TNXL Ducks 2
Next Level 1
The TNXL Ducks kicked things off with a tough win against Next Level Academy on Thursday morning, winning 2-1.
Noah Dickerson got things started in the top of the first with a one out single. After moving to second on a walk to Elijah Cabell, Dickerson would come around to score on a base hit from Hylan Hall. The Ducks added another run to the board in the second as well. Gabriel Ferrer drew a walk, and then moved to third on a double from Doug Kirkland. Tyrell Brewer wasted no time bringing in Ferrer, lifting a fly ball to center for a sacrifice fly.
Two runs were plenty for starting pitcher Casey Daiss. The big righty took a no hitter into the fourth inning and recorded seven strikeouts in his 4.1 innings of work. Jackson Nezuh replaced Daiss on the mound in the fifth and ended up finishing the game to pick up the save, though he truly had to earn it. With two outs in the fifth, Next Level scored their lone run on a wild pitch from Nezuh. Then, to make things interesting, Next Level put the tying run on third and the winning run on second in the seventh. Nezuh was able to settle in and strike out Coleman Fleming to secure the win.
Hylan Hall reached base three times in the game to lead the Ducks. Chase Wilkerson was phenomenal for Next Level in the loss, posting nine strikeouts in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings.
IMG Performance 6
Central Pointe Christian Blue 2
IMG Performance held a comfortable lead throughout their matchup with Central Pointe Christian, taking home a 6-2 win on Monday afternoon,
After two scoreless frames on both sides, the Ascenders put three across in the third inning. Kyle Westfall led off with a double, and scored on a double from Leyton Berry. After a Blaze Alexander single put men on the corners, a balk allowed Berry to touch home. Will Bartlett then closed out the scoring with an RBI single, giving IMG a 3-0 lead.
Blake Benyo added another for IMG in the fourth. He started the inning with a single, stole second base and then scored on an error to make it 4-0.
In the fifth inning Moises Piters put the White Tigers on the scoreboard when he scored on an bad throw from the shortstop. The Ascenders were quick to respond, adding a pair in the bottom half. Keijiro Fujiwara drew a bases loaded walk to get things going. Will Bartlett then scored on a wild pitch to make it 6-1.
Central Pointe didn't go down without a fight though. Down to their last out, the tigers drew a walk, reached on an error and punched a single through the infield to load the bases. Luis Villanueva then added a single of his own, scoring Justin Tejeda, to make it 6-2. Wyatt Beddow then put a stop to things with a swinging strikeout to end the game.
Beddow went the distance for IMG, scattering four hits over seven innings. He struck out six and walked three in his win. Alexander and Bartlett each had two hits to pace IMG. Tejeda reached base twice and scored both runs for Central Pointe.
TNXL Ducks 4
Avant Garde 3
Box Score
The TNXL Ducks showed some fatigue in their second game of the day, but were able to mount a comeback win over Avant Garde on Thursday evening.
Avant Garde jumped out to an early lead in the top of the first. After Abner de Jesus was hit by a pitch, he stole second base. Matthew Garcia then fouled off five straight pitches before sending a line drive to center, bringing de Jesus in to score. Jan Reyes then padded the lead in the third inning when he scored on an error to make it 2-0.
Christian Bernabe doubled to lead off the bottom of the third, and moved to third base on a wild pitch. He was brought in on a sac fly from Manny Calzado to cut the lead in half, 2-1.
After a scoreless fourth, things got interesting in the fifth. Garcia picked up his second RBI of the game when his sac fly plated de Jesus, putting the Wolves up 3-1. TNXL battled back in the bottom half though. With two outs in the inning, Hylan Hall roped an RBI single to the outfield, scoring Calzado. Hall then showcased is blazing speed, stealing second and third base. After Noah Dickerson walked, Avant Garde chose to intentionally walk Elijah Cabell to load the bases. The plan backfired as Kyle Larsen drove in both Hall and Dickerson with a single, giving TNXL the 4-3 lead.
Ian Schools tossed a scoreless sixth inning for the Ducks, and was replaced in the seventh. After a pair of walks put two men on, Hall was called on to close things out. A line drive double play left one runner on second base with one out to go. After an intentional walk to the dangerous Jose Falcon Hall was able to force Bryan Garcia to groundout to short to end the game.
Hal and Bernabe each had a pair of hits to lead the Ducks attack. Falcon had two hits of his own to pace the Wolves.
FTB Platinum 4
Pro 5 Academy 2
The final game of the first day saw FTB Platinum hang on for a 4-2 win over North Carolina's Pro5 Academy on Thursday night.
Alejandro Figueredo was the first runner to reach base, stroking a two-out double in the top of the first. Mauricio Moreno followed with a single to score the first baseman, making it 1-0. They extended their lead in the third inning, scoring to more runs. Austin Davis led off with a double, and was sacrificed to third base. The move paid off when Davis touched home on a wild pitch. Figueredo restarted the rally with a walk, and moved to second on another wild pitch. He was brought in on an RBI single from Pedro Moreno, pushing the lead to 3-0.
Pro5 mounted a two out rally in the fourth inning. Consecutive singles from CJ Martin, Greyson Bailey and Carter Holies loaded the bases for Tyler Stocum. He didn't have to do much to earn the RBI, as he looked at four straight balls to draw the walk. A groundout to second would leave three men stranded, with the score remaining 3-1.
The two teams traded runs in the fifth. TJ Washington picked up an RBI single, scoring Figueredo for FTB. Pro5's tally came across when CJ Martin's sac fly plated Trent Harris to make the score 4-2.
John Parezo locked down the final four outs of the game for FTB Platinum to earn the save.
Figueredo was the star of this one, reaching base four times (single, three walks). He also scored three of the four runs for FTB. Trent Harris recorded three hits for Pro5 to lead the Fighters' offense.
Friday, May 4th Schedule
All games at Sanford Memorial Stadium
1:15 pm: Pro5 vs. Central Pointe Christian
4:00 pm: IMG Performance vs. Avant Garde
6:45 pm: Next Level vs. FTB Platinum