Johnson City, Tennessee – The U.S. team scored six runs in the third and fourth innings, led by a three-RBI performance from Tre Phelps (Ga.), to win 7-6 against the Appy League West Selects on Tuesday at TVA Credit Union Park.
What actually happened:
- Dylan Roy (Tennessee) started for Team USA and pitched the first two innings. Roy was solid throughout his shift, striking out three AP West Select batters and allowing just one hit before being relieved.
- After the Team USA line got two outs in the top of the third inning, Alex Sosa (NC State), Kyle Johnson (Duke) and Gavin Grahovac (Texas A&M) all showed discipline at the plate to load the bases, and Phelps hit a perfect triple down the right field line to bring home the three American runners and then scored himself on a defensive error on the throw to third base, making the score 4–0.
- The Appy League West Selects added two runs in the bottom of the third when Gunner Boley hit a double off the fence in center field and Devin Zirwas grounded out.
- After AJ Gracia (Duke) and Justin LeBron (Alabama) reached base in the top of the fourth, Zion Rose (Louisville) singled in the top of the fourth, sending Gracia home for a 5-2 lead, before LeBron homered during a double play to score Team USA’s sixth run.
- The Apply League West Selects added two more runs in the fifth on a grounder and an RBI single by Zirwas to cut the U.S. lead to 6-4.
- Pablo Torres (Bethune-Cookman) took the mound for Team USA in the sixth inning and did a good job erasing any momentum the Appy League West Select hitters had after the fifth inning. Torres struck out three batters in his two innings of rotation and got the other three to ground out.
- The U.S. added a seventh run in the eighth inning when a defensive error allowed Henry Ford (Va.) to score from third base.
- Matthew Mattheis (University of North Carolina) took to the mound in the ninth inning after Jacob Dudan (North Carolina State University) had protected Team USA’s 7-4 lead. After allowing two runs to cut the lead to one for the Apply League West Selects, Mattheis struck out the final two batters to preserve the win and earn the save.
Notable statistics:
- Team USA’s Gracia, Phelps and Rose all had two hits. It was Phelps’ second game with two hits on the summer league tour and Gracia and Rose’s first two-hit game together.
- For Gracia and Jamal George (Alabama State), this was the second hitting game for both of them.
- Phelps’ three RBIs were the most by a U.S. player in a single game during the summer league tour.
- Eric Segura (Oregon State University) was the third pitcher for the USA team in the win, pitching two innings and recording three strikeouts in his time.
- Dudan and Torres combined to pitch 3.0 innings, striking out four and allowing no runners on base.
- Mattheis became the second Team USA player to record a save on the summer league tour, joining Dudan.
On deck:
- The Summer League Tour team will return to Cary, North Carolina, and prepare to face off against the International Friendship Series team on July 4th at Segura Park in Fayetteville, North Carolina. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 pm ET.
