The 11u-13u age groups in Lexington featured some loaded fields and some of the best teams in the region. There were some upsets and head-to-head games among some of the very best teams in these age groups. The results this past weekend have given us a lot to think about at the top of the rankings in these age groups. Here we highlight the biggest results from the weekend.
11u
As we noted in our preview, the 11u field was absolutely loaded with ranked teams, including our top 6 teams and 8 of our top 13 teams in North Carolina, 5 of the top 10 teams from South Carolina, and top teams from Tennessee and Georgia. North Carolina's top team, the SBA Futures, went 2-0 in pool play and earned the top seed for bracket play with a 9-1 win over South Carolina #6 Greenville Titans and an 11-3 win over the Augusta Reds. The Titans fell 10-9 against SC #1 Charleston Revolution - Whittle in their other pool play game. The Revolution scored an 8-7 win over the Southern Nationals (GA) in their other pool play game, and finished with the #5 seed for Sunday. NC #2 Canes Baseball NC - Foster went 2-0 in pool play, notching a 15-5 win over the Carolina Havoc and a 7-6 win over NC #10 Canes Baseball NC - Naylor and received the #3 seed for bracket play. Canes - Naylor topped SC #2 East Coast Snipers - Clark/Hill 13-6 in their other pool play game on Saturday. The Snipers topped the Carolina Havoc 17-7 in their other pool play game to finish 1-1 on Saturday. NC #3 Dirtbags Black went 2-0 in pool play, scoring an 8-4 win over NC #5 Rawlings Prospects NC and a 13-7 win over #13 Athlete's Advantage Yard Goats. The Prospects fell 11-1 against SC #8 Predators NE in their other pool play game and the Yard Goats topped SC #4 PRO Select 11-6 in their other pool play game. In their other pool play games, Predators NE fell 8-4 against the Southern Nationals and PRO Select topped NC #4 Dirtbags East. Dirtbags East fell 11-10 against NC #6 Canes Baseball NC - Slaydon in their other pool play game. Canes - Slaydon fell 15-7 against Crusaders Baseball in their other pool play game. In the bracket play play-in game on Saturday night, the Carolina Havoc topped the Augusta Reds 15-12.
In the round-of-16 games on Sunday, Predators NE notched an 8-5 win over East Coast Snipers - Clark/Hill, Canes - Foster edged the Greenville Titans 6-5, and the Southern Nationals edged the Yard Goats 8-7. In amazing game between the #3 and #5 teams in North Carolina, Dirtbags Black scored 4 runs in the bottom of the 6th inning to push the game to extra innings. Rawlings Prospects scored 3 in the top of the 7th, but the Dirtbags loaded up the bases and blasted a walk-off grand slam to take home a 12-11 win over Rawlings Prospects NC. In the other round-of-16 games, Charleston Revolution - Whittle got past Canes - Slaydon 8-5, Crusaders Baseball topped Dirtbags East 12-5, PRO Select notched a 12-4 win over Canes - Naylor, and the SBA Futures got past the Carolina Havoc with a 12-6 win. In the quarterfinals, Canes - Foster got past Predators NE 11-8, Dirtbags Black topped the Southern Nationals 10-5, the Revolution notched a 6-4 win over the Crusaders, and the SBA Futures got shocked by PRO Select 15-6. In the semifinals, Canes - Foster rolled to a 12-0 win over Dirtbags Black and PRO Select scored an 11-6 win over the Revolution to reach the finals. In the finals, Canes Baseball NC - Foster used outstanding defense and pitching to score a second straight shut out with a 4-0 win over PRO Select.
Instant Analysis
Canes Baseball NC - Foster has been one of the best teams in the Southeast for quite some time. They had, however, fallen short against some of the best competition outside of North Carolina in the larger events after their title at the 10u USA Futures Invitational last summer. With their nemesis Crusaders Baseball and SBA Futures losing in the quarterfinals, the Canes took advantage and posted amazing back-to-back shut outs in the semifinals and finals to take home the title in Lexington this weekend. If anyone was doubting the Canes in the 11u age group, this performance should silence those concerns. The SBA Futures have been as good as anyone this spring, but went out earlier than expected this weekend. Dirtbags Black had another impressive weekend and only solidified their spot as the #3 team in North Carolina in the 11u age group. The picture is a little less clear in the 11u age group in South Carolina and this weekend gave us a lot to consider for our next SC 11u rankings.
