The bats were hot in the opening game against a strong Team South Carolina, though the contest would ultimately end in a hard-fought 10-10 tie. 

INF Ty White (Plainfield, IN) got the scoring started for Select in the top of the second inning, singling and coming around to score with some savvy baserunning and a stolen base, making it 2-1 in favor of South Carolina at the time. OF Matthew Ritter (Lincoln-Way East, IL) walked and eventually came around to score to tie it, and INF Jaxson Czerniewski (St. Dominic, MO) followed with a walk of his own and would later come around and score to take a 3-2 lead. 

OF Austin Ellis (North Hills, PA) got us kicked off in the top of the third inning with a leadoff triple, turning around a 91 mph fastball for a 98 mph missile off the bat - later coming around to score on a triple from 1B Will Steffens (Barrington, IL), who also took a 91 mph fastball for a ride to the opposite field gap, making it 4-4 at the time. 

Down five runs in the top of the seventh, Steffens worked a leadoff walk, followed by free passes to both INF Karson Wiskur (Smith-Cotton, MO) and INF Griffin Robertson (Blue Springs South, MO). INF Keegan Crabtree (Lincoln-Way East, IL) would ground into a fielder’s choice to plate Steffens and make it 9-5 at the time. C Matthew Madonna (North Catholic, PA) would quickly follow up with a loud double, plating two to make it 9-7.

White continued his torrid day at the plate with a leadoff triple to start the top of the eighth inning. Ritter would drive him in with a single up the middle to make it 9-8 in favor of South Carolina, and we would quickly tie it as Czerniewski would single and steal second, allowing INF Grant Dinges (Rockwood Summit, MO) to score, who reached on a fielder’s choice. C Chase Owens (Farmington, MO) would follow with an RBI single to take a 10-9 lead at the time - though South Carolina would push one across in the bottom half to end the contest in a tie. 

RHP Kayden Wallace (Malvern Prep, PA) was the starting pitcher for Select and showcased a fastball up to 88 mph. He was confident in a high-spin slider, playing routinely over 2,600 rpm with sharp lateral action and feel for it. 

RHP Luke Caron (Upper Dublin, PA) was next on the mound, attacking hitters with an upper-80s fastball (T88 mph) and an upper-70s slider. 

RHP Bobby Pasquarello (Malvern Prep, PA) gave a unique look from his lower slot with a whippy arm, working his fastball up to 89 mph with a low-70s slider and low-80s changeup to go with it - striking out three over his two innings of work. 

RHP James Sobkowiak (Downers Grove South, IL) closed things out with a cutting fastball up to 91 mph, sitting right around 89 mph throughout. He went to a power curveball in the upper-70s and fading changeup in the upper-70s as well that he could throw for strikes. 

Notable Performances: 
Ty White: MVP, 2-for-3, 3B
Griffin Robertson: 1-for-2, 2B, BB 
Matthew Madonna: 1-for-3, 2B, RBI
Matthew Ritter: 1-for-2, RBI
Chase Owens: 1-for-2, 2 RBI
Austin Ellis: 1-for-2, 2B
Will Steffens: 1-for-1, 3B, RBI

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