U National Team Championships NC // Homepage // Schedule & Results (GameChanger)

CARY, N.C. - After falling behind 4-1, the East Cobb Astros rallied with three runs in the fourth and two in both the fifth and sixth innings to go undefeated in the 16U National Team Championships North Carolina with a 8-5 victory over Canes National in the gold medal game on Sunday at the USA Baseball National Training Complex in Cary, North Carolina.

A comeback victory for the ages to earn ??#ChampsNC20?? pic.twitter.com/mx6OZSwi5C

- USA Baseball (@USABaseball) August 16, 2020

With the victory, the East Cobb Astros finished the event with a perfect 8-0 record, while handing Canes National its first loss of the week

The East Cobb Astros struck first in the championship game. Termarr Johnson and Harry Ford drew back-to-back two-out walks to put runners on first and second in the top of the first for Alvin Keels, who capitalized with a clutch single that brought in Johnson to give East Cobb Astros a 1-0 lead.

But that lead wouldn't hold long as Canes National wasted no time, responding with a run of their own in the bottom half of the inning. Xavier Isaac launched his third home run of the tournament - a solo shot to left-center - to tie the game at 1-1 heading to the second inning.

After holding the East Cobb Astros scoreless in the top half of the second inning, Canes National took its first lead of the game in the bottom half. An error and a walk put two on before three consecutive singles from Paxton Kling, Gavin Gallaher and James Triantos brought in two runs to give Canes National a 3-1 lead.

Canes National kept its momentum rolling in the bottom of the third inning to add on to its lead. Isaac picked up his second hit of the day with a one-out single and a walk to AJ Shepard set the stage for Roman Anthony, who came through with an RBI single through the left side to bring home Isaac and make it a 4-1 game.

East Cobb Astros tied the game back up with three runs in the top of the fourth thanks to a bases-loaded wild pitch, a Karson Bowen RBI-single that made it a 4-3 game and an RBI-groundout by Cooper Williams that tied it at four runs apiece.

In its next chance at the plate, East Cobb Astros piled on in the top of the fifth to take its first lead of the game since the first inning. Thaddeus Ector and Johnson drew back-to-back walks to lead off the inning before Keels recorded his second RBI hit of the day to drive in Ector and Karson Bowen drew a four-pitch walk that extended East Cobb Astros lead to 6-4.

One inning later, the East Cobb Astros kept their foot to the gas as they added two more runs to make it a four-run game in the top of the sixth. J Williams and Hector each drew one-out walks and then moved to second and third, respectively, as Ford came to the plate. Ford came up clutch with a two-out, two-RBI triple to give the East Cobb Astros an 8-4 advantage.

After being held scoreless in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings and down to its last three outs, Canes National got its offense rolling. Triantos drew a one-out walk and stole second to put a runner in scoring position for Ryan Clifford, who lined a single into right field to get a run back and make it an 8-5 contest.

But despite drawing two more walks that loaded the bases for Canes National with two outs, East Cobb Astros shut down the threat to secure the 8-5 victory and the 16U National Team Championships North Carolina gold medal.

Five batters collected hits for the East Cobb Astros in the victory with Keels (2-for-3; 2 RBIs) leading the way with the team's only multi-hit and multi-RBI game. Xavier Isaac (2-for-4) paced the Canes National offense in the loss after collecting two runs, an RBI and two hits, including a solo home run - his third long ball of the tournament.

The win was attributed to Sullivan Brackin (1-0) after his 4.1 innings of relief in which he allowed just one run on three hits and two walks, while striking out six. Kassius Thomas (0-1) suffered the loss in the title game when he allowed one run in his 0.2 innings on the mound.

The 16U age group finished off the three-week inaugural National Team Championships North Carolina. The tournament featured 14 teams and 46 games in six days at the National Training Complex. Follow @USABChamps_NC for the latest information about the tournament.

16U National Team Championships NC // Homepage // Schedule & Results (GameChanger)

CARY, N.C. -- Radek Birkholz pitched a gem for the East Cobb Astros and its offense padded a late lead in a 6-1 victory over Florida Burn in the first semifinal of the 16U National Team Championships North Carolina. With the win, the East Cobb Astros (7-0) move on to face Canes National (7-0) in the championship game at 11 a.m. on Coleman Field.

The Florida Burn (5-2) will play Elite Squad (3-1-3) for a bronze medal at 10:45 a.m. on Field 2 of the USA Baseball National Training Complex.

Jett Williams led the East Cobb offense on the day, going 1-for-1 with two RBIs and three runs scored. Meanwhile, Thad Ector (2-for-4) and Karson Bowen (2-for-3) collected multiple hits in the semifinal matchup. Marek Houston led the Florida Burn offense with a 2-for-3 day at the plate.

East Cobb Astros' starting pitcher, Radek Birkholz, was stellar on the mound, striking out eight batters in 6.2 innings of work. He picked up the win, giving up just one unearned run on the day. Joshua Cone suffered the loss for the Florida Burn after giving up five runs in the final two innings.

Key Moments

• The East Cobb Astros scored the first run of the game on a Harry Ford sacrifice-fly to left-field, pushing Jett Williams across the plate for a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning.
• Florida Burn took advantage of a pair of costly errors by the East Cobb Astros in the top of the fifth to tie the game at 1-1. With Bradley Ramsden on second thanks to an error, Carter Dierdorf dropped a bunt to the third baseman whose errant throw past the first baseman scored Ramsden.
• East Cobb retook the lead on a throwing error by the pitcher in the bottom of the sixth inning, scoring Jett Williams from second to go ahead 2-1.
• Bradley Hodges doubled on a fly ball to center field to score Cooper Williams and gave the East Cobb Astros an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth inning, 3-1.
• Jett Williams lined a two-RBI double to left field to score Jackson Brockett score and Bradley Hodges, and Thad Ector followed with an RBI-double of his own to left to bring in Williams for a 6-1 lead heading into the top of the seventh inning.

Notable Information

• Jett Williams led the East Cobb Astros offense from the leadoff spot, finishing the day 1-for-1 at the plate with two RBIs and three runs scored.
• Thad Ector (2-for-4) and Karson Bowen (2-for-3) collected multiple hits in the game for the East Cobb Astros.
• Houston Marek contributed a pair of hits for Florida Burn, pacing the offense with a 2-for-3 day.
• Radek Birkholz picked up the victory for the East Cobb Astros, pitching 6.2 innings, giving up one unearned run and striking out eight.
• Joshua Cone suffered the loss for Florida Burn, giving up five runs in the final two innings.

