CARY, N.C. – The Northeast Stripes scored nine runs in the final three frames and Maykel Jimenez came through with the game-winning RBI-double in the top of the seventh en route to a 10-6 victory over the Northwest Stars in the championship game of the 11U NTIS Champions Cup.

Trailing 5-1 in the top of the fifth inning, the Northeast Stripes kicked the offense into gear with two outs. Jaydon Alemany walked, Isaac Shulman singled to center, and William Holly walked to load the bases for Grady Wright, who walked in the first run of the inning. Then Jaden Godette followed with a bases-clearing triple over the centerfielder’s head before coming around on an error to take a 6-5 lead. The Northwest Stars tied the game in the bottom half of the inning on a Jedrek Elliott single and a fielding error, but the Northeast Stripes rallied again in the final frame.

With runners on second and third with one out, Jimenez launched an RBI-double to left-center to go ahead 7-6. Two fielding errors by the Northwest Stars plated three more runs in the top half of the inning as the Northeast Stripes closed out the 10-6 victory.

Ryan Lemm was stellar in relief for the Northeast Stripes. Coming on in the fifth inning, he gave up just one hit and struck out five batters over the final three innings of the game to get the win on the mound.

Northwest Stars’ Benjamin Medford led all hitters offensively on the day, going 3-for-4 with a run scored. Colton Byrnes (2-for-3, RBI) also produced multiple hits on the day for the Northwest Stars, meanwhile 10 different Northeast Stripes batters tallied a base knock.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Northwest Stars’ Uriyeh Marguth came to the plate in the bottom of the first inning with one out and laced a two-RBI triple to the right-field fence to put the home team ahead 2-0 in the opening frame.
• Colton Byrnes singled through the left side of the infield to score Uriyeh Marguth from third base to extend Northwest Stars’ lead to 3-0 in the bottom of the first.
• Asher Fontaine scored the first run of the game for the Northeast Stripes in the top of the third inning on a bases-loaded wild pitch after leading off the inning with a single and moving to third courtesy of a hit-by-pitch and a Henry Bogle bunt single.
• The Northwest Stars tacked on another run in the bottom of the third with a Jaylen O’Bannon sacrifice fly to center, scoring Colton Byrnes to take a 4-1 lead heading into the fourth inning.
• Uriyeh Marguth tallied his third RBI of the game with a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the fourth inning to extend the Northwest Stars’ lead to 5-1.
• A two-out, bases-loaded walk to Grady Wright brought the Northeast Stripes within three, 5-2, in the top of the fifth inning.
• Northeast Stripes’ leadoff batter Jaden Godette lined a bases-clearing triple over the head of the Northwest Stars’ centerfielder and came around to score on a throwing error to take the lead, 6-5, in the top of the fifth inning.
• Jedrek Elliot came through with a pinch-hit single in the bottom half of the fifth inning that moved Benjamin Medford to third base, but the right fielder misplayed the ball, allowing Medford to score and the Northwest Stars to tie the game at 6-6.
• Jett Schoolcraft and the Northwest Stars escaped a one-out, bases-loaded jam in the top of the sixth inning thanks to a strikeout and an infield flyout to keep the score tied at six apiece.
• William Holly led off the top of the seventh inning with a single and Grady Wright launched a fly ball to right center for a double to put runners on second and third with no outs for the Northeast Stripes. Maykel Jimenez followed with the clutch hit: an RBI-double to left center to retake the lead, 7-6.  
• Back-to-back errors by the Northwest Stars shortstop and third baseman allowed three more Northeast Stripes runs to score in the top of the seventh inning, giving them a commanding 10-6 lead.

NOTABLE:

• Ten different batters tallied hits for the Northeast Stripes in the championship game, led by Jaden Godette with three RBIs.
• Benjamin Medford led both teams offensively on the day, going 3-for-4 with a run scored for the Northwest Stars.
• Colton Byrnes went 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored for the Northwest Stars and Uriyeh Marguth tallied three RBIs courtesy of a two-RBI triple and a sacrifice fly.
• Ryan Lemm was stellar in relief for the Northeast Stripes, striking out five batters and giving up just one hit in three innings pitched to earn the victory.
• Michael Ohman was strong in his start for the Northwest Stars, striking out five batters and surrendering just one run in his four innings of work in the no-decision.
• Northeast Stripes’ starter William Holly gave up four earned runs in his three innings of work and Isaac Shulman gave up two runs in his sole inning on the mound.
• Jett Schoolcraft suffered the loss for the Northwest Stars, giving up four runs (three earned) on five hits in 1.2 innings. He struck out two batters.