A dominant performance on the mound by Tyler Howe, followed by timely hitting and capitalizing on mistakes, led Canes Simpson to an 8-0 win over EPA Gold to win the 14U title at the Myrtle Beach Summer Nationals on Monday.

Howe allowed just three hits on the game with one walk and six strikeouts in the six-inning effort that was made a complete game on the mound by the effort of his offense. He would also have a bunt single in the third and would come around to score as part of a four-run inning.

“[Tyler’s] fastball was really good actually,” said catcher Noah Franklin. “He was able to locate it really well. His offspeed was working really well too. Honestly, he made it really easy for me. It’s good when you know you’ve got runners on and he’s going to locate his spot. It makes it a lot easier to know that you’re not going to have to instantly block. You can stay up and frame the pitch as best as possible.”

With nine of the first 10 batters being retired by Howe and the defense in the field, it gave time for the Canes offense to settle into the contest. After scoring two off a pair of EPA miscues in the first, Canes Simpson was able to come back with four runs in the third to take a commanding 6-0 lead.

That would prove to be more than enough runs for Howe. The lefty did not allow a runner past second throughout the game, keeping EPA Gold stymied in the batter’s box for the majority of the contest. Up 7-0 in the bottom of the sixth, Rowen Simpson would single to right to plate the game-winning run as Canes Simpson won in walk-off fashion thanks to the run rule.

At the end of four long, hot days, Canes Simpson was able to walk away with their fourth championship of the season. “It feels awesome,” Howe said. “We had confidence that we just wanted to win the ball game and try to do it with some class, so it was great.”

By Jason Hanes

​After a tight, nervy 2-0 game the day before in the winner’s bracket finale against Diamond Elite 15U, Inside Edge Carter took advantage of an eight-run third inning to pull away for a 9-5 victory, clinching the championship in 15U at the Myrtle Beach Summer Nationals Monday afternoon.

“We had good pitching,” said Inside Edge head coach Mike Carter. “The last four or five games, we’ve had good pitching. Our bats kind of struggled here and there, but we picked each other up. We played [Diamond Elite] twice, and yesterday was a really good game. Today, we came out hitting.”

Trailing 4-1 entering the bottom of the third, Inside Edge Carter flipped the game on its head with an eight-spot. Collin Dobson, who was named his team’s MVP for the tournament, started the scoring with a bases-clearing double to tie the game, 4-4. “I was just trying to put the ball in play to get something going for my team really,” Dobson said. “I was just trying to get a run or something to help my team at least.”

One batter later, Cooper Hudson put his team on top with a two-run homer to center. “After [Collin] gave me a little bit of motivation to go up there and do something, and after a first-pitch ball, I knew he was going to come back with a fastball,” Hudson said of his at-bat. “He just put it right in my wheelhouse and I put a good swing on it and saw it lift off.”

After a costly error for Diamond Elite put two runners on with two out later in the frame, Jax Fosnow delivered the rest of the runs Inside Edge would need. “After both of their great at-bats, I wanted to hit it off,” Fosnow said. “[The pitcher] threw me a hanging curveball and I ripped it.” The three-run blast of Fosnow’s bat made it a 9-4 lead.

The big inning led to a noticeable shift in the momentum and energy on the field. “It changed the complexion and intensity of the game,” Hudson said. “It put it on our side and gave us all of the energy. It was just flawless after that.”

“Our bats started going, our defense worked well together,” Dobson said. “It was just a good game all around.”

Diamond Elite would threaten, scoring a run in the sixth. But the defense of Inside Edge Carter would help carry the day by turning double plays in the sixth and the seventh, with the last one closing out the game in style.

The tournament marked the end of a long season of growth for Inside Edge Carter.  “We were down here for five days,” coach Carter said. “The parents wanted to come down and go on a little bit of a vacation. This just topped it all off. This was everything.”

By Jason Hanes

​With the winning team getting a clear path to the championship game in 14U at the Myrtle Beach Summer Nationals, Canes Simpson came through with a 12-2 run-rule win over EPA Gold Sunday night.

The loss sends EPA gold to the loser’s bracket finale Monday morning against Ohio Spiders 14U. The Spiders held off a late rally by Diamond Devils Scheno, 7-3, to clinch a spot in the game to decide who moves to the championship contest.

