USSSA Beast of the East 12-13u Recap April 2019

These were by far the best 12u and 13u fields of the early spring season. 16 out of 20 top 10 North Carolina teams combined between the age groups, 21 total ranked North Carolina teams, two top 15 nationally ranked teams, as well as a top 10 team from South Carolina made these fields perhaps the best we will see all season in the 12 and 13u age groups. Similar to the younger age groups, the best North Carolina teams showed out with titles for our #2 12u team (SBA Futures) and #1 13u team (Canes Baseball Eastern NC). In two age groups that haven't been as active in the early spring because of middle school baseball, the BoE was the first true test many of these teams have face. Take a look at our recap of the weekend's games.

12u

24 teams. 12 of the top 20 teams in North Carolina. #12 in Perfect Game's national 12u top 100. The 12u Majors division was another loaded division in Charlotte this weekend. NC #2 SBA Futures went 2-0 in pool play, securing the #5 seed for bracket play with an 11-7 win over SBA West - Gooders and a 5-2 win over #16 Carolina Astros. The Astros fell 6-3 against NC #3 Dirtbags Legends in their other pool play game. The Legends topped SBA West 11-3 win their other pool play game and finished with the #3 seed for bracket play. National #12 Motor City Hit Dogs went 2-0 and earned the top seed for bracket play with a 15-1 win over Ultimate Performance Red and a 15-0 win over SBA Canes - Erwin. NC #12 Rock Solid Red scored the #2 seed for bracket play with a 3-2 win over NC #4 Mission Vipers Gold and a 7-3 win over the Braves. NC #6 Canes Baseball - Hood earned the #4 seed with a 7-3 win over #11 Big Game 2025 and a 5-4 win over NC #5 Five Star Carolina - Neyra. Big Game 2025 fell 6-2 against NC #7 NCDB Rivercats in their other pool play game. Five Star - Neyra topped NCDB 12-8 in their other pool play game and scored the 14th seed for bracket play.

8 teams (Clarksville Orioles - Welch [TN], Dirtbags Legends, Dirtbags National Prospects [TN], Rock Solid Red, SBA Futures, Canes Baseball NC - Hood, Mission Vipers Black, and the Motor City Hit Dogs [MI]) received byes into the round-of-16. In the play-in games, Mission Vipers Gold scored a 13-4 win over SBA West - Gooders, Five Star Carolina - Neyra topped Big Game 2025 5-2, WNC Five Star topped NC #10 LBC Attack 5-4, the Carolina Astros scored a 7-3 win over the NCDB Rivercats, NC #17 Carolina Blue Sox notched a 7-3 win over NC #8 Kernersville Bulldogs, the Braves scored a 12-4 win over Team VA, Dirtbags Camo took a 9-6 victory over SBA Canes - Erwin, and Ultimate Performance Red was able to get past Rawlings Stars NC Prospects 6-3. In the round-of-16, Mission Vipers Gold rolled to a 17-6 win over Clarksville Orioles - Welch, Dirtbags Legends scored a 3-1 win over Five Star - Neyra, Dirtbags National Prospects edged past WNC Five Star 12-11, Rock Solid Red notched a 7-3 win over the Carolina Astros, the SBA Futures rolled to a 12-2 win over the Carolina Blue Sox, Canes - Hood got past the Braves by the score of 10-7, Mission Vipers Black scored a 7-2 win over Dirtbags Camo, and the Motor City Hit Dogs blasted their way to a 12-4 win over Ultimate Performance Red.

In the quarterfinals, Mission Vipers Gold edged past Dirtbags Legends 5-4, Dirtbags National Prospects scored a 1-run 4-3 win over Rock Solid Red, the SBA Futures rolled to a 12-4 win over Canes - Hood, and the Motor City Hit Dogs blanked Mission Vipers Black 8-0. In the semifinals, Dirtbags National Prospects scored 6 runs in the bottom of the 5th inning to seal an 8-6 victory over Mission Vipers Gold and SBA Futures edged national #12 Motor City Hit Dogs 4-3. In the finals, the Futures proved to be too much for Dirtbags National Prospects as the SBA Futures blanked the Dirtbags 8-0 got get their 4th win of the day and 6th for the weekend.