On Deck

• East Cobb Astros advanced to the championship game of the 16U National Team Championships North Carolina and will face Canes National. The title game starts at 11 a.m. on Coleman Field and will be streamed on PlaySight.com.
• Florida Burn will face Elite Squad in the bronze medal game at 10:45 a.m. on Field 2 at the National Training Complex. The game will be streamed on YouTube.com/USABaseballTV.

Social

• Stay tuned to @USABChamps_NC on Twitter and visit USABaseball.com for the most up-to-date news about the 15U National Team Championships North Carolina.

CARY, N.C. - Canes National used a three-run third and four-run fourth to stay undefeated and secure its spot in the 16U National Team Championships North Carolina gold medal game with a 10-6 victory over Elite Squad in the semifinal matchup on Saturday at the USA Baseball National Training Complex in Cary, North Carolina.

Ryan Clifford (2-for-2; 2 RBIs), Xavier Isaac (2-for-3; 4 RBIs) and AJ Shepard (2-for-4; 2 RBIs) led the Canes National offense, collecting six of the team's seven hits in the game and all eight RBIs. Elite Squad was paced at the plate by Derek Bermudez (3-for-4) who recorded the game's only three-hit performance and was responsible for three of Elite Squad's five RBIs in the game.

Tristan Smith (1-0) earned the win in the contest for Canes National after putting together a solid start, allowing two runs on four hits while striking out four in three innings of work. The loss in the contest went to Patrick Galle (0-1) after he gave up five runs on four hits and three walks in his 2.1-inning start.

KEY MOMENTS

• Elite Squad jumped out to an early lead in the top of the first when two walks, a single and fielder's choice at the plate put runners at second and third for Ray Bermudez who came through with an RBI single to give Elite Squad a 1-0 advantage.
• Canes National tied the game with the first chance it got, scoring a run on a balk in the bottom of the first after getting batters to first and third with a two-out walk and single.
• With two outs, a runner at second and the game tied, AJ Shepard came up clutch with a double to give Canes a 2-1 lead heading into the second inning.
• Following a scoreless second inning, Elite Squad tied the game at 2-2 with back-to-back doubles from Blake Cyr and Derek Bermudez to start the second inning.
• After escaping a two-on, no-out jam in the top of the third, Canes National kept the momentum in the bottom half, drawing two walks to lead off the frame before Clifford singled through the right side to make it 3-2 in Canes National's favor.
• An RBI-groundout by Xavier Isaac and a second Shepard RBI-double chased the Elite Squad starter Patrick Galle and brought two more runs across to increase the Canes National lead to 5-2.
• A bases-loaded walk got the scoring started in the bottom of the fourth before Isaac came through once again, this time lacing a two-RBI single through the right side to give Canes National a commanding 8-2 lead.
• Canes National pushed one more across the plate in the inning when Clifford stole home to make it a 9-2 game heading into the fifth inning.
• A leadoff single by Freddy Oquendo and a one-out RBI-double by Derek Bermudez add a run for Elite Squad in the top of the fifth and cut the deficit to six.
• Elite Squad put three more runs on the board in the top of the sixth on a bases-loaded single, error and hit-by-pitch to make it a 9-6 game.
• Canes National strung together two walks and two singles to tack on one final run in the bottom of the sixth to finish off the 10-6 victory.

NOTABLE INFORMATION

• Canes National improved to 7-0 in the 16U National Team Championships North Carolina with Sunday morning's semifinal win and advanced to play the only other remaining undefeated team in the event, East Cobb Astros, in the gold medal game on Sunday at 11:20 a.m. ET.
• The gold medal game will be streamed live via PlaySight Interactive. Information on the live stream can be found here.
• Elite Squad fell to 3-1-3 with the loss and will play Florida Burn for the 16U National Team Championships North Carolina bronze medal on Sunday at 11:15 a.m. ET.E
• The bronze medal game will be streamed live with a single camera and broadcasted on the USA Baseball YouTube channel. The stream can be viewed here.

SOCIAL MEDIA

• • Follow @USABChamps_NC on Twitter for the most up-to-date information on the 2020 USA Baseball National Team Championships North Carolina.

The fifth day of the 2020 USA Baseball 16U National Team Championships North Carolina was highlighted be four quarterfinal matchups. Canes National, East Cobb Astros, Elite Squad and Florida Burn all emerged victorious on the day to advance to the semifinals, which will be played at 8 a.m. ET on Sunday, August 16, at the USA Baseball National Training Complex in Cary, N.C. View the full schedule and follow all the action on GameChanger.

Canes National 4, Tri-State Arsenal 0 (Quarterfinal)

Box Score

Canes National grabbed an early lead and never looked back to secure a 4-0 quarterfinal victory over Tri-State Arsenal at the USA Baseball National Training Complex in Cary, N.C., on Saturday. With the win, Canes National advanced to the 16U National Team Championships North Carolina semifinals on Sunday.

A solo blast over the left field fence by Adam Jones Shepard opened the scoring in the contest and gave Canes National a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning. That home run was all Canes National starter Jackson Ferris needed as he claimed the win with a scoreless outing, giving up just five hits and striking out four in 4.2 innings of work.

Three insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth and a perfect 2.1 innings of relief from Matthew Matthijs finished off the 4-0 win for Canes National. Shepard (2-for-2) led the team's offense with two runs scored and three RBI and Lamar King (2-for-3) also collected a multi-hit game and an RBI.

Tri-State Arsenal's Brock Porter was tagged with the loss in the contest despite a strong start. He allowed just one run on two hits, while striking out seven and walking one in five innings of work. Drew Lafferty (2-for-3) led Tri-State Arsenal at the plate, recording the team's only multi-hit game.

With the loss, Tri-State Arsenal finishes the 16U National Team Championships North Carolina with a 2-3-1 overall record. Canes National remains undefeated in the tournament with the win, improving to 6-0 and advancing to play Elite Squad in the semifinals at 8 a.m. ET on Sunday, August 16, at the National Training Complex. Canes National's semifinal game will be streamed live by PlaySight Interactive. To access the live stream, click here, or visit web.playsight.com and search for "USA Baseball."