Canes Simpson started the day with a 9-1 win over Ohio Spiders, then kept the offensive momentum going to get the win in the second game of the day. “We scored five in the top of the first in the first game,” said Canes head coach Brian Simpson. “It’s a big help when you can score three in the first inning and score again in the second.”

In the game against EPA Gold, Canes Simpson took a 7-1 lead after an inning and a half of play. “We’re starting to see the ball a lot better,” said coach Simpson. “We’ve been playing for two and a half weeks after playing in a tournament in Alabama before this. We saw a lot of baseballs down there, and we’re seeing the baseball here.”

Starting pitcher Matty Brown would go the distance for the Canes, allowing just one earned run in five innings of action on three hits with a walk and five strikeouts. He would also chip in a sacrifice fly on the offensive side of the ball as part of the four-run second. “[My offense] gives me a lot of confidence. At the start, I was just kind of sitting on my fastball,” Brown said. “Then I got my curveball and started throwing it first pitch and getting ahead every time. Then my changeup got on and I started throwing that a lot.”

The win means that Canes Simpson will be able to use less pitching going into the title game as opposed to their future opponent, who will have to play early Monday morning before the championship round. “It’s big for us,” coach Simpson said. “Now we’re sitting on some good arms for the championship game tomorrow.”

In the 15U Summer Nationals Championship division, Inside Edge Carter knocked off Diamond Elite 15s, 2-0, in the winner’s bracket finale to move on to the championship round. They will face the winner of Monday morning’s contest between Diamond Elite and WV Sting 15U.

By Jason Hanes

​After a tough start to play at the Myrtle Beach Summer Nationals, Mass Rebels 15U got going in the Pelican Bracket Saturday afternoon, winning 13-4 over All Pro Stars and 6-0 over Commonwealth Baseball Club to advance to the winner’s bracket finale Sunday afternoon.

“We didn’t play well the first couple of days,” said Mass Rebels head coach Freddie Canuel. “It wasn’t our style of baseball. Tonight, we got some timely hitting and good defense and great pitching.”

Led by starting pitcher Luke Gomes in the first game, Mass Rebels earned a 13-4 win in their first game of the day. “We just needed to win,” Gomes said. “Without a win, we’d have to go home and no one wants to go home this early.”

In the second game of the day, Mass Rebels faced a Commonwealth Baseball Club squad that hadn’t played yet Saturday thanks to seeding. However, six shutout innings on the mound by Alex Madieros kept Commonwealth Baseball at bay and helped his side to a 6-0 win.

“My fastball felt good. My location felt good,” said Alex Madieros. “My offspeed wasn’t good, but it got there towards the end. Just overall, I had good location.”

Madieros allowed just five hits in six innings of work while walking one and fanning six. “He’s been one of our more resilient, dependable pitchers this season,” Canuel said. “He was just solid keeping the batters off-balance.”

All the offense Madieros would need came in the third inning. A sacrifice fly led off the scoring in the first, while a single by Jayden Coburn one batter later added a second run to the tally. A bases loaded walk with two out would make it 3-0, but the big blow of the inning came when Madieros singled to left to drive in two runs, making it 5-0.

An insurance run came home in the sixth when, after two wild pitches put a man on third, Josh Garcia singled to center to bring home the sixth run of the contest.

Mass Rebels now find themselves potentially two wins away from winning the Pelican Bracket in the 15U division. “It’s always motivation every year to come out to compete to win,” said coach Canuel. “At the end of the day, if there’s a championship to win, we’ll take it. But, they come out to play for themselves and the team.”

By Jason Hanes

Five early runs and key relief pitching were key for Diamond Elite 15s as it held on to defeat DiMaria Baseball Academy, 7-4, in a winner’s bracket contest at the Triple Crown 15U Summer Nationals in Myrtle Beach, S.C., Saturday afternoon.

The win sets up a Sunday afternoon contest for Diamond Elite 15s against Inside Edge Carter, with the winning squad getting a slot in Monday morning’s championship game.

“I think anytime you can get on top early in the ballgame, you’ve got a good chance to win,” said Diamond Elite 15s head coach Ken Bukauskas. “Usually, the team that scores first is going to win, so it’s important that we come out and swing. Our approach is to think swings first.”

Diamond Elite 15s sacrificed an out for the first run of the game in the top of the opening inning. With runners on the corners and one out, the runner from second went in motion, and Drew Lampl came home as the throw was let go. While Weston Turner would be thrown out at second, Lampl would score to make it 1-0.