Predicted champion: Dirtbags Legends

Champion: SBA Futures

Instant Analysis

The Futures outscored their 6 opponents a combined 52-18 this weekend. Their win at the BoE is their second BoE title in a row (including the Fall 2018 BoE). They are no strangers to the top of rankings, never having been outside of the top 2 in their age group since we've been doing this. In the fall of 2018, the Futures had a disastrous showing at the Top Gun Winter World Series and fell from 1st to 2nd in favor of Canes Baseball NC - Simpson. The Futures were impressive all weekend long, and a 6-0 showing at the BoE this weekend certainly is a strong claim for the top spot. #3 Dirtbags Legends and #4 Mission Vipers Gold went head-to-head in the quarterfinals, with the Vipers taking a 5-4 win in this battle. WNC Five Star were a nice surprise this weekend. They are a new team this spring, but posted a 2-2 record with wins over #10 LBC Attack and #17 Carolina Blue Sox. Of note, #13 LKN Hurricanes fell in the semifinals of the AAA division in Charlotte, and posted a 2-2 record for the weekend. #19 Golden Spikes and #20 WCW Black both fell in the semifinals in Morganton this weekend, with both teams going 3-1 for the weekend.

 

 

13u

8 of our top 9 teams as well as the #14 team in the state headlined the North Carolina contingent in the 13u Majors division at the BoE. They were met the #4 team in South Carolina in Team 24 Gamecocks - Brown as well as Perfect Game's #2 team in the United States in the Motor City Hit Dogs. Our #1 team in North Carolina, Canes Baseball Eastern NC was one of only 4 teams to go 2-0 in pool play. They earned the #2 seed for bracket play after scoring a 7-1 win over Dirtbags Black Raleigh and a 6-5 win over Rawlings Prospects NC 2024. The #1 seed went to NC #3 Dirtbags TBM who posted a 6-1 win over SC #4 Team 24 - Brown and a 13-2 win over the Carolina Stars. NC #2 Dirtbags MVP earned the #3 seed with a 6-5 win over NC #6 Sanford Cobras and a 10-2 win over Carolina Stars. The Cobras topped #14 SBA American 9-3 in their other pool play game and earned the #5 seed for bracket play. NC #8 Five Star Carolina - Smith was the fourth and final undefeated team in pool play, notching a 10-6 win over NC #5 Carolina Rockies - Wilson and a 9-6 win over NC #7 Team Elite American. The Rockies scored the 7th seed for bracket play with an 11-1 win over the NCDB Rivercats in their other pool play game, while Team Elite American finished pool play with the 10th seed after a 9-6 win over NCDB in pool play. #9 TPA Nationals - Christman went 1-1 in pool play, falling 9-4 against the Hit Dogs, and scoring a 9-4 win over Rawlings Prospects NC 2024. This left them with the 9th seed for bracket play.

4 teams made it through pool play with unblemished records in the 13u Majors division.

Dirtbags TBM, was the only team to receive a bye into the quarterfinals. In the play-in games, the Motor City Hit Dogs notched a 9-4 win over TPA Nationals - Christman, SBA American edged the Sanford Cobras 5-4, Five Star Carolina - Smith notched an 11-5 win over Rawlings Prospects NC, Team 24 Gamecocks - Brown scored a 1-run 7-6 win over Dirtbags Black Raleigh, Dirtbags MVP rolled to a 15-5 win over NCDB, Carolina Rockies - Wilson blanked Team Elite American 12-0, and Canes Baseball Eastern NC blanked the Carolina Stars 8-0. In the quarterfinals, the Hit Dogs rolled to a 9-1 win over Dirtbags TBM, Five Star - Smith blanked SBA American 8-0, Dirtbags MVP edged past Team 24 Brown 4-3, and the Canes scored a 7-4 win over the Rockies. In the semifinals, the Hit Dogs blasted their way to a 16-4 win over Five Star Smith, and the Canes pulled out an 8-3 win over Dirtbags MVP in a match up of our top two teams in North Carolina. In an absolutely great finals game, the Canes took a 5-3 lead into the 5th inning, but gave up 2 runs in the top of the 5th and 2 runs in the top of the 6th to fall behind 7-5 entering the bottom of the 6th inning. The Canes rallied in the bottom of the 6th, plating 3 runs to earn an 8-7 win over the Motor City Hit Dogs and take home the 13u Majors BoE title.

Predicted champion: Dirtbags MVP

Champion: Canes Baseball Eastern NC

Instant Analysis

The Canes have now firmly established themselves as the team to beat in North Carolina in the 13u age group. Dirtbags MVP are right behind them, but are off to slow start this spring, although they performed well this weekend, with their only loss coming against the Canes. Beyond the top 2 teams in North Carolina, there are several fairly evenly match teams vying for the next 6-10 spots. Dirtbags TBM currently occupies the 3rd spot, and had a solid weekend, going 2-1 with their only loss coming against the Hit Dogs, who again are one of the best teams in America in this age group. It is difficult to sort the rest of the performances, other than to point out that Five Star Carolina - Smith had an excellent weekend, going 4-1 with wins over #5 Carolina Rockies - Wilson, #7 Team Elite American, and #14 SBA American.