2021 USA CNT: Game 4 Recap

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GREENEVILLE, Tenn. — Back-to-back home runs by Jacob Berry and Gavin Cross capped a seven-run burst over two innings for the Stars as they cruised to a 7-3 victory over the Stripes Tuesday evening at Pioneer Park in Greeneville, Tenn.

Florida teammates Brandon Sproat and Hunter Barco combined to strike out 12 batters and yield just three hits over six strong innings. Sproat started and fanned four before handing the ball over to Barco who punched out eight of the 10 batters that he faced to earn the win.

The home run by Berry (LSU) was his team-leading third of the summer, all of which have come in the last three games. Cross finished 3-for-4 at the dish with a pair of singles to go along with his longball. Both players had two RBIs as well.

All three runs for the Stripes came via the longball as Brock Jones (Stanford) hit a two-run blast in the second and Reggie Crawford (UCONN) led off the bottom of the seventh with a solo shot. Kevin Parada (Georgia Tech) added a 2-for-3 effort with a double as well.

KEY MOMENTS

• Jones got the scoring started in the second with his second home run of the summer, giving the Stripes a 2-0 lead.
• Justin Campbell (Oklahoma State) gave the Stripes three fantastic innings on the mound to open the contest, striking out four and allowing just one hit. He faced the minimum over his three frames, picking off the only runner to reach base.
• The Stars got rolling in the fourth when the first five batters of the inning were all able to get on base. RBI singles from Cross and Brooks Lee (Cal Poly) and a run-scoring groundout by Jacob Gonzalez (Ole Miss) put the Stars up 3-2.
• The scoring barrage continued in the fifth which Kyle Teel (Virginia) opened with a leadoff double before coming home to score just moments later on a single by Robert Moore (Arkansas)
• Berry and Cross followed with back-to-back home runs to push the advantage to 7-3 in favor of the Stars.
• The final run of the game came on Crawford’s leadoff longball in the seventh.

ON DECK

• The USA Baseball Collegiate National Team will continue the Tennessee portion of its Appalachian League tour with a visit to TVA Credit Union Stadium in Johnson City, Tenn., home of the Johnson City Doughboys. First pitch between the Stars and Stripes is set for 7 p.m. ET.