There were a lot of ranked teams in action in the Charlotte region at the Top Gun sites this weekend. We saw the top 9u team in South Carolina (Team 24 Gamecocks - Clayton) go head-to-head with the #3 team in North Carolina (LBC Vipers) in a great finals match up. The 11u age group featured the return of one our top 20 10u teams from a year ago, the Belmont Bandits, making their debut in the 11u age group, while the 12u age group had 4 teams in our top 20 in action. Here we recap the highlights from the Top Gun sites in Charlotte and Concord.
Charlotte
8u
NC #4 Spartans - Mullins opened up the weekend going 2-0 in pool play with a 12-2 win over Team 24 Gamecocks - Mackay (SC) and a 9-6 win over the Carolina Spinners to earn the top seed for bracket play. The LBC Bulldogs scored a 6-5 win over Team 24 and a 12-10 win over the Spinners to earn the #2 seed for Sunday. In bracket play, the Bulldogs against edged past Team 24 with a 6-4 win, while the Spinners notched a revenge 15-10 win over the Spartans to reach the finals. In the finals, the Spinners finished off a comeback from an 0-2 run in pool play with a 10-7 win over the Bulldogs to take home the 8u title.
9u
SC #1 Team 24 Gamecocks - Clayton showed they are going to continue to be one of the top teams in the region, posting an 11-1 win over the Belmont Bandits and a 15-0 win over the UCLA Cubs in pool play to earn the top seed for Sunday. NC #3 LBC Vipers earned the #2 seed for Sunday with a 5-1 win over the UCLA Cubs and an 11-0 win over Legacy Baseball. Dry Pond 09 scored the #3 seed with a 6-4 win over the Gastonia Ducks and a 6-3 win over Ultimate Performance. In the Gold bracket semifinals, #1 seed Team 24 rolled to a 9-1 win over the LBC Lightning, while #2 seed LBC Vipers edged Dry Pond 09 6-5. In a great finals match up between the top team in South Carolina and the #3 team in North Carolina, Team 24 rode the strength of a 3-run 3rd inning to take a 4-2 win over the Vipers.
10u
American
SC #1 Team 24 Gamecocks - Ashley rolled through pool play in Charlotte this weekend, scoring a 13-1 win over SBA LKN Canes - Rinaman and a 17-1 win over Force Baseball to earn the #2 seed in the Gold bracket. The top seed went to SBA - Callahan, who had two shutouts in pool play with a 20-0 win over Legacy Baseball and a 5-0 win over the Carolina Reapers. NC #16 LBC Thunder went 2-0 in pool play with a 7-0 win over the OTK Saints and a 7-3 win over the Carolina Sun Devils to earn the #3 seed for bracket play. In the #4/5 play-in game, the OTK Saints battled to a 4-2 win over the Carolina Reapers. In the semifinals, Team 24 blanked the Thunder 10-0, while SBA - Callahan edged past the OTK Saints 5-4. In the finals, Team 24 - Ashley moved to 6-0 in the early season with a 21-7 win over SBA - Callahan.
National
The LKN Hurricanes went 2-0 on Saturday with an 18-1 win over SBA - Datta and an 8-5 win over Team 24 Gamecocks - Wilson (SC) and earned the #1 seed in the Gold bracket. The LBC Spartans earned the #2 seed with a 10-7 win over Team 24 and a 16-1 win over SBA - Datta. The NC Stars scored the #3 seed with a 12-2 win over the Gastonia Raptors and an 11-10 win over CCBA Bombers. In the Gold bracket semifinals, the NC Stars rolled to an 11-2 win over the Spartans and the LKN Hurricanes topped the Raptors 7-1. In the finals, the Hurricanes finished off a 4-0 weekend with a 12-4 win over the NC Stars.
11u
American
NC #6 Canes Baseball NC - Slaydon opened up pool play with an 8-3 win over DUBS Baseball and a 9-5 win over the LKN Hurricanes to earn the top seed for pool play. NC #18 Carolina Spinners got the #2 seed after an 8-2 win over SC #8 Team 24 Gamecocks - Bailey and a 14-7 win over the LBC Hammerheads. Team 24 topped the Hammerheads 13-3 to get the 5th and final spot in the Gold bracket. NC #15 Copperheads - Snell/Heis went 1-1 in pool play, scoring a 12-2 win over the Carolina Cannons and falling 12-0 against the Belmont Bandits, but were relegated to the Silver bracket for Sunday. The Bandits fell 9-7 against the Carolina Cannons in their other pool play game, but did enough to score the #3 seed in bracket play. In the #4/5 play-in game, Team 24 scored a 12-7 win over the LKN Hurricanes. In the semifinals, the Bandits got past the Spinners 9-7 and Canes - Slaydon scored a 14-4 win over Team 24. In the finals, the Belmont Bandits showed they belong among the top teams in North Carolina in the 11u age group with an 8-4 win over Canes - Slaydon.
National
Aces - Hartsell earned the top seed in the Gold bracket with an 11-1 win over the SOTG Sharks and a 9-3 win over Ultimate Performance. Team 24 Gamecocks - Comer (SC) scored the #2 seed with a 12-5 win over Elite Baseball EBC and a 9-4 win over Carolina Octane. In the Gold bracket semifinals, Team 24 rolled to a 11-1 win over the SOTG Muddawgs and Aces - Hartsell blasted their way to a 12-2 win over the Gastonia Raptors. In the finals, Aces - Hartsell finished off a 4-0 weekend with a 9-2 win over Team 24.
