2018 Under Armour All-America Game Recap

Under Armour All-American Game MVP Bobby Witt Jr with Baseball Factory’s Steve Bernhardt (Mike Janes/Four Seam Images)
For the eleventh straight year, the nation’s best high schoolers gathered at Wrigley Field in Chicago for the Under Armour All-America Game. This year’s matchup between the American and National Teams, included a great mixture of big time arms on the mound, power at the plate, and speed on the bases.

Gatorade G Award Winner – Jerrion Ealy (Mike Janes/Four Seam Images)
That being said, the American Team came back from an early 2-0 deficit, scoring eight unanswered in an impressive 8-2 victory.
They were led by INF and MVP Bobby Witt Jr who walked twice, was hit by a pitch, and delivered a huge three run home run in the top of the ninth to seal the victory and win eventual Most Valuable Player honors.

Kelly Kulina Award Winner – Derek Diamond (Mike Janes/Four Seam Images)
In terms of other awards, Derek Diamond was the Kelly Kulina winner, and Jerrion Ealy won the Gatorade G Award. The winning pitcher was Riley Cornelio and the losing pitcher was Matthew Allan.
Here is how the game unfolded:
National Team Starter: Quinn Priester
.@QuinnPriester 90-93 w/ + CB 76-77 and CH 86 #UAAllAmerica 0-0 going to bottom 1st pic.twitter.com/X1rQv255Jg
— BF Scouting (@BFScout) July 21, 2018
Top 1:
The Cary, IL native had a relatively clean inning allowing a single to Ethan Hearn and also had a runner get on via error, but was able to work out of the jam. He threw nine of 16 pitches for strikes and struck out the last hitter of the inning to retire the side.
American Team Starter: Brennan Malone
.@BrennanRMalone 93-97, mostly from stretch. 83 SL. National up 2-0 after 1 at #UAAllAmerica game pic.twitter.com/ebAWWM4m7o
— BF Scouting (@BFScout) July 21, 2018
Bottom 1:
In the bottom of the first inning the National Team came out swinging. CJ Abrams smoked a leadoff double over the left fielder to kick off the inning. Riley Greene then went on to crush a two run homerun to right field with one one out in the inning. This put the National Team up 2-0.
Top 2: Daniel Espino (National)
.@daniel42espino 96-99 with tight downer CB 76 #UAAllAmerica pic.twitter.com/ku2d4ToYSs
— BF Scouting (@BFScout) July 21, 2018
Espino showed off his electric arm, topping out at 99 MPH.
Bottom 2: Hunter Barco (American)
.@hunter_barco 90-91 from tough L3 slot w/ arm side life. +CH 83 for K. 82 SL. #UAAllAmerica After 2 complete, National up 2-0 pic.twitter.com/hNlNijYeLY
— BF Scouting (@BFScout) July 21, 2018
Barco was dominant on the mound as he struck out two batters in his one inning of work.
Top 3: Riley Cornelio (National)
.@RileyCornelio 92-93 to retire side 1-2-3 after taking lead. 78-79 CB #UAAllAmerica still 3-2 American after 3 complete pic.twitter.com/Z7mSXDoUs8
— BF Scouting (@BFScout) July 21, 2018
Cornelio pitched a quick one, two, three inning, including one strikeout.
Bottom 3: Matthew Allan (American)
.@matthew_allan2 91-94 w/ 83 CH and 76-78 CB #UAAllAmerica pic.twitter.com/knw2GG1eRE
— BF Scouting (@BFScout) July 21, 2018
Corbin Carroll turned on a pitch for a double to deep right field, giving the American Team their first extra base hit of the game. A hit by pitch and a walk then loaded the bases with only one out. Allan was then able to induce a ground ball back to himself, in which he flipped home. However Logan Britt then worked a two out, bases loaded walk to put the American Team on the board. Just a couple of pitches later, Gunnar Henderson ripped a two run single through the infield to give his team a 3-2 lead.
Innings 1-3
Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R |
American | 0 | 0 | 3 | |||||||
National | 2 | 0 | 0 |
Top 4: Will Rigney (National)
.@Wrigney5 all 92 w/ FB. 83-84 CH. 76 CB #UAAllAmerica still 3-2 American going to bottom 4th pic.twitter.com/7wpuzI0JCZ
— BF Scouting (@BFScout) July 21, 2018
Rigney walked OF Chris Newell, but then quickly picked him off. Besides this it was a clean inning.
Bottom 4: Jack Leiter (American)
.@JL31T struck out the side swinging. Two on 77-78 CB, last out on 93 FB. Worked 9-92, topped 93. #UAAllAmerica American 3-2 after 4 complete pic.twitter.com/SQD2ZPiK7X
— BF Scouting (@BFScout) July 21, 2018
The son of former Major Leaguer Al Leiter, Jack allowed two baserunners but was able to strike out the side.
Top 5: Chris Villaman (National)