In the second, after a throwing error allowed a run to score, a double by Mitchell Young made it 3-0. Singles by Turner and Lampl would add on two runs to make it 5-0.

A sacrifice fly brought DiMaria Baseball Academy within four in the fourth, 5-1. In the fifth, three runs came home before Tyler Kelly came in to pitch with one out in the inning. On a ground ball to short with two runners on, DiMaria Baseball Academy tried to steal a run on a ground ball to short; however, after the force at second, a throw to the plate would get the runner trying to score, ending the inning.

From there, Kelly would shut down the opposition. He would notch four strikeouts over the final two perfect innings of relief. He would also help his own cause with a single in the sixth that would lead to one of two insurance runs over the final two innings to get the win.

“I was just trying to keep it on the outside corner and keep them having to reach,” said Kelly. “I didn’t want to give them anything down the middle or anything easy to hit.”

“I was trying to hold on a little bit because he threw yesterday. But when it comes down to it, we needed to put someone in who can throw strikes,” coach Bukauskas said.

The win means that Diamond Elite 15s is potentially two wins away from the championship, but staying clear of the loser’s bracket could prove to be a big advantage heading into the final two days. “Any time you can limit pitches and limit the number of pitchers that you have to use is a big advantage,” coach Bukauskas said. “It’s not like we have a whole staff of arms out here. We’ve got guys that are playing positions and I’m trying to keep it where are numbers are good and we’ve got a lot of pitchers still left.”

By Jason Hanes

​Eleven teams won regional brackets Friday and three teams clinched wild card bids to set the field for the Myrtle Beach Summer Nationals 14U Championship Bracket, with double-elimination play beginning Saturday morning.

#1 Seed: TCB Hetu – The team with the top seed is the team that allowed the fewest runs in regional bracket play. TCB Hetu outscored its opponents by a combined score of 31-0 over the three games of their bracket. Being one of the top two seeds earns TCB Hetu a bye in the opening round of Saturday’s play.

#2 Seed: Virginia Venom – No team put up more runs over three games of regional play than Virginia Venom, with just two runs allowed keeping it from the top seed. Virginia Venom scored 50 runs in three games, including 19 in Friday’s bracket final victory over Knights Premier. The squad earns the second bye into the second round of Saturday’s action.

#3 Seed: Ohio Spiders – Undefeated in the K Bracket Region, Ohio Spiders were credited with a +20 run differential to pick up the third seed. The squad won its bracket with an 11-1 victory over Diamond Elite Friday morning.

#4 Seed: EPA Gold – Another squad to put up big runs, EPA Gold plated 21 in their opening win of regional play. While they outscored their opponents 36-3, run differential is capped at seven runs per game, placing EPA Gold in the fourth slot.

#5 Seed: Diamond Devils Scheno – After defeating Aces Elite – Miller in Thursday’s winner’s bracket game, Diamond Davis Scheno came back to win the rematch Friday morning 11-3. The team allowed just six runs in regional bracket play.

#6 Seed: Ohio Heat – Taking a big win in their first game of the regional bracket, Ohio Heat had to grind out two wins over CT Capitals Baseball Organization to earn the regional bracket win. A 7-5 victory Thursday afternoon was followed by a 6-5 win Friday morning to earn a slot in the Championship Bracket.

#7 Seed: Canes Baseball Simpson – It took eight innings Friday, but Canes Baseball Simpson earned an 8-7 victory over the Severna Park Green Hornets to clinch a spot in the championship field. Canes Baseball Simpson earned a +10 run differential in the three games of regional play.

#8 Seed: Mid-Atlantic Red Sox (Carroll) – The last of the eight teams not to need to play an “if necessary” game in regional play, Mid-Atlantic Red Sox (Carroll) played a one-run game to start bracket play with a 5-4 win over the Franklin Generals, then topped Spartans 2025 in consecutive games, 9-3 and 4-2, to win its regional bracket.

#9 Seed: The Lab – The ninth seed in the bracket is the first team to have to win three games on Friday to advance to the championship bracket. Friday morning started with a 4-1 win over the Elkridge Hurricanes – Orange. Then, The Lab had to defeat Diamond Devils Guenther twice to make the championship bracket. After an 11-1 win in their second game Friday, The Lab took a 4-3 win in the “if necessary” game to win its regional bracket. By virtue of its three wins Friday, The Lab is the only team to have won four games so far this tournament.