Elite Squad 9, Team Elite 5 (Quarterfinal)

Box Score

Elite Squad withstood two late rallies by Team Elite in the 16U National Team Championships North Carolina quarterfinals on Saturday at the USA Baseball National Training Complex in Cary, North Carolina, to secure a 9-5 victory and a spot in Sunday's semifinals.

After grabbing a quick 2-1 lead in the first inning, Elite Squad added a run in the third to head into the fourth inning with a 3-1 advantage. Team Elite got its first rally going in the bottom of the fourth though when it strung together a one-out single, a Henry Godbout RBI triple and a sacrifice fly by Simmi Whitehill.

The two teams traded runs in the fifth with Elite Squad jumping out to another two-run lead before Team Elite tied it up once again with two more runs of its own in the bottom half to make it a 5-5 game heading into the sixth inning.

Elite Squad took control for good in the final two innings, pushing two across in the sixth to break the tie and adding two more insurances runs in the seventh to finish off the 9-5 victory and secure its spot in the event's semifinals.

The win was attributed to Hunter Pankey after his three innings of work in which he allowed just two runs on three hits and three walks, while tallying two strikeouts. The loss went to Shane Thorson of Team Elite, who gave up two runs on one hit in his 1.1 innings of relief.

Jason Torres (4-for-5) was a force for Elite Squad at the plate, collecting two runs and two RBIs in addition to his four hits in the game. Derek Bermudez (2-for-4) and Hector Manguel (2-for-4) also had multi-hit games for Elite Squad, while Manguel led the team in RBIs with three. Seven different players combined for Team Elite's seven hits in the contest and Logan Poteet (1-for-3) led the team with two RBIs.

With Saturday's win, Elite Squad improves to 3-0-3 and will face off against Canes National in the 16U National Team Championships North Carolina semifinals on Sunday, August 16, at the National Training Complex at 8 a.m. ET. Elite Squad's semifinal game will be streamed live by PlaySight Interactive. To access the live stream, click here, or visit web.playsight.com and search for "USA Baseball."

East Cobb Astros 8, CBA Northeast Pride 0 (Quarterfinal)

Box Score

The East Cobb Astros used a four-run first inning and a one-hit shutout from Dylan Lesko to secure a dominant 8-0 victory over CBA Northeast Pride in the 16U National Team Championships North Carolina quarterfinals on Saturday at the USA Baseball National Training Complex in Cary, N.C.

Lesko put together a stellar five-inning complete game to earn the win for the East Cobb Astros, allowing just three runners to reach base on one hit, a walk and an error while striking out three in the shutout performance.

A leadoff single by Jett Williams in the bottom of the first got East Cobb's offense rolling before four consecutive one-out walks brought in two runs. With the bases still loaded, Jackson Gaspard lined a two-out, two-RBI single to make it a 4-0 game early.

The East Cobb Astros continued to keep their foot on the gas, collecting two runs in the bottom of the third and one each in the fourth and fifth to finish off the 8-0 victory and secure its spot in Sunday's semifinals.

Harry Ford (2-for-2) and Gaspard (2-for-3) backed Lesko's start with multiple hits, while Gaspard also recorded three RBIs and Ben Hamacher (1-for-2) collected two in the win. CBA Northeast's Ty Federici suffered the loss after giving up four runs on one hit and four walks in 0.1 innings of work. Jake Kelleher (1-for-2) tallied CBA Northeast's lone hit.

With the win, the East Cobb Astros advances to play Florida Burn at 8 a.m. ET in Sunday's 16U National Team Championships North Carolina semifinals. The team remains one of two undefeated teams in the tournament, along with Canes National, while CBA Northeast finishes the event with a 2-3-1 overall record. The semifinal game will be streamed live using a single camera and broadcasted on the USA Baseball YouTube channel, @USABaseballTV. Saturday's loss marked Canes National's first of the 2020 15U National Team Championships North Carolina as the team dropped to 5-1 for the week.

Florida Burn 2, Richmond Braves Platinum 1 (Quarterfinal)

Box Score

A 2-1 walkoff victory over Richmond Braves Platinum on Saturday at the USA Baseball National Training Complex in Cary, North Carolina, clinched Florida Burn's spot in the 16U National Team Championships North Carolina semifinals.

Florida Burn wasted no time in the game, striking first as a one-out Marek Houston RBI-single brings a leadoff walk around to score in the bottom of the first for an early 1-0 advantage.

That lead would last until the seventh inning behind a scoreless five-inning start by Florida Burn's Jason LePage who earned the win after shutting down Richmond Braves Platinum's offense early, allowing just two hits and one walk, while collecting three punchouts. After the first inning, Levi Huesman settled in and put together a strong start on the mound for Richmond Braves Platinum. He gave up just one run on four hits, and tallied four strikeouts and three walks in the no-decision.

Richmond Braves Platinum finally broke through in the top of the seventh inning to tie the game. The team strung together two walks and a single to load the bases with one out before L Manning stole home to make it a 1-1 game heading to the bottom half.

Down to its final two outs, Florida Burn took advantage of back-to-back Richmond Braves Platinum errors and a groundout to bring the winning run 90 feet away for E Kapkowski, who came up clutch. Kapkowski's walkoff single secured Florida Burn's 2-1 victory and the team's spot in tournament's semifinals.

Kapkowski (2-for-3) led both offenses with the contest's only multi-hit game and also recorded a run and an RBI in the win. Michael Joyce (1-for-2), Xavier Martin (1-for-2) and Kenneth Schaedel (1-for-3) collected Richmond Braves Platinum's three hits, while Joyce suffered the loss after giving up the game-winning run in his 0.2 innings of work.

Richmond Braves Platinum falls to 2-2-2 in the event with the loss. Florida Burn's record at the tournament improved to 5-1 following the victory and the team advances to play the East Cobb Astros in the semifinals of the 16U National Team Championships North Carolina at 8 a.m. ET on Sunday, August 16, at the National Training Complex in Cary, N.C. The semifinal game will be streamed live using a single camera and broadcasted on the USA Baseball YouTube channel, @USABaseballTV.