Chris Villaman 91-93 with quick tempo delivery. 71 CB. 80 CH. #UAAllAmerica American added a run on single up middle from @ealy_1k to go up 4-2 after four and a half pic.twitter.com/dHXEcaUGOm
— BF Scouting (@BFScout) July 21, 2018
Andre Tarver hits a double on a full count to start off the inning. Bobby Witt Jr was hit by a pitch, but then thrown out at second trying to steal. Jerrion Ealy then extended the American Team’s lead with a single up the middle.
Bottom 5: Matthew Thompson (American)
.@8110Matto retired side in order w/ 91-94 FB, 79 CB and 83 SL. #UAAllAmerica American still up 4-2 after 5 pic.twitter.com/UZCPnnp6Y0
— BF Scouting (@BFScout) July 21, 2018
Thompson fired a clean three up, three down inning for the American squad. This consisted of two ground balls and one strike out.
Top 6: Spencer Jones (National)
.@spencerjnes landed 74-76 CB and threw FB 89-92. Great play at RF wall by @judfabe to end inning and keep American off the board. #UAAllAmerica still 4-2 American pic.twitter.com/miUgZhqebj
— BF Scouting (@BFScout) July 21, 2018
Myles Austin worked a one out walk and then flashed some speed as he went from first to third on a ground ball to short. However Jud Fabian robbed Newell of an extra base hit with an excellent catch against the ivy to end the inning.
Bottom 6: Will Childers (American)
.@will_childers8 90-92 w/ FB. CB 78. SL 81. CH 86. ##UAAllAmerica American still up 4-2 thru 6 pic.twitter.com/IjMgsp13yl
— BF Scouting (@BFScout) July 21, 2018
SS Anthony Volpe turned an excellent unassisted double play and then Childers got a huge strikeout to keep his team on top.
Innings 1-6
Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R |
American | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||||
National | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Top 7: Victor Mederos (National)
.@victorm5252 showed feel for breaking ball between 75-79. Landed softer one for K. FB 90-93. #UAAllAmerica going to bottom 7 pic.twitter.com/7Ve2nq0j2j
— BF Scouting (@BFScout) July 21, 2018
Tarver led off the inning with a walk, but catcher Matt Carpentier threw him out as he attempted to steal second. Mederos ended the inning with a strikeout.
Bottom 7: Jared Jones (American)
.@jared_jones_17 attacked the zone w/ FB 94-95. Biting CB 79 and SL 85. Second consecutive 2020 RHP to record scoreless frame. #UAAllAmerica 4-2 American after 7 complete pic.twitter.com/aNLaR7FnnS
— BF Scouting (@BFScout) July 21, 2018
Another three up, three down inning for the American Team as Jones struck out one.
Top 8: Erik Rivera (National)
Erik Rivera 86-91 w/ FB. CB 72-76. #UAAllAmerica Got big 2 out swinging strikeout with breaking ball to keep American ahead 4-2 going to bottom 8th pic.twitter.com/IhYS7ZP4iG
— BF Scouting (@BFScout) July 21, 2018
Carroll and Barco worked back to back one out walks, but Rivera then struck out Austin and Tyler Callihan to strand the runners.
Bottom 8: Avery Short (American)
.@averyshort9 86-90 w/ FB. CB 73-79, landed softer one in big spot. Worked out of jam in middle of National order to preserve 4-2 American lead going to 9th. #UAAllAmerica pic.twitter.com/ov10hFyTRW
— BF Scouting (@BFScout) July 21, 2018
Abrams collected his second base hit of the game with a one out infield single. After a two out walk to Greene, Short struck out Rece Hinds to send the game to the top of the ninth.
Top 9: Derek Diamond (National)
.@_derekdiamond 88-91 w/ FB. Spun downer CB he could land in low 70s along with firmer one in 76-77 range. 85-86 CH. #UAAllAmerica pic.twitter.com/cO6UvjuEh9
— BF Scouting (@BFScout) July 21, 2018
An error and a walk began the inning, leading to an RBI single by Tarver. Witt then worked the best at bat of the night as he fouled off five full count pitches before launching a three-run homerun to left.
Bottom 9: Avery Short (American)
It’s a final. American defeats National 8-2 in the 2018 #UAAllAmerica game @BaseballFactory pic.twitter.com/yVUdzSS3DM
— BF Scouting (@BFScout) July 21, 2018
Short returned for his second inning of work on the evening and dominated as he struck out two. This claimed the victory for the American Team.
Innings 1-9
Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
American | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 8 | 8 | 0 |
National | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 2 |
2018 Under Armour All-America Game Award Winners
Bobby Witt Jr. – MVP

Under Armour All-American Game presented by Baseball Factory on July 20, 2018 at Wrigley Field in Chicago, Illinois. (Mike Janes/Four Seam Images)