USA Baseball’s 18U National Team Training Camp Phase One continued Friday at the National Training Complex with two competitive intra-squad games that highlighted strong pitching, timely hitting, and defensive miscues.
In the morning matchup, Team Light Blue earned its first win of the week with a decisive 5-0 shutout victory over Team Navy. In the afternoon, Team Grey improved to 2-0 with a thrilling 7-6 walk-off win against Team Red.
Light Blue 5, Navy 0
Team Light Blue got on the board in the top of the second inning when Jake McClurg drew a walk and later scored on a Deuce Jenkins double. The offense added two more runs in the fourth after Frank Thomas III walked and McClurg singled, with both runners coming around to score on a Kyler Meccage groundout and a Navy defensive error, pushing the lead to 3-0.
McClurg continued to make his presence felt on the basepaths in the sixth. After reaching via a fielder’s choice, he stole second, advanced to third on another miscue, and then stole home for Light Blue’s fourth run. Joe Mendazona Jr. followed with a single, and Meccage drove him in with a single to right field to cap the scoring at 5-0.
On the mound, Sammir Mohammed and Ethan Gustus were dominant early, each tossing two scoreless innings with four strikeouts apiece. Andrew Carlson and Meccage closed out the final two frames to complete the shutout. The Light Blue pitching staff allowed just three hits and one walk while recording 12 strikeouts.
Notable Performances:
- Jenkins led the offense with a 2-for-2 day, the only multi-hit game.
- McClurg scored three runs and showcased excellent base-running instincts.
- Mohammed and Gustus tied for the most strikeouts by any pitcher on the day.
Grey 7, Red 6
The afternoon contest was a back-and-forth battle that went down to the wire. Team Red jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning thanks to patient plate discipline — four of the first five batters reached base via walk, with Carter Hadnot scoring the game’s first run and Trip Ostergard plating the second after Max Philips was hit by a pitch.
Red added another run in the second on a Cooper Collins walk and a Max Hemenway sacrifice fly. However, Team Grey responded immediately. Jack Swanson singled home Caden Dawson in the bottom of the second, and Brandon Bush crushed a two-strike home run to left field to tie the game at 3-3. Grey took its first lead in the third when pinch runner Dylan Seward scored on a Lubin Rincon single.
The teams traded blows throughout the middle innings. Red tied it in the fifth on a Taylor Dodd single and Hemenway base knock. Grey answered with a Dawson double that scored Tyson Moore and a Malachi Butler single that plated Dawson for a 5-4 lead. Red tied the game again at 6-6 in the sixth, but Grey walked it off in the eighth when Jake Turner delivered a single that scored Swanson, who had walked earlier.
Notable Performances:
- Sebastian Castillo, Tyson Moore, Caden Dawson, and Brandon Bush each recorded two hits for Grey.
- Dawson and Swanson led all players with two runs scored apiece.
- Pitchers from both sides combined for seven strikeouts each, with Brady Guzzie and Colin Doyle pacing their teams with three strikeouts apiece.
On Deck
Training camp action resumes on Sunday, July 19, at the USA Baseball National Training Complex. Team Navy will face Team Grey at 1 p.m. ET, followed by Team Red versus Team Light Blue at 4 p.m. ET.
These intra-squad games provide valuable evaluation opportunities as USA Baseball continues preparations for international competition with its top 18U talent. Stay tuned to Litehouse Media for continued coverage, recaps, and insights from the National Training Complex.