The 2020 15U #ChampsNC20?? All-Tournament Team is ??

??: https://t.co/hHrMkuxK8d pic.twitter.com/GDKNHH8Pnd
- USA Baseball (@USABaseball) August 9, 2020

No. 1 ??

Congrats to @TEAMELITENATION on claiming the 15U ?? at #ChampsNC20??! pic.twitter.com/CrkQWI5v5f
- USA Baseball (@USABaseball) August 9, 2020

15U National Team Championships NC // Homepage // Schedule & Results (GameChanger)

CARY, N.C. -- Team Elite slugged seven extra-base hits on the day and survived an error-plagued second inning to defeat Team GA Baseball 6-4 in a semifinal matchup on Sunday at the 15U National Team Championships North Carolina on Field 2 of the USA Baseball National Training Complex.

Chance Fitzgerald finished the day 3-for-4 with two RBIs, a double and two triples for Team Elite and Jobe Smith (2-for-3) and Bret Yarger (2-for-3) also contributed a pair of hits to lead the offense in the victory. Ashton Pass led the Team GA Baseball offense with a 2-for-3 outing.

Rhett Roeser picked up the victory in relief for Team Elite, striking out four batters and giving up just three hits in five innings of work. Team GA Baseball starter Dylan Holbrook suffered the loss.

Next stop for @TEAMELITENATION: championship game!#ChampsNC20?? pic.twitter.com/JJmIlB8Vpm

- National Team Championships North Carolina (@USABChamps_NC) August 9, 2020

Key Moments

• Preston Booth led off the bottom of the second inning for Team GA Baseball with a hit-by-pitch and advanced to second on an error by the catcher. Booth then came around to score the first run of the game on an error by the third baseman to give Team GA Baseball a 1-0 lead.
• Payton Martin singled to left to score Tyrus Cobb to score the second run of the bottom of the second inning for Team GA Baseball before a second error by the Team Elite catcher plated the third run of the inning.
• Colton Masse scored Payton Martin from third base on an RBI-groundout to first base to extend Team GA Baseball's lead to 4-0 after two.
• Chance Fitzgerald slammed a two-RBI triple to right field to score Bret Yarger and Luca Reyes for Team Elite to cut its deficit to 4-2 in the top of the third inning.
• A TJ Schuyler double and a Bret Yarger triple for Team Elite tied the game at four apiece Elite in the top of the fifth inning.
• Bret Yarger scored the go-head run for Team Elite in the top of the fifth inning on an RBI-groundout by Luca Reyes for the 5-4 lead.
• Chance Fitzgerald hit a triple to left-his second of the game-and Cade Arrambide sent an RBI-double to left field to cap a four-run top of the fifth inning for Team Elite, giving them a 6-4 lead.

Notable Information

• Rhett Roeser picked up the victory in relief for Team Elite, giving up just three hits and striking out four in five innings pitched.
• Dylan Holbrook suffered the loss on the mound for Team GA Baseball, giving up six earned runs in 5.2 innings pitched.
• Team Elite starting pitcher Cameron Johnson gave up four runs on three hits, striking out two batters in the no-decision.
• Team Elite hitters combined for seven extra-base hits on the day with four doubles and three triples.
• Chance Fitzgerald finished the day 3-for-4 with two RBIs, a double and two triples to lead the Team Elite offense. Jobe Smith and Bret Yarger also contributed multiple hits for Team Elite in the game.
• Ashton Pass led the Team GA Baseball offense going 2-for-3.

On Deck

• Team Elite advanced to the championship game of the 15U National Team Championships North Carolina and will face Elite Squad. The title game starts at 11 a.m. on Coleman Field and will be streamed on PlaySight.com.
• Team GA Baseball will face Empire Baseball in the bronze medal game at 10:45 a.m. on Field 2 at the National Training Complex. The game will be streamed on YouTube.com/USABaseballTV.

Social

• Stay tuned to @USABChamps_NC on Twitter and visit USABaseball.com for the most up-to-date news about the 15U National Team Championships North Carolina.

15U National Team Championships NC // Homepage // Schedule & Results (GameChanger)

CARY, N.C. -- Empire Baseball scored three runs in the top of the first inning and held on to win the bronze medal at the inaugural 15U National Team Championships North Carolina with a 3-1 victory over Team GA Baseball on Field 2 at the USA Baseball National Training Complex.

Empire Baseball finished the tournament with a 5-2-1 overall record en route to its third place finish. Team GA Baseball ended the tournament with a 6-2 record.

Pitching was the name of the game on Sunday as both teams' pitching staffs combined to give up just six total hits. Empire Baseball starting pitcher Caleb Hoover picked up the win, giving up just one run in 2.1 innings pitched. He struck out two batters before Kimbru Pam came on in relief. Pam was masterful on the mound for Empire Baseball, giving up just two hits and striking out three batters in 4.2 innings to close out the game.

Tyrus Cobb suffered the loss for Team GA Baseball after giving up three runs in the first inning. AJ Rodriguez and Cooper Milford combined to strike out seven batters in relief, giving up just two hits over the last 6.2 innings.

Ian Duarte (1-for-1), Dean Moss (1-for-3, 2 RBIs) and Nicholas Montgomery (1-for-2) provided all the offense Empire Baseball would need on the day with a hit apiece. Milford (1-for-3), Anthony Tralongo (1-for-1; RBI) and Ben Hays (1-for-2) led the day offensively for Team GA Baseball.

Congrats to our 15U #ChampsNC20?? bronze medalists, Empire Baseball! pic.twitter.com/gCQiE8RnKU

- National Team Championships North Carolina (@USABChamps_NC) August 9, 2020

Key Moments

• Ian Duarte led the game off with a double and later scored on a bases loaded-walk by Jonathan Mendez to score the first run of the bronze medal game for Empire Baseball.
• Dean Moss tallied a two-RBI single to left field in the top of the first inning to score Evan Miranda and Ralphy Velazquez to give Empire Baseball a 3-0 lead.
• Team GA Baseball's Cooper Millford walked to lead off the bottom of the first inning and later scored on an Anthony Tralongo RBI-single to cut into the deficit, 3-1.
• Team GA Baseball reliever AJ Rodriguez struck out the side in the top of the third inning.

