After a 3-0 start to pool play, the Indiana Expos National 17U team fell in their final game of pool play Saturday before going 1-1 in bracket play on Sunday.
Facing the Indiana Braves Coughlan 18U in pool play and trailing 3-0, the Expos were unable to get on the scoreboard until the bottom of 6th inning, putting just one run across to cut the lead to 3-1 before a scoreless 7th would close out the win for the Braves. With the 3-1 record, the Expos would finish second in their pool behind the Braves and get the #4 seed heading into bracket play on Sunday.
In their first game on Sunday, the Expos would bounce back from Saturday’s loss with a big 9-1 win over Midwest Pack 18U in the bracket quarterfinals using a 3-run third inning and a 4-run fifth inning to cap off their strong offensive showing. Altamont’s Nathan Stuemke, manning the catcher’s spot for the Expos, would go 1-1 at the plate with a walk and a pair of runs scored.
In the semifinal game, the Expos would draw the top seed, Indiana Bulls 18U. The Expos started off the game with a 3-run first inning for a 3-0 lead. The Bulls would get things going in the bottom of the second inning, putting up 7 runs to take the lead 7-3. The Bulls tacked on another run in the bottom of the fourth inning to edge their lead out to 8-3. After being held scoreless for three innings, the Expos again got on the board with a pair of runs in the fifth inning to cut the Bulls lead to 8-5 before the Bulls added on one last run to make it 9-5 as they eliminated the Expos from the single elimination bracket play.
Stuemke would have another strong day on Sunday for the Expos going 2-3 with a double, 3 walks, 3 runs scored and a RBI.
Nathan Stuemke Individual Game Stats for Sunday:
Stuemke vs. Midwest Pack 18U: 1-1, 2 BB, 2 R
Stuemke vs. Indians Bulls 18U: 1-2, BB, Double, R, RBI
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