12u
D1
It was an outstanding 12u D1 field in Charlotte this weekend with 4 top 20 teams among the 9 teams in the field. NC #6 LBC Attack went 2-0 in pool play with a 12-1 win over Rawlings Stars NC Prospects and a 7-6 win over the Stanly County Titans to earn the #2 seed for Sunday. The top seed went to #12 Vision Bandits who scored a 9-5 win over Copperheads - Russ and a 5-0 win over the Park Sharon Nationals in pool play. The LKN Hurricanes scored the #3 seed with a 7-6 win over NC #17 SBA Canes - Erwin and a 5-1 win over the Park Sharon Nationals. NC #15 Carolina Blue Sox got the #4 seed in the Gold bracket after a 13-1 win over the Stanly County Titans and a 5-1 loss against the Rawlings Stars NC Prospects. In the #4/5 play-in game, the Blue Sox topped Copperheads - Russ 9-3. In the Gold bracket semifinals, the LKN Hurricanes rolled to a 12-1 win over the LBC Attack and the Blue Sox topped the Vision Bandits 12-8. In the finals, the LKN Hurricanes scored a walk-off 11-10 win over the Blue Sox to finish 4-0 for the weekend.
D2
The Coul Oak Hurricanes received the #1 seed in the Gold bracket with an 8-0 win over the Triple Crown Lookouts and a 3-1 win over CBA Copperheads - Rowland. Copperheads - Herkey earned the #2 seed with a 9-3 win over SBA Canes - Baldwin and a 7-2 win over SBA West - Gooders. The NC Stars received the #4 seed after going 1-1 win pool play with a 14-5 win over Copperheads - Caldwell and a 6-5 loss against CBC Baseball Club. In the #45/ play-in game, the NC Stars blanked SBA Cnaes - Baldwin 14-0. in the #3/6 play-in Game, Five Star DK Heat scored a 10-0 win over the Triple Crown Lookouts. In the semifinals, the NC Stars topped the Coul Oak Hurricanes 12-2 and Copperheads - Herkey scored a 10-2 win over Five Star DK Heat. In the finals, NC Stars finished off an impressive weekend with a 16-6 win over the Copperheads.
D3
The Hickory Hurricanes scored the top seed for bracket play with a 12-6 win over Myers Park Trinity and a 5-3 win over the Harrisburg Hornets. Myers Park notched a 7-1 win over the Carolina Heat in their other pool play game to earn the 5th and final seed in the Gold bracket. Legacy Baseball scored the #2 seed in the Gold bracket with an 8-7 win over the Lake Wylie Warriors and an 8-4 win over the LBC Lightning. In the #4/5 play-in game, Myers Park notched a 9-4 win over the Carolina Heat. In the semifinals, Legacy Baseball rolled to a 14-2 win over Stewards of the Game Storm and Myers Park took out top seeded Hickory Hurricanes 11-2. In the finals, Myers Park finished off an impressive Sunday with a 15-11 win over Legacy Baseball.
13u
The LKN Hurricanes earned the top seed for Sunday with a 4-0 win over NC #18 Carolina Prime and a 6-5 win over Elite Baseball EBC. Carolina Prime topped Elite Baseball 18-8 in their other pool play game. SC #4 Team 24 Gamecocks - Brown received the #4 seed in the Gold bracket after going 1-1 in pool play with a 12-5 win over the South Rowan Hammerheads and falling 9-6 against Union County Crush - Devore. In the Gold bracket semifinals, Carolina Prime edged past Crush - Devore 8-7 while Team 24 got past the LKN Hurricanes 7-5. In the finals, Team 24 posted an impressive 11-3 win over Carolina Prime.
Concord
8u
Union County Crush - Roadcap went 2-0 on Saturday with a 9-1 win over Aces - Burgess and a 17-8 win over the Cabarrus Bandits and earned the top seed for Sunday. Aces - Burgess scored a 5-3 win over the Carolina Lynx in their other pool play game and earned the #2 seed for Sunday. In the semifinals, the Cabarrus Bandits scored a 21-2 win over Aces - Burgess while Crush -Roadcap rolled to a 15-0 win over the Carolina Lynx. In the finals, Crush - Roadcap finished 4-0 for the weekend with a 5-3 win over the Bandits.
NC #1 East Rowan only played on Sunday, but posted an impressive 25-0 win over Aces - Burgess and a 22-0 win over the Carolina Lynx in their two games.
9u
Concord Athletics - McElhinny scored the top seed for the one-game bracket finals with a 12-4 win over the Anson Raptors, a 9-6 win over the Carolina Warriors, and a 4-3 win over the Cabarrus Bandits. The Bandits notched a 6-3 win over the Warriors and a 15-5 win over the Raptors in their other pool play games to also qualify for the final game. In the finals, the Bandits avenged their pool play loss with a 5-4 win over Concord Athletics.
10u
Carolina Flight (KW) scored the top seed for bracket play with a 16-1 win over the Outlaws and an 11-1 win over the Carolina Cobras. Hutters earned the #2 seed with an 8-4 win over the Outlaws and a 17-2 win over Copperheads - Duke. In the #4/5 play-in game on Sunday, Copperheads - Duke topped the Outlaws 10-7. In the semifinals, Hutters scored a 7-3 win over the Carolina Cobras and the Carolina Flight edged past Copperheads - Duke 3-2. In the finals, Hutters topped Carolina Flight (KW) 7-3 to take home the 10u title.
11u
SBA Canes LKN earned the top seed in the one-game finals going 3-0 in pool play with a 9-7 win over the Mooresville Biscuits, a 3-1 win over China Grove Raiders, and a 15-0 win over the Carolina Sundevils. The Raiders topped the Sundevils 8-0 and the Mooresville Biscuits 3-1 in their other two pool play games to earn their spot in the finals. In the finals, SBA Canes LKN finished off a 4-0 weekend with a 13-5 win over the China Grove Raiders.