Notable Information

• Caleb Hoover picked up the win for Empire Baseball after striking out two batters and giving up just one run in 2.1 innings of work.
• Kibru Pam came on in relief and shut down the Team GA Baseball offense, giving up just two hits and striking out three batters for Empire Baseball in the final 4.2 innings of the game.
• Tyrus Cobb suffered the loss for Team GA Baseball after giving up three runs in the first inning of the game.
• AJ Rodriguez struck out five batters in 4.2 innings of relief for Team GA Baseball, including striking out the side in the the top of the third inning.
• Dean Moss led the Empire Baseball offense, going 1-for-3 with a two-RBI single in the top of the first inning.
• Empire Baseball won the bronze medal in the inaugural 15U National Team Championships North Carolina and finished the tournament with a 5-2-1 overall record.
• Team GA Baseball finished the tournament in fourth place with a 6-2 overall record.

On Deck

• The 16U age group of the National Team Championships North Carolina will begin on Tuesday, August 11.

Social

• Follow @USABChamps_NC on Twitter and visit USABaseball.com for the most up-to-date news about the 15U National Team Championships North Carolina.

CARY, N.C. - Elite Squad used a seventh-inning offensive push to defeat Empire Baseball 4-3 and secure a spot in the gold medal game of the USA Baseball 15U National Team Championships North Carolina on Saturday at the USA Baseball National Training Complex in Cary, North Carolina.

Mason Elrod (2-for-3) led Elite Squad offensively in the semifinal contest, finishing with two hits, a run scored and an RBI. Derek Curiel (3-for-3) was the driving force at the plate for Empire Baseball as he collected three hits, two runs scored and an RBI in the loss.

David Davila (1-0) earned the win in a strong outing for Elite Squad on the mound, striking out six batters and allowing just one earned run on six hits. Empire Baseball's Tee Southisene (1-1) was tagged with the loss after you gave up two runs on three hits in his three innings of work.

KEY MOMENTS

• Elite Squad struck first in the contest with one run in the top of the first inning. Benjamin Reiland got things started with a leadoff walk before back-to-back singles by Steven Spalitta Jr. and Daniel Cuvet loaded the bases for Peyton Woods who's sacrifice fly to right field made it a 1-0 game.
• Empire Baseball responded right away in the bottom half of the first when Derek Curiel hit a leadoff double, moved to third on a groundout and was brought home by a Ralphy Velazquez RBI single to tie the game at one run apiece.
• In the bottom of the third, Empire Baseball took a 2-1 lead when Curiel got on base with a two-out single and scored from first on an Elite Squad error.
• Some two-out offensive work by Elite Squad tied the game up once again in the top of the fourth. Back-to-back two-out walks put runners on first and second for Elrod who roped a double to left field to make it a 2-2 game.
• Ayden Gurevich's RBI-single in the top of the seventh inning finally broke the tie and Angelo Prieto added an insurance run when he scored on an error after the hit to give Elite Squad a 4-2 lead.
• Down to its final three outs, Empire Baseball got a rally going in the bottom of the seventh with three singles to pull within one but the rally fell short as a fielder's choice and a strikeout secured the 4-3 victory for Elite Squad.

NOTABLE INFORMATION

• Elite Squad improved to 5-2 with the win and advanced to play Team Elite in the 15U National Team Championships North Carolina gold medal game, which is set for at 11 a.m. ET on Sunday, August 9, at the USA Baseball National Training Complex in Cary, N.C.
• The gold medal game will be streamed live via PlaySight Interactive. Information on the live stream can be found here.
• With the loss, Empire Baseball drops to 4-2-1 in the event and will play for the bronze medal against Team GA Baseball on Sunday, August 9, at 10:45 a.m. ET on Field 2 at the National Training Complex.
• The bronze medal game will be streamed live with a single camera and broadcasted on the USA Baseball YouTube channel. The stream can be viewed here.

SOCIAL MEDIA

• • Follow @USABChamps_NC on Twitter for the most up-to-date information on the 2020 USA Baseball National Team Championships North Carolina.

The fifth day of the 2020 USA Baseball 15U National Team Championships North Carolina was highlighted be four quarterfinal matchups. Elite Squad, Empire Baseball, Team Elite and Team GA Baseball all emerged victorious on the day to advanced to the semifinals, which will be played at 8 a.m. ET on Sunday, August 9, at the USA Baseball National Training Complex in Cary, N.C. View the full schedule and follow all the action on GameChanger.

Elite Squad 12, Tri-State Arsenal 6 (Quarterfinal)

Box Score

Elite Squad rallied from a five-run deficit on Saturday at the USA Baseball National Training Complex in Cary, N.C., to defeat Tri-State Arsenal 12-6 and clinch a spot in the 15U National Team Championships North Carolina semifinals.

Tri-State Arsenal grabbed the lead early in the game when the team scored two runs to take a 2-1 lead in the second before adding four in the bottom of the third for a 6-1 advantage. But after a scoreless fourth inning, Elite Squad came roaring back with four runs in both the fifth and sixth innings to jump ahead and grab a 9-6 lead.

Tri-State Arsenal couldn't get anything else going, collecting just one hit after the third inning, while Elite Squad put up three more runs in the top of the seventh to put the game out of reach and secure the 12-6 victory.

Daniel Cuvet (2-for-4), Ryan Liss (2-for-3), Benjamin Reiland (2-for-3), Steven Spalitta Jr. (2-for-5) and Peyton Woods (2-for-3) all paced Elite Squad's offense with multi-hit games, while Cuvet, Spalitta Jr. and Woods also collected multiple RBIs with two apiece. Christopher Hacopian led Tri-State Arsenal at the plate, finishing 2-for-4 with a run scored.

Elite Squad's Luis Rodriguez picked up the win in the contest after his 4.1 inning relief appearance in which he allowed just two hits and one walk and did not give up a run. Edward Copper suffered the loss after surrendering four runs on four hits in his inning of work.

Elite Squad improved to 4-2 with the win and advanced to face Empire Baseball in the semifinals on Sunday, August 9, at 8 a.m. ET, while Tri-State Arsenal took its first loss of the event and fell to 5-1. Elite Squad's semifinal game will be streamed live by PlaySight Interactive. To access the live stream, click here, or visit web.playsight.com and search for "USA Baseball."

