73 13u teams competed across 4 different divisions this past weekend at the Top Gun Summer World Series. The 60/90 D1 division featured 8 teams ranked in the top 20 in North Carolina, 3 in the top 10 in Virginia, and the 2nd ranked team in South Carolina. With only 6 teams making the Gold bracket in the 30-team 60/90 D1 division, pool play results were extremely important. Here we recap the 13u action from this past weekend.
60/90
D1
The 30-team D1 division featured 8 of the top 20 teams in North Carolina, 3 of the top 10 teams in Virginia, and the #2 team in South Carolina. In a bit of an odd setup, only 6 of those teams made the Gold bracket. SC #2 Warriors made the most of their pool play, going 4-0 with an 11-10 win over the Washington River Rats, an 8-0 win over the South East Outlaws, an 11-3 win over NC #10 Carolina Titans - Wilson, and a 4-1 win over #9 TPA Nationals - Christman. The Frederick Hustlers (MD) scored the #2 seed with a 9-6 win over NC #18 Arsenal, a 14-5 win over NC #7 Canes Baseball NC - Turner, a 13-7 win over Carolina Titans Blue, and a 3-1 win over Dirtbags Black Raleigh. The #3 seed went to Rock Solid Red after posting a 9-1 win over TPA Nationals - Batts, a 6-0 win over TPA Nationals - McMillan, a 4-3 loss against #12 Sanford Cobras, and a 1-0 win over the NBA Nationals (VA). Hit & Run 5 Star Wildcats scored the #4 seed after going 3-1 in pool play with a 3-2 win over the Washington River Rats, a 7-5 loss against NoVA Premier Blue - Middleton, a 14-4 win over TPA Nationals - McMillan, and a 7-6 win over Canes Baseball VA - Celata. VA #10 Richmond Spiders captured the #5 seed in the Gold bracket also going 3-1 in pool play with a 13-3 win over the Sanford Cobras, an 8-5 loss against Canes NoVA - Rowling, a 7-5 win over Carolina Titans - Wilson, and a 13-6 win over NC #14 HiToms Baseball. The 6th and final seed in the Gold bracket went to NoVA Premier Blue - Middleton. In addition to their win over Hit & Run, NoVA Premier scored a 14-8 win over the South East Outlaws, an 11-1 win over NSA Blue, and a 9-8 loss to the NCDB Rivercats.
The #1 and #2 seeds received byes into the Gold bracket semifinals on Sunday. In the #4/5 play-in game, the Richmond Spiders scored an 11-6 win over Hit & Run 5 Star Wildcats. In the #3/6 play-in game, NoVA Premier Blue notched a 6-4 win over Rock Solid Red. In the semifinals, the Richmond Spiders rolled to a 9-2 win over the Warriors and the Frederick Hustlers blasted their way to a 10-2 win over NoVA Premier Blue. In the finals, the Frederick Hustlers finished off a 6-0 weekend with a 12-2 win over the Richmond Spiders.
Instant Analysis
Top Gun's decision to include only 6 teams in the Gold bracket was disappointing. 2 teams went 4-0 in pool play with another 8 going 3-1. This left 4 teams out of the Gold bracket, despite posting 3-1 records in pool play. Consequently, pool play matchups were highly influential on who made the Gold bracket. This is not a statement to diminish the accomplishments of the teams who made the Gold bracket or the champion Frederick Hustlers, who ended the event as the only undefeated team. Rather it is just meant to point out that aspects such as management of pitchers and matchups were highly influential on who got a shot at the Gold bracket title. Unfortunately, many of our presumed "best" teams did not get to face each other in elimination games on Sunday with a Gold bracket title on the line.
D2
14 teams competed in the 60/90 D2 division including 9 teams from North Carolina, 3 from Virginia, 1 from Georgia, and 1 from Maryland. Combat Baseball (GA) finished pool play with the #1 seed going 4-0 with a 16-3 win over the Akadema Punishers, a 12-3 win over the Diamond Dawgs, a 15-0 win over Zone Select, and a 12-2 win over Stars Baseball - Weaver (VA). The North Wake Rage earned the #2 seed after an 11-5 win over Stars Baseball - Ludington (VA), a 15-0 win over Wayne County Arsenal, a 15-0 win over the Diamond Dawgs, and a 6-4 win over Gettin Dirty. South Rowan Hammerheads received the #3 seed after a 3-1 win over the Jacksonville Generals, an 11-2 win over Zone Select, a 14-13 win over the Akadema Punishers, and a 6-4 win over Stars Baseball - Ludington (VA). Southern MD Senators - Kingsbury earned the 4th seed with a 10-0 win over Stars Baseball - Boles (VA), an 18-6 win over Zone Select, a 4-3 win over the RBI Raptors, and a 13-12 loss against Wayne County Arsenal.
In the #4/5 play-in game on Sunday, RBI Raptors E scored a 12-6 win over Souther MD Senators - Kingsbury. In the #3/6 play-in game, Gettin Dirty notched a 4-2 win over #3 seed South Rowan Hammerheads. In the semifinals, Combat Baseball notched an 8-2 win over RBI Raptors E and Gettin Dirty got past the North Wake Rage 8-4. In the finals, Combat Baseball finished off an undefeated weekend with a 13-3 win over Gettin Dirty.
