Another weekend of umpire training events are in store for Top Gun. There looks to be a few more sites going and a few more teams involved, so it appears teams are getting geared up quickly for the spring season. Check out our preview of some of the top teams in action this weekend.
2/24
Charlotte
8u
None of our top 10 are in the 8u field in Charlotte this Saturday. The Belmont Bandits, Carolina Spinners, and the Chapin Talons will take on one another in a three team round robin format.
9u
9u #16 Mount Holly Lightning will make their spring debut in Charlotte this weekend and is the top ranked team in the 9u field on Saturday. They’ll face Elite Baseball EBC and SBA Canes Red on Saturday.
10u
None of our 10u top 20 will be in the field Saturday in Charlotte. However, there are several teams who are contending for top 20 spots who will be in action. The Belmont Bandits could be a top 20 this spring and they’ll face Team Carolina and Battalion (SC) on Saturday.
11u
11u #14 Vision Bandits is highest ranked 11u team in the field in Charlotte on Saturday. They’ll look to pick up where they left off this fall and start their spring with games against the SBA Canes – Walker and the Stealth Elite Falcons.
12u
On Saturday, the 12u field in Charlotte will feature #12 Venom Stars making their spring debut. They’ll be up against the South Rowan Hammerheads and Team 24 Gamecocks – Stiles (SC) on Saturday.
Raeford
11u
In Raeford on Saturday there will be a D2 division and a D3 division for the 11u age group. 11u #19 NSA Thunder will be the top ranked team in the field. They are matched up against the Carolina Cubs and the Dirt Devils on Saturday. The CB Chaos are also in the field, and they’ll face both the Cubs and Dirt Devils as well.
Snow Hill
10u
Top Gun split the 10u age group into a D1/D2 division and a D3 division for Saturday in Snow Hill. In the D1/D2 division, there will be three teams participating in a round-robin against one another. 10u #3 Dirtbags Platinum will get their spring season started on Saturday. They were one of the tope 10u performers in the state in the fall, and look to be one of the best yet again in 2018. They’ll face #6 Dirtbags East, who went 1-1 last weekend, and the North Wake Elite, who also will be on the field for the first time this spring. Dirtbags East and North Wake Elite will also face one another on Saturday.
11u
Like the 10u age group, the 11u age group will be split into D1/D2 and D3 divisions. 11u #20 Carolina Pilots will look to build off a 4-0 start to their season last weekend. They’ll be in the D1/D2 field on Saturday and they’ll face the Wendell Sharks and Pirates Elite. Greenville Athletics is also in the field and will face the Wendell Sharks and the Triangle Sports Hawks.
12u
The 12u age groups has also been broken into a D1/D2 division and a D3 division. 12u #3 Legends Baseball is fresh off a 4-0 start to their spring season. They’ll be up against #14 Sanford Cobras, who are making their spring debut this weekend, as well as the Carolina Titans – Wilson, whom they beat 14-4 last weekend. The Cobras and Titans will also face one another on Saturday.
13u
Although none of our top 20 are in the field this weekend, the Carolina Rage are back in action after winning the D3 Top Gun Winter World Series. They’ll go against the Holly Ridge JV Hornets and the Pamlico River Rats on Saturday. The Hornets and River Rats will also face one another in this three team division.
Florence, SC
10u
Although this field is mainly South Carolina teams, 10u #12 Sandhills Stingrays will be in the field. They’ll go up against an excellent SC Jets team as well as a very good East Coast Snipers (SC) team. The Richmond Rockies, who are just on the outside of our top 20, are also in this field. They’ll face the Punishers (SC) and the SC Jets on Saturday.
2/25
Charlotte
9u
The 9u age group on Sunday will be largely similar to the 9u field on Saturday in Charlotte, although the Mount Holly Lightning will not be in the Sunday field. We’ll get another good look at the SBA Canes Red on Sunday as they face Stealth Elite Eagles and the Storm.
10u
Similar to the 9u field, the 10u field will largely be the same teams from Saturday. We expect the Belmont Bandits to be the leader in this field, although anything is possible this early in the season. The Bandits will face the Defenders and Elite Baseball EBC on Sunday.
11u
The #12 Vision Bandits will again be the highest ranked team in the Charlotte field on Sunday. They are matched up against Black Mambas and Team USA Diamond Kings on Sunday.
12u
None of our top 20 teams will be in the 12u field in Charlotte on Sunday. This should be a wide open division.
Raeford
10u
10u #12 Sandhills Stingrays lead the three team field on Sunday in Raeford. They’ll face the NSA Prospects and Area Stars – Stanton.
11u
The 11u age group features two ranked teams in #10 Team Ghost and #19 NSA Thunder and these two will go head-to-head on Sunday. Team Ghost will also play the KSA Knights, and the Thunder will also face the Dirt Devils.
Snow Hill
8u
8u #2 Carolina Threshers will make their spring debut on 2/25 after posting a 24-1 record this past fall. They’ll face the Rocky Mount Marshals 2028 Greenville Athletics on Sunday. Greenville Athletics will also go up against Rocky Mount on Sunday.
9u
The 9u age group will feature #18 Smash Baseball making their spring debut. They’ll face the Rocky Mount Marshals and the Carolina Raiders on Sunday. The Coach’s Box Broncos, who were in and out of our top 20 this past fall, are also in the field for Sunday, and will also face the Carolina Raiders and Rocky Mount Marshals.
10u
Again on Sunday, the 10u age group has been divided into a D1/D2 division and a D3 division. 10u #3 Dirtbags Platinum will again be in the field on Sunday. They’ll again face North Wake Elite, who they play on Saturday, as well as the East Carolina Bombers. The Elite, who will play 3 of their first 4 games this spring against top 10 competition, will also face the Carolina MudDawgs on Sunday. The MudDawgs will also go against the East Carolina Bombers in their other game on Sunday.
11u
Similar to Saturday, the 11u age group in Snow Hill will be broken into D1/D2 and D3 divisions. In the D1/D2 divisions, #20 Carolina Pilots are again in the field. They’ll face the CB Kings (formerly Hit’n Mill Vipers) and the Triangle Sports Hawks on Sunday. The Kings and Hawks will also face one another on Sunday.
12u
The 12u age group has been divided into D1 and a D2/D3 fields on Sunday in Snow Hill. #3 Legends Baseball is again in the field on Sunday, and they’ll face Pirate Baseball and CB Elite. Carolina Titans – Wilson is also in this 4 team field and will also go against Pirate Baseball and CB Elite.
13u
None of our top 20 will be in the 54/80 13u field this weekend. PITT413, who went 14-6 this past fall in Top Gun play, looks to be one of the top teams in the field. They’ll face the Clayton Stampede and the New Bern Naughty Boys on Sunday.