Team Elite 9, Canes National 7 (Quarterfinal)

Box Score

Team Elite used a big second inning and a couple of late insurance runs to take down Canes National 9-7 and advance to the semifinals of the 2020 USA Baseball 15U National Team Championships North Carolina.

After a scoreless first inning, Team Elite broke through in a big way in the second, posting seven runs on four hits, two walks, one hit-by-pitch and a fielder's choice to take a 7-0 lead. That score held until the fifth inning thanks to a strong start by Team Elite's Drew Titsworth, who earned the win following a five-inning outing in which he gave up just one run on two hits and struck out three.

The teams traded runs after the fourth inning as Canes National put up its first run of the day courtesy of a Jimmyll Williams RBI-single in the bottom of the fifth and Team Elite immediately answered with a run of its own on a Chance Fitzgerald sac fly in the top of the sixth to keep its seven-run lead intact.

Three more runs for Canes National in the bottom of the sixth cut the deficit in half but one insurance run in the top of the seventh was enough for Team Elite as Canes National's three-run rally in the bottom half fell short and Team Elite claimed the 9-7 victory.

Gregory Bruno (3-for-4) and Brysen Nepute (3-for-4) led Team Elite on offense as they recorded over half of the squad's total hits. Luke Costello (2-for-3) had Canes National's only multi-hit game and also led the team in RBIs, along with Andre Modungo (1-for-2), with two.

Canes National starter BJ Etheridge suffered the loss in the contest after allowing six runs on three hits and two walks in his 1.1 innings of work.

With the win, Team Elite improved to 4-2 in the event and advanced to play CCB National/Team GA Baseball in the semifinals on Sunday, August 9, at 8 a.m. ET. The semifinal game will be streamed live using a single camera and broadcasted on the USA Baseball YouTube channel, @USABaseballTV. Saturday's loss marked Canes National's first of the 2020 15U National Team Championships North Carolina as the team dropped to 5-1 for the week.

Empire Baseball 7, 5 Star National Dobbs 2 (Quarterfinal)

Box Score

A late-game rally secured Empire Baseball's 7-2 victory over 5 Star National Dobbs in the 15U National Team Championships North Carolina on Saturday, August 8, at the USA Baseball National Training Complex in Cary, N.C. Empire Baseball also advanced to the event semifinals with the win.

Neither offense could get anything going early as both starters put together scoreless outings. Ryker Davis tossed four scoreless innings for 5 Star National Dobbs, allowing just two hits and one walk in his start, while Empire Baseball's Bryce Rainer allowed just two hits while striking out five in his 3.2 innings of work.

5 Star National Dobbs finally broke the scoring open in the bottom of the fifth as Brooks Wright doubled in one run Ryker Chavis scored on an Empire Baseball error for a 2-0 lead.

But Empire Baseball immediately answered in the top of the sixth, rallying for three runs of their own to take the lead. The team then added four more in the top of the seventh to finish off the 7-2 victory.

Evan Miranda picked up the win following his 3.2 innings of work in relief in which he allowed one earned run on three hits and struck out three, while Kaleb Johnson was tagged with the loss after allowed three runs on three hits in two innings on the mound.

In addition to his work on the mound, Miranda also led Empire Baseball in RBIs with two, while Christian Grino (2-for-4), Jonathan Mendez (2-for-4) and Dean Moss (2-for-3) all collected multiple hits in the win.

Empire Baseball now holds a 4-1-1 record following the victory and advanced to play Elite Squad in the 15U National Team Championships North Carolina semifinals on Sunday, August 9, at 8 a.m. ET, while 5 Star National Dobbs fell to 3-2-1 in the event. Empire Baseball's semifinal game will be streamed live by PlaySight Interactive. To access the live stream, click here, or visit web.playsight.com and search for "USA Baseball."

Team GA Baseball X, CCB National X (Quarterfinal)

Box Score

Team GA Baseball scored in every inning of a five-inning 11-3 victory over CCB National at the USA Baseball National Training Complex in Cary, North Carolina, on Saturday to secure its spot in the 15U National Team Championships North Carolina semifinals.

Both teams came out swinging as CCB National kicked things off with three runs in the top of the first and Team GA Baseball followed with two runs in the bottom half.

Team GA Baseball's offense then continued firing on all cylinders, adding to its lead in the second, third and fourth innings while pitchers Jacob Freedman and AJ Rodriguez shut down CCB National at the plate.

A six-run second inning was the big blow for Team GA Baseball as the squad took an 8-3 and never looked back. The inning was highlighted by RBI-singles from Cooper Milford and Matthew Cannon, as well as a two-RBI knock by Thad Bridges.

Cannon and Preston Booth both finished the day 2-for-2 with two RBIs to lead Team GA Baseball offensively, while Freedman pick up the win on the mound following his 2.2 innings of work.

The loss was attributed to Liam Kaushikkar after he allowed two runs in his inning of work.

With the win, Team GA Baseball improved to 6-0 and is only undefeated team left in the tournament. The team also advanced to play Team Elite in the semifinals on Sunday, August 9, at 8 a.m. ET, while CCB National falls 3-3 for the week. The semifinal game will be streamed live using a single camera and broadcasted on the USA Baseball YouTube channel, @USABaseballTV.

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CARY, N.C. -- USA Baseball named the All-Tournament Team for the inaugural 17U National Team Championships North Carolina on Thursday, following the championship game of the tournament.

East Cobb Astros won the gold medal after defeating Florida Burn, 6-0, in the title game. East Cobb leads all teams with four selections, followed by 5 Star National and NEB with two selections apiece.

ICYMI: The 17U #ChampsNC20⚾️ All-Tournament Team was announced yesterday. Congrats to all of these amazing athletes on a great week!

📝: https://t.co/3A20UIn1Xi pic.twitter.com/viGJrvUXx2

- National Team Championships North Carolina (@USABChamps_NC) July 31, 2020

The 2020 17U National Team Championships North Carolina All-Tournament Team:

Andrew Armstrong - East Cobb Astros
Andrew Armstrong was named to the All-Tournament Team after he struck out nine batters in a complete-game appearance for the East Cobb Astros. In his seven innings pitched, he surrendered just two hits and no runs.

