PBR Future Games: Team Carolinas Wins Opener

Everything clicked in Team Carolinas’ first game of the PBR Future Games.  Team Carolina beat Team Florida 11-4, moving to 1-0 in the PBR Future Games.  In its inaugural event, Team Carolinas is made of up of uncommitted, underclass players from North and South Carolina.  

On the bump, Ben Peterson (RHP, Apex HS, 2020) set the tone working two clean innings, striking out three.  The 6-foot-3 righty worked up to 88 but it was the feel for the breaking ball that kept hitters at bay.  The breaking ball tunneled with the fastball, allowing the fastball to beat hitters at the bottom and top of the zone.  

Offensively, Team Carolina got rolling in the 3rd.  A double from Chet Sikes (C, Wesleyan Christian Academy, 2020) with one out set the table for Shemar Dalton who hit a hard grounder at the third baseman.  The ball was misplayed allowing Sikes to give Team Carolina an early lead. In the 4th, Nick Neal (1B, Randleman HS, 2020) got his day rolling, belting a high double into the left-center field gap.  Neal would be picked, looking to steal 3B, but scored on a throwing error on the play.

Up 2-1 after 5, Team Carolina would create seperation.  With one out and one on, Neal would again create noise homering on a fastball away down the right field line.  Preston Hall (3B, Myers Park HS, 2020) would hammer a ball behind Neal’s blast, at the 3B, reaching on the error.  Drew Bryan (C, Southern Lee HS, 2020) tripled to right-center field, scoring Hall.  Trey Truitt (OF, East Mecklenburg HS, 2020) turned in a good at-bat, scoring Bryan on a hard ground ball to 1B.  

The Team Carolina side of the 7th saw more offensive outburst as Sikes and Shemar Dalton (OF, South Stokes HS, 2020) each singled off the barrel.  After a hit-by-pitch, Andrew Grande (3B, Christ School, 2021) singled to left, scoring two.  James Hobbs (SS, Myers Park HS, 2020) hit a SAC Fly to left, scoring one.  A Preston Hall single to right scored Grande and Chandler Riley (SS, Cox Mill HS, 2020) to finish the scoring for Team Carolina.

On the bump, Peterson set the tone, but the four arms combined to strikeout 7 and walk four.  Jackson Kirkpatrick (RHP, McMichael HS, 2020) turns heads with his physical size, touching 85 and creating swing and miss with the fastball from an over-the-top slot and 6-foot-6 frame.  He worked a clean second inning. Gus Hughes (RHP, Grimsley HS, 2020) bumped 90 with a tight breaking ball in his one inning of work.