#10 Seed: SJ Young Guns – In the catbird’s seat Friday morning, SJ Young Guns fell in its first game of Friday to Evolution Baseball Vegas, 7-4. Needing to win the “if necessary” game to advance, SJ Young Guns came up with a 10-3 win to clinch a spot in the championship bracket.

#11 Seed: NY Prospects (Riches) – Much like SJ Young Guns, NY Prospects (Riches) need to win one game Friday to advance to the championship bracket. A wrench was thrown in the plans early as Beaver Valley Baseball Black earned a 6-5 win to force the “if necessary” game. NY Prospects (Riches) would roar back in the finale, earning a 13-0 run-rule win to clinch the 11th seed.

#12 Seed: Beaver Valley Baseball Black – One of three wildcards to reach the championship round, Beaver Valley Baseball Black had the best run differential of the three teams that forced an “if necessary” game in their regional bracket.

#13 Seed: Evolution Baseball Vegas – By virtue of forcing the “if necessary” game against SJ Young Guns, Evolution Baseball Vegas was able to get the second wild card into the championship bracket.

#14 Seed: CT Capitals Baseball Organization – Losing its two games in its regional bracket by a combined three runs, CT Capitals Baseball Organization had the best run differential of the remaining teams, allowing it to pick up the final wildcard into the championship bracket.

The Championship Bracket begins at 8 a.m. Saturday morning at Grand Park in Myrtle Beach, culminating in a 10:30 a.m. Monday morning championship game.

​By Jason Hanes

Down 5-0 after just one-half inning to a strong Severna Park Hornets squad, Canes Baseball Simpson rallied back to force extra innings before winning, 8-7, to close out a regional bracket at the Myrtle Beach Summer Nationals.

The win of one of the 11 Regional Brackets gave Canes Simpson a bid in the Summer Nationals Bracket, which commences Saturday. Severna Park now waits to see if it will get one of the three wildcards into the Summer Nationals Bracket or if they will play in the Pelican Bracket.

“We were chasing runs early,” said Canes head coach Brian Simpson. “Our pitchers struggled early, but we settled in and started pitching to contact. We just chipped away at it. That’s what these guys are good at. They don’t ever stop and just try to stay In it and give themselves a chance at the end.”

Things began to turn in the favor of Canes Simpson in the fifth inning. With two men on, Matty Brown sent a fly ball to center that bounced high off the turf and over the centerfielder’s head. The double plated both runners and cut the lead to 6-5.

Still, with the time limit having expired during play in the sixth inning, the Canes would soon be down to their last at bat. After a single to lead off the inning, Hudson Mullen laced a ball just inside the bag at third for a double, with the throw home being too late to get the tying run. While the Canes wouldn’t score for the rest of the inning, the game was tied going to extra innings.

Under tournament rules, each extra inning starts with the bases loaded and one out, with both teams getting a chance to bat. Severna Park would score in the seventh inning, but Canes Simpson matched in the bottom half. Canes pitcher Kaden Christian would get two outs in the top of the eighth unscathed, and after a walk to start and end the bottom half of the inning, Canes Simpson managed an 8-7 win.

“I didn’t feel too much pressure,” said Christian of his time on the mound. “I wasn’t going for strikeouts. I was trying to get a ground ball and let my defense work. I know everybody behind me will make plays.”

The win allowed Canes Simpson to avoid the “if necessary” game to decide who would win the regional bracket. “That’s big,” coach Simpson said. “It saves us arms. That’s what we’re trying to do to get to the knockout round.”

By Jason Hanes

For many teams, the Myrtle Beach Summer Nationals from Triple Crown Sports present a great way to end a long season. If you’re a team like Premier 13U – Moore, winning a championship is just the icing on the cake.

A four-run first and a three-run third proved to be the big difference as Premier 13U – Moore defeated Team Elite American, 10-6, to win the 13U Pelican Bracket at the Myrtle Beach Summer Nationals.

“It’s been a long week, but these guys came ready to play,” said Premier head coach Vincent Moore. “They’re 13-year-olds, so there’s going to be some ups and downs, more so downs than ups. These games can get kind of long, but these guys did a good job of pushing through.”