AJ Causey - 5 Star National
AJ Causey led the entire tournament with strikeouts to earn his spot on the All-Tournament Team. In his one appearance on the bump, he struck out 11 batters in just six scoreless innings of work for 5 Star National. Facing 21 batters, he walked only one.

Kaelen Culpepper - East Coast Sox
Kalen Culpepper led the East Coast Sox in batting average during the tournament and found his way on base half the time during the 17U National Team Championships North Carolina. Finishing the event with two runs scored and three walks, he was even more impressive during the Prospect Development Pipeline assessment testing, where he led all participants in the "Man in the Box" agility drill and finished in the top-four of all athletes with a 10.8" broad jump.

Harry Ford - East Cobb Astros
Harry Ford was a stalwart in the middle of the lineup during the playoffs for the champion East Cobb Astros. Hitting .250 for the tournament, he turned it on in the semifinals and finals, tallying all seven of his tournament-leading RBIs in the final two games. He hit a two-RBI-triple and a two-RBI-double in the 6-0 championship game-victory and grabbed a spot on the All-Tournament Team.

JD Jones - NEB
JD Jones led the entire tournament with a .636 batting average for NEB, earning him a spot on the All-Tournament Team. He finished the tournament batting 7-for-11 with two doubles, a triple and four RBIs. He also picked up five walks to contribute to his tournament-leading .750 on-base percentage.

Carson Kelly - South Charlotte Panthers
Carson Kelly made an impact in his one appearance on the mound for the South Charlotte Panthers. In his lone game on the mound, he pitched 6.2 innings, struck out 10 batters and gave up no earned runs to help lead South Charlotte to the #1 overall seed in the playoffs. His impressive outing also placed him on the All-Tournament Team.

Rene Lastres Jr. - Canes National
Rene Lastres Jr. was named to the All-Tournament Team after finishing the tournament with a .455 batting average for Canes National. He went 5-for-11 with two doubles, 5 RBIs and two stolen bases in just four games.

Bryan Loriga - Elite Squad
Elite Squad's Bryan Loriga was named to the All-Tournament Team after hitting .333 with two doubles and five RBIs. He finished the tournament 6-for-18 in six games and scored two runs as Elite Squad advanced to the playoffs.

Joe Mack - East Cobb Astros
Joe Mack contributed to the powerful East Cobb Astros lineup to the tune of a .429 batting average and a triple on the way to making the All-Tournament Team. He walked four times to contribute to a .526 on-base percentage and scored four runs en route to a gold medal.

Jackson Merrill - 5 Star National
Jackson Merrill did a little bit of everything for 5 Star National during the 17U National Team Championships North Carolina, finishing the tournament with a .375 batting average, three RBIs, three walks and three stolen bases. He also made two appearances on the mound, giving up no runs in his relief appearances to earn his spot on the All-Tournament Team.

Treyton Rank - East Cobb Astros
Treyton Rank always seemed to be on base for the East Cobb Astros during the 17U National Team Championships North Carolina, walking three times and holding a .588 on-base percentage. He finished the tournament with a .500 batting average (7-for-14) and tallied four stolen bases to earn his spot on the All-Tournament Team.

Zane Taylor - Molina Stars
Zane Taylor made a commanding impression on the mound for the Molina Stars during the 17U National Team Championships North Carolina. In his lone appearance on the mound, he struck out six batters and walked just one of the 25 batters he faced, earning a spot on the All-Tournament Team.

Chase Valentine - NEB
Chase Valentine finished the tournament with a .333 batting average, contributing a pair of doubles for NEB at the 17U National Team Championships North Carolina. Scoring three runs, tallying two RBIs and swiping two bases earned him a spot on the All-Tournament Team.

Kahlil Watson - Team Elite
Khalil Watson was named to the All-Tournament Team at the 17U National Team Championships North Carolina thanks to a .353 batting average and a home run. He scored four runs and stole three bases to go along with his three RBIs for Team Elite.

Tommy White - Florida Burn
Tommy White led the entire 17U National Team Championships in two offensive categories for the runners-up Florida Burn, earning a coveted spot on the All-Tournament Team. He led the event in hits (8) and RBIs (6), finishing the tournament with a .444 batting average, two doubles, four walks, three stolen bases and three runs scored.

17U National Team Championships NC // Homepage // Schedule & Results (GameChanger)

CARY, N.C. - Three pitchers combined to throw a 13-strikeout shutout and Harry Ford picked-up four RBIs as the East Cobb Astros blanked Florida Burn, 6-0, to win the inaugural 17U National Team Championships North Carolina on Thursday at the USA Baseball National Training Complex.

East Cobb finished the tournament with a 5-0-1 overall record and outscored its opponents 27-5 en route to the gold medal. The team placed four athletes on the All-Tournament Team: Andrew Armstrong, Ford, Joe Mack and Treyton Rank.

CHAMPIONS 🏆

Congrats to @Official_ECB on claiming the first 17U #ChampsNC20⚾️ gold medal! pic.twitter.com/2flu0CzauW

- USA Baseball (@USABaseball) July 30, 2020

The Astros pitching set the tone on the day as Will Robbins, Jackson Brockett and Michael Braswell combined to strike out 13 Florida Burn batters while surrendering just two hits. The starting pitcher, Robbins, picked up the win thanks to early run support from his offense.

East Cobb jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning thanks to a Ford (2-for-3; 4 RBIs) triple to centerfield that scored Termarr Johnson and Mack. Johnson would set the table once again for the Astros offense in the bottom of the third after leading the inning off with a single through the right side. 

Back-to-back walks to Braswell and Mack loaded the bases before Johnson crossed the plate on a wild pitch for the four-run cushion. Ford then picked up his second extra-base hit of the game with a two-RBI double to center to bring the score to 5-0.

The Astros picked up an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth on a Kristian (3-for-3; RBI) Campbell single for the final score of 6-0.

Florida Burn's Tayden Hall and Dylan McDonald both finished the game 1-for-3 and Satchell Norman picked up two walks on the day, but their offense was no match for the East Cobb pitching staff today.

Brockett came on in relief for Robbins in the third inning and struck out seven batters in four innings before handing the ball over to Braswell to close the game. Braswell obliged and shut the door on any potential comeback, striking out the side to clinch the gold medal. 