54/80
D2
9 teams competed in the 54/80 D2 division. GameTime Prospects - Johnson went 4-0 in pool play with a 10-1 win over the Carolina Stars, a 6-0 win over NCABC Fungo Blue, an 18-1 win over the OC Sluggers, and an 8-2 win over NCABC Fungo Red. The Carolina Freedom also went 4-0 in pool play and snagged the #2 seed for Sunday. They scored a 10-1 win over the HYAA Hawks, an 11-1 win over Hit N Run Bengals, a 5-4 win over 12u EC Diamondbacks - Bass, and a 10-5 win over Fungo Blue. These were the only two undefeated teams after pool play.
In the #4/5 Gold bracket play-in game, Fungo Blue edged the HYAA Hawks 5-4. In the semifinals, the Carolina Freedom scored a 1-run 7-6 win over Hit N Run Bengals and GameTime Prospects topped Fungo Blue 10-5. In the finals, GameTime Prospects finished off an undefeated weekend with a 12-7 win over the Carolina Freedom
D3
20 teams faced off in the 54/80 D3 division this past weekend in Goldsboro. The Five Star Stingrays earned the #1 seed in the Gold bracket by going 4-0 in pool play including a 7-1 win over RBI Raptors - Landerl, a 12-9 win over EC Diamondbacks - Ferrell, an 11-3 win over the Carolina Thunder, and a 9-1 win over the Southwestern Wake Sliders. They were the only undefeated team in pool play. The #2 seed went to Hammerheads Purple. They notched a 5-4 win over the Wardogs, a 9-8 loss against US Elite 2024 Rage, a 15-0 win over NCABC Fungo - Waltman, and an 11-1 win over the North Wake River Hounds. The Carolina Boyz received the #3 seed after they went 3-1 in pool play with a 7-6 loss in their opening game against NCABC Fungo - Waltman. They followed that up with a 13-0 win over Triangle Sports Hawks, a 10-6 win over the North Raleigh Tsunami, and a 15-2 win over RBI Raptors - Miller.
In quarter finals, #1 seed Five Star Stingrays notched a 5-3 win over #8 seed Carolina Law Dogs, #2 seed Hammerheads Purple topped #7 seed Clayton Rippers 6-4, #3 seed Carolina Boyz edged US Elite 2024 Rage 7-6, and #4 seed RBI Raptors - Landerl fell 20-12 against NCABC Fungo - Waltman. In the semifinals, the Carolina Boyz notched a 6-1 win over Hammerheads Purple and the Five Star Stingrays got past Fungo - Waltman 6-3. In the finals, the Five Star Stingrays edged the Carolina Boyz 8-7 to finish off a 7-0 weekend.
54/80
D2
9 teams competed in the 54/80 D2 division. GameTime Prospects - Johnson went 4-0 in pool play with a 10-1 win over the Carolina Stars, a 6-0 win over NCABC Fungo Blue, an 18-1 win over the OC Sluggers, and an 8-2 win over NCABC Fungo Red. The Carolina Freedom also went 4-0 in pool play and snagged the #2 seed for Sunday. They scored a 10-1 win over the HYAA Hawks, an 11-1 win over Hit N Run Bengals, a 5-4 win over 12u EC Diamondbacks - Bass, and a 10-5 win over Fungo Blue. These were the only two undefeated teams after pool play.
In the #4/5 Gold bracket play-in game, Fungo Blue edged the HYAA Hawks 5-4. In the semifinals, the Carolina Freedom scored a 1-run 7-6 win over Hit N Run Bengals and GameTime Prospects topped Fungo Blue 10-5. In the finals, GameTime Prospects finished off an undefeated weekend with a 12-7 win over the Carolina Freedom
D3
20 teams faced off in the 54/80 D3 division this past weekend in Goldsboro. The Five Star Stingrays earned the #1 seed in the Gold bracket by going 4-0 in pool play including a 7-1 win over RBI Raptors - Landerl, a 12-9 win over EC Diamondbacks - Ferrell, an 11-3 win over the Carolina Thunder, and a 9-1 win over the Southwestern Wake Sliders. They were the only undefeated team in pool play. The #2 seed went to Hammerheads Purple. They notched a 5-4 win over the Wardogs, a 9-8 loss against US Elite 2024 Rage, a 15-0 win over NCABC Fungo - Waltman, and an 11-1 win over the North Wake River Hounds. The Carolina Boyz received the #3 seed after they went 3-1 in pool play with a 7-6 loss in their opening game against NCABC Fungo - Waltman. They followed that up with a 13-0 win over Triangle Sports Hawks, a 10-6 win over the North Raleigh Tsunami, and a 15-2 win over RBI Raptors - Miller.
In quarter finals, #1 seed Five Star Stingrays notched a 5-3 win over #8 seed Carolina Law Dogs, #2 seed Hammerheads Purple topped #7 seed Clayton Rippers 6-4, #3 seed Carolina Boyz edged US Elite 2024 Rage 7-6, and #4 seed RBI Raptors - Landerl fell 20-12 against NCABC Fungo - Waltman. In the semifinals, the Carolina Boyz notched a 6-1 win over Hammerheads Purple and the Five Star Stingrays got past Fungo - Waltman 6-3. In the finals, the Five Star Stingrays edged the Carolina Boyz 8-7 to finish off a 7-0 weekend.