Outside NC Highlights 6/13-6/14/20

There were a number of top level teams who played outside North Carolina this past weekend. This included events such as the USSSA Super NIT in Atlanta, as well as Perfect Game events in Georgia and Florida. Here we briefly run down the highlights from our North Carolina teams who traveled across the Southeast this past weekend.

 

10u

The #2 team in North Carolina, Dirtbags Black, made the trip to Atlanta for the USSSA Atlanta Spring Super NIT this past weekend. They posted a 2-0 record in pool play, rolling to a 16-1 win over the Georgia Jackets and a 13-4 win over East Cobb Astros Gold which earned them the #2 seed. Unfortunately, they lost a close one in the first bracket play game, falling 8-7 against the Meridian Athletics Panthers (GA). The tournament was eventually won by our 23rd ranked team nationally, Motor City Hit Dogs - Hammond (GA), who scored wins over teams we have ranked 6th (TG Dbacks) and National Honor Roll member WCTB RailRiders.

 

11u

Both our #1 and #3 teams in North Carolina, the SBA Futures and SBA Nationals, made the trip down to St. Augustine, Florida this past weekend to compete in the Perfect Game Sunshine State Championships. In pool A, the Futures finished second, going 3-1 with wins over 5 Star Tigers - Myers (FL), Combat Baseball (GA), and Ponte Vedra Thunder - Freeman (FL), as well as a 5-4 loss against National Honor Roll Member Line Drive Baseball (GA). In pool B, the SBA Nationals went 3-0-1 topping Rip City Baseball (FL), national #9 FCA BlueClaws - Lucas, and the Jax Fury, as well as tying national #13 Kangaroo Court American. This gave the Nationals a bye into the second round of bracket play. In the opening round of bracket play, the Futures rolled to an 11-3 win over the Jax Fury to set up a match up against the Nationals in the quarterfinals. In an exciting, extra-innings game, the Futures scored 5 runs in the top of the 7th inning to take an 11-6 lead. The Nationals battled back, scoring 5 of their own in the bottom of the 7th to send the game to the 8th inning. After holding the Futures scoreless in the top of the 8th, the Nationals were able to push across the winning run in the bottom of the 8th to take a 12-11 win over the Futures. In the semifinals, the Nationals fell against eventual champion TX/FL Canes Elite, a team comprised of players from California, Florida, Louisiana, and Texas.

Our #2 team, Park Sharon Nationals - Pirro, made the trip down to Atlanta this past weekend to compete in the Perfect Game Summer Shootout. In a pool that included 3 teams in our National top 25 (#7 Park Sharon Nationals - Pirro, #12 Southern Madison Sluggers (KY), and #19 Dingers Athletics (GA), the Nationals went 2-2 in pool play, the Nationals won their opening game over the Kennesaw Generals (GA) 10-1, then fell 3-1 against the Southern Madison Sluggers, beat the Carl Black Longhorns (GA) 15-9, and lost in their final pool play game against Remix Rip City by the score of 4-2. This left the Nationals on the outside looking in for bracket play.

 

 

12u
It was a really impressive showing for Rawlings Prospects NC, as they went 6-0 on their way to the USSSA Super NIT title in Atlanta.

20 teams from 7 different states competed in the 12u Majors Division at the USSSA Atlanta Spring Super NIT this past weekend. Our #2 (Rawlings Prospects) and #3 teams (Dirtbags Black) made the trip down to Atlanta, and earned the #5 and 6 seeds, respectively, for bracket play after posting 2-0 records. The Prospects scored wins over the Motor City Hit Dogs (MI) and Fusion Baseball Club (GA) in pool play, while the Dirtbags posted pool play wins over Beehive Scout (AL) and the Meridian Panthers (GA). In bracket play, the Dirtbags opened with a 7-3 win over the Knoxville Stars (TN) to reach the quarterfinals. Rawlings also made it into the quarterfinals after posting an 8-2 win over the Georgia Bandits. In the quarterfinals, the Dirtbags scored 2 runs in the bottom of the 4th inning and held on to take a tight 3-2 win over the Motor City Hit Dogs, while the Rawlings Prospects rode strong pitching and defense to a 5-1 win over 5 Star Vols - Partin (TN). In the semifinals, Dirtbags Black fell in a high scoring 9-7 contest to 5 Star National (GA), while Rawlings Prospects were able to get past the MC Bulldogs by the score of 5-2 to reach the finals. In the finals, the Rawlings Prospects threw a ridiculous combined no hitter with 12 Ks from their two pitchers to take a 7-0 win over 5 Star National. For the week, the Prospects went 6-0, and gave up 12 total runs for the entire tournament, and just 5 runs in 4 bracket play games. The Dirtbags, who were nearly as impressive, went 4-1 for the weekend, surrendering a total of 22 runs across 5 games.