The inaugural 17U National Team Championships North Carolina featured 14 teams and 35 games in four days at the National Training Complex. The 15U age group of the National Team Championships is set to begin on Tuesday, August 4, with 16 teams from across the United States traveling to Cary. Follow @USABChamps_NC for the latest information about the tournament.

17U National Team Championships NC // Homepage // Schedule & Results (GameChanger)

CARY, N.C. - Florida Burn punched its ticket to the 17U National Team Championships North Carolina championship game with a 7-3 victory over Elite Squad on Thursday morning at the USA Baseball National Training Complex in Cary, North Carolina. The team used a five-run fourth inning and clutch hitting to jump ahead early and seal the win.

With the loss, Elite Squad finished the 17U National Team Championships with a 2-3-1 record, while Florida Burn moves to 4-1-1 and will take on the East Cobb Astros in the event's championship game on Thursday, July 30, at 10:45 a.m. on Coleman Field at the National Training Complex.

Florida Burn struck first in the semifinal matchup, pushing across a run in the bottom of the first to open the scoring. BJ Graham kicked things off with a leadoff double and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt before Tommy White brought him in with a sacrifice fly to give Florida Burn a 1-0 lead.

Just one inning later, Florida Burn took advantage of an Elite Squad error and another leadoff hit and sacrifice fly combination to take a 2-0 advantage. A leadoff single put Satchell Norman on base and a sacrifice bunt moved him over before Marcus Brodil's sac fly brought him home.

Elite Squad threatened in the top of the fourth thanks to some clutch hitting from Hector Mangual and Giovanny Cueto. The pair strung together back-to-back two-out singles to bring the go-ahead run to the plate, but Florida Burn's Landon Kiefer quickly shut down the threat with his fourth strikeout of the day. Kiefer allowed four hits and no runs in his first four innings of work on the bump and finished with five strikeouts.

Florida Burn's offense immediately responded with some clutch hitting of its own to break the game wide open in the bottom half of the fourth. The squad loaded the bases twice with two outs and brought in runs both times for a 7-0 lead when both Graham and White hit bases-loaded two-RBI singles.

In the top of the fifth, Elite Squad finally broke through for its first runs of the game to cut Florida Burn's lead by three. A leadoff walk to Renzo Gonzalez got Elite Squad's offense started and Jonah Diaz followed with a single to put runners at first and second for Dorian Gonzalez Jr., who came through with an RBI single. Two batters later, after a groundout put runners on second and third, Bryan Loriga got in on the action and cleared the bases with his own two-RBI single to make it a 7-3 game.

That was all Elite Squad would be able to get though, as Aidan Troy took over on the mound for Florida Burn and tossed 2.1 scoreless innings to finish the game and secure the 7-3 victory.

Graham led the Florida Burn offense, finishing 3-for-4 with two runs scored and two RBIs. Norman (2-for-3) and Brodil (2-for-2) also collected multiple hits in the game, while White led the team in RBIs with three.

Nicholas Fraginals suffered the loss in the contest after allowing six earned runs on seven hits in the game. Jorge DeGoti (2-for-4) and Diaz (2-for-3) led Elite Squad at the plate with the team's only multi-hit games.

First pitch of the championship game is slated for 10:45 a.m. on Coleman Field at the USA Baseball National Training Complex on Thursday. Because the playoff is a double-elimination format, an if-necessary championship game is tentatively scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Both games will be streamed on PlaySight.com.

17U National Team Championships NC // Homepage // Schedule & Results (GameChanger)

CARY, N.C. -- The East Cobb Astros scored two runs in the first inning, another four in the second and three in the fourth to take down Elite Squad, 9-1, in a run-rule victory in the first semifinal of the inaugural 17U National Team Championships North Carolina. With the victory, East Cobb booked its spot in the championship game tomorrow, Thursday, July 30, at 10:45 a.m.

With the loss, Elite Squad (2-2-1; 1-1) falls into the elimination bracket and will face the Florida Burn (3-1-1; 1-1) in the second semifinal game at 8 a.m. on Coleman Field at the USA Baseball National Training Complex. The Burn defeated the South Charlotte Panthers (3-2; 0-2) 1-0 in the first elimination game on Wednesday. 

The Astros (4-0-1; 2-0) wasted no time putting pressure on the Elite Squad starting pitcher, Justin Webster, loading the bases with no outs in the first. Termarr Jackson scored the opening run on an RBI-fielder's choice by Harry Ford, and Joseph Mack came around to score on a bases-loaded walk to Treyton Rank for the early 2-0 lead.

The second inning found the bases juiced with East Cobb Astros and no outs once again thanks to three consecutive walks. This time, however, Michael Braswell delivered the big blow as he laced a bases-clearing double to the right-centerfield gap to extend the lead to 5-0. Ford then picked up his second RBI of the game just two batters later with a sacrifice fly to right field for a six-run cushion.

Elite Squad's offense showed signs of life in the top of the third inning after Hector Mangual dropped a one-out double into the left field corner. Ty Hollingsworth advanced to first on a hit-by-pitch and a walk to Jonah Diaz in the nine-hole loaded the bases with one out for the top of the order. Dorian Gonzalez Jr. picked up a sac fly to center to score their first run but East Cobb starter, Radek Birkholz, ended the threat with a strikeout to keep the score 6-1. 

Ford picked up his third RBI of the night for the Astros after he lifted a 1-0 pitch over the left field fence to bring the score to 7-1 in the bottom of the fourth. Back-to-back singles and a walk loaded the bases before Brant Herring followed with an RBI-single and an Alvin Keels was hit by a pitch to push the score to 9-1. 

Down to their final three outs due to the run-rule, Elite Squad was set down in order by the East Cobb defense in the top of the fifth to end the game.

Braswell (2-for-3), Joseph Mack (2-for-3) and Rank (2-for-2) each finished with a pair of hits and Jackson scored two runs in the leadoff spot after walking three times to lead the Astros' offense on Wednesday.  

Birkholz went the distance on the mound for East Cobb, giving up just three hits and one run, and striking out eight batters in the win. Webster suffered the loss for Elite Squad.

First pitch of the championship game is slated for 10:45 a.m. on Coleman Field at the USA Baseball National Training Complex on Thursday. Because the playoff is a double-elimination format, an if-necessary championship game is tentatively scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Both games will be streamed on PlaySight.com.

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