After a win in the game immediately proceeding the championship game to get to get a chance at the trophy, Premier 13U – Moore came out ready to go. After a scoreless top half of the first, Premier plated four runs to take a lead it would never relinquish. After Team Elite American scored twice in the second and once in the third, Premier came back with three runs as Wade Sebek cleared the bases with a bomb over the fence in center.

“The first pitch was a ball, and I was just looking to stay through the ball and not pull off of it,” Sebek said.

“Those two innings were huge for us,” coach Moore said. “Our team has a tendency to sleepwalk through the first few innings, and then you have to get on them and wake them up. When they wake up, they hit the ball pretty well.”

Premier 13U – Moore would tack on three insurance runs before the seventh inning, and the runs turned out to play a big role in the contest. With his team down to its last strike, Stephen Crater would connect on a three-run homer of his own over the fence in right-center to pull Team Elite American within four, 10-6.

That would prove to be the final runs of the game, however, as Luke Kohler would induce a pop out in foul territory to end the game and clinch the title for Premier 13U – Moore.

“Pitching and playing good defense is the name of the game,” said coach Moore. “A lot of times at the 13U age group, pitching can go to the wayside, but we did a good job today of pitching.”

The tournament marks the end of the season for Premier 13U – Moore, but winning a championship made the trip west from Katy, Texas worth it. “This year’s been great,” said Sebek. “I liked everybody on the team, and it was fun playing with them.”

By Jason Hanes

​Trailing in games had been old hat in some ways for Mid-Atlantic Show Nicolosi, but so had been making comebacks.

Down 4-1 after an inning and a half, Mid-Atlantic Show Nicolosi tied the game after three innings, then took the lead for good with a six-spot in the fourth to win, 12-8, over VA Seminoles – Fletcher to win the 13U Championship at the Triple Crown Summer Nationals in Myrtle Beach, S.C.

“We joke around about our guys being all business and we’re used to playing from behind,” said head coach Frank Nicolosi. “We played this Seminoles team yesterday and they got out to a lead, and we were able to scratch and claw our way back. We always know we’re one big inning away from being back in the ball game, and these guys do a great job of scoring in bunches.”

Mid-Atlantic Show Nicolosi went into the bottom of the third down 4-2 thanks in part to a solid play at short by Nick Scheer that saved a run. “I just knew I always had to keep my feet moving,” Scheer said. “Our pitchers did a great job of throwing ground balls.”

In the bottom of the inning, Scheer would connect on a single over second with the bases loaded to pull his side within one. One batter later, Evan Miller walked with the bases still full to tie the game, 4-4.

With pitchers and players getting tired on both sides, Mid-Atlantic Show Nicolosi took a big advantage in the bottom of the fourth. A pair of errors with the bases loaded allowed two runs to score for Mid-Atlantic Show Nicolosi to make it 6-4. After Scheer was hit by a pitch to drive in the third run of the inning, Miller drilled a double to the gap to clear the bases and give his side a 10-4 cushion.

“I just wanted to put the ball in play,” Miller said. “I just wanted to score any run I could and maybe make them make errors. It was huge for us to keep adding runs, because that team is known for coming back, so if they had a big inning, it could have been all downhill for us.”

“What people don’t realize is that the pitchers are tired, but the players are tired as well.” Coach Nicolosi said. “This isn’t like a college roster where you’ve got 12 guys that pitch and that’s all they do. At this age level, most of the time your best pitcher is also the starting shortstop or your starting centerfielder or your starting catcher.”

While Mid-Atlantic Show Nicolosi did add on two more to make it 12-4 going to the sixth, VA Seminoles – Fletcher continued to show the fight that got them to the championship game. A four-run sixth, highlighted by a two-run round tripper off the bat off Jalen German, made it 12-8 and put some added pressure on their opponents.

But with the pressure ratcheting up, Peyton O’Brien came through on the mound. O’Brien would help his team turn a double play to get out of the sixth, then set down the side in order in the seventh to give Mid-Atlantic Show Nicolosi the championship.

Coach Nicolosi said all 13 players on the roster deserved the most valuable player award for the tournament. “I know it might make some people mad, but everyone contributed to this week for us equally and all of them had a big impact on us winning. For us mentally, to come out and only have to play one game in this heat is huge for us and I have to give props to our guys for staying focused.”