Predicted champion: SBA Futures
Champion: Canes Baseball NC - Foster
12u
North Carolina #2 Canes Baseball NC - Simpson opened up pool play in impressive fashion, scoring a 10-1 win over South Carolina #3 Talon Baseball and a 17-3 win over the Braves (SC). Talon Baseball scored a 16-0 win over SC #6 Greenville Wolfpack Baseball in their other pool play game. The Wolfpack topped NC #7 Rock Solid Red 10-9 in their other pool play game, while Rock Solid fell 12-6 against the Braves in their other pool play game. NC #4 Dirtbags Legends went 2-0 in pool play, blanking SC #1 St. Andrew's Rocks 8-0 and scoring an 8-4 win over CBC Baseball Club. St. Andrew's fell 8-2 against Dirtbags National Prospects (TN) in their other pool play game. Dirtbags National Prospects finished 1-1 in pool play, falling 9-6 against CBC Baseball Club in their other pool play game.
In the bracket play play-in game, Rock Solid Red topped St. Andrew's Rocks 4-2. In the quarterfinals, Talon Baseball topped the Braves 6-1, Wolfpack Baseball scored a 6-3 win over Dirtbags Legends, Canes Baseball NC - Simpson blanked Rock Solid Red 8-0, and Dirtbags National Prospects edged CBC Baseball Club 9-8. In the semifinals, Talon Baseball topped Wolfpack Baseball 18-10 and Canes - Simpson blanked Dirtbags National Prospects 9-0. In the finals, Canes - Simpson finished off an impressive weekend with an 11-6 win over Talon Baseball.
Instant Analysis
The race for the top spot in the 12u age group is as close as it gets between #1 SBA Futures and #2 Canes Baseball NC - Simpson. The Canes have not yet been as active as the Futures this spring, but now have a USSSA Super NIT title on their resume, that included wins over SC #3 (x2), an excellent team from Tennessee (Dirtbags National Prospects), and NC #7 Rock Solid Red. The Futures probably have gone against slightly better competition overall, but the Canes are now 12-0 this spring and have outscored opponents a combined 135-15 across those 12 games. We'll be giving the decision for who's #1 a lot of thought this week, but either way, we'd love to see these two go head-to-head. It was a tough weekend for SC #1 St. Andrew's Rocks, as they went 0-3, and SC #3 Talon posted a decent weekend with two wins over SC #6 Wolfpack Baseball and their only losses coming against Canes - Simpson.
Predicted champion: Canes Baseball NC - Simpson
Champion: Canes Baseball NC - Simpson
13u
North Carolina's top team, Canes Baseball Eastern NC, came into this event as one of the hottest teams across any age group. They opened up pool play going 2-0 with a 7-2 win over the Renegades (SC) and a 9-1 win over the S.C. Warhawks, and earned the top spot for bracket play. South Carolina's top team, Canes Baseball SCBA, also went 2-0 in pool play, scoring a 12-4 win over the S.C. Warhawks and a 14-5 win over Rawlings Stars Select (SC). NC #3 Dirtbags TBM went 2-0 in pool play as well rolling to a 19-4 win over Southeast Baseball Academy (SC) and a 9-4 win over SC #3 Team 24 Gamecocks - Brown. Team 24 - Brown topped NSA Blue 15-0 in their other pool play game. NC #5 Carolina Rockies - Wilson went 2-0 in pool play as well, blasting their way to a 16-0 win over Rawlings Stars Select and a 14-6 win over the Renegades. This earned the Rockies the #2 seed for Sunday.
There were 3 play-in games in the 13u Majors division. In the play-in games, NSA Blue topped the S.C. Warhawks 8-6, Team 24 Gamecocks - Brown blanked Rawlings Stars Select 13-0, and the Renegades topped Southeast Baseball Academy 10-1. In the quarterfinals, Canes SCBA topped Southern Athletics 10-3, Canes Baseball Eastern NC scored a 6-4 win over NSA Blue, Dirtbags TBM notched a 9-4 win over Team 24 Gamecocks - Brown, and the Renegades got past Carolina Rockies - Wilson 8-4. In the semifinals, Canes SCBA rolled to a 14-1 win over Canes Baseball Eastern NC and Dirtbags TBM topped the Renegades 8-5. In a great finals game, Dirtbags TBM got down 6-1 through the top half of the 3rd inning. They battled back, however, and scored 2 runs in the bottom of the 5th and 2 more in the bottom of the 6th to tie the game at 9 and send it to extra innings. The 7th and 8th were both scoreless, and the Dirtbags plated one run in the bottom of the 9th inning to take home an outstanding 10-9 win over Canes Baseball SCBA.
Instant Analysis
While Canes Baseball Eastern NC did not get their second Super NIT of the title this weekend, the story of the weekend was Dirtbags TBM. They went 5-0 with wins over SC #1 and SC #3 (x2) on their way to a Super NIT title. While they won't displace Canes Eastern NC just yet at the top of the 13u rankings, they definitely proved they belong in the discussion with the top two teams, Canes Baseball Eastern NC and Dirtbags MVP. Canes Baseball SCBA fell short of a title, but was still impressive, especially with their win over Canes Baseball Eastern NC.
Predicted champion: Canes Baseball Eastern NC
Champion: Dirtbags TBM