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Tournaments  | Story  | 7/16/2018

Elite Squad marches on

Nate Schweers     
Photo: Irving Carter (Perfect Game)

EMERSON, Ga. – Elite Squad 15U National improved to 4-1 at the 15U WWBA National Championship on Monday with a 10-0 win over Hunter Pence Baseball 15U. This pivotal victory puts Elite Squad in a great position to come out alive from Pool F.

Pitching and defense has been dominant so far in this week’s event, and Elite Squad starting pitcher Juhlien Gonzalez (2021) picked up right where his teammates left off with a strong performance in Monday’s win. Gonzalez tossed all five innings, striking out five, and allowing just three hits.

At the plate, Elite Squad was lead by an outstanding day from Rene Lastres (2021). Lastres was 2-for-2 with a triple and home run in the game, collecting four RBI in the process. A native of Hialeah Gardens, Florida, Lastres is ranked as the sixth best primary catcher in the state.

“I was just trying to stay back, stay up the middle, and hit a line drive today,” said Lastres, who believes taking no opponent lightly is Elite Squad’s key to success. “We need to dominate, stay strong, and stay together as a team.”

While players like Lastres have the ability to change a game with one swing of the bat, Elite Squad head coach Scott Morrison believes every guy on his team knows their role and how to excel in it.

“Offensively, we put together really good team at-bats. Our key is not trying to do too many things and not trying to get too big,” said Morrison. “We stress knowing your role, doing your job, and moving guys over when we need to, and then fortunately we’ve got some guys that can leave the yard and they’ve done that as well.”

Elite Squad has outscored opponents 30-3 in this week’s tournament, and has been able to dominate in all facets of the game. With this much success, there is bound to be talented players that make a difference. Elite Squad has two players – Irving Carter and Justin Quintana – that have impressed on the Perfect Game circuit for quite some time.

Carter, who is a native of Boynton Beach, Florida, first burst on to the scene with an impressive display at the 14U Perfect Game Select Baseball Festival in Fort Myers, Florida. The event allows the best players in the class to come and compete on national television at Jet Blue Park, the spring training home of the Boston Red Sox.

“It was such a blast,” said Carter, who is ranked as the eighth best player in the 2021 class. “To get the top exposure like that and play with the best kids, I couldn't ask for anything more.

Carter has also made the decision to play his college baseball at Miami when his time at Calvary Christian Academy is over. Carter is a member of a Miami recruiting class that already has 12 commits, and eight of the players are Perfect Game top 100 players in the class.

“It [Miami] is my dream school. Ever since I got there on my first visit it just felt like home.”

Justin Quintana is a primary outfielder from Miramar, Florida, and he was also able to compete in the 14U Perfect Game Select Festival. Quintana, who is ranked as the 20th best player in the 2021 class, believes the opportunity is once in a lifetime.

“It was awesome to get the chance to play with the top 40 players in the country and to learn from what other kids do,” said Quintana. “To see the best arms in the class and keep getting better was a great opportunity.”

Like Carter, Quintana has already made his college decision. Quintana is committed to Florida International University. With FIU being so close to his hometown, this decision was an easy one for the fourth best player in the state.

“It is home there. My parents get to come to the practices and the games, and it is in my backyard.”

Quintana and Carter are just two of the many college commitments that come out of the Elite Squad program. In total, this Elite Squad 15U National team has eight players that have made their college decision. A long-time Perfect Game event participant, Elite Squad has become one of the powerhouse teams on the travel ball circuit.

“The more important thing to us is our development and college placing’s,” said coach Morrison. “Our college commitments are our trophies. We are not going to win every event because realistically there are a lot of things that need to go right to win an event that has 300 teams. So, as an organization, it is about placing guys in schools where they are not only going to get there but they’re also going to succeed.”

With a talented roster and a history of exceling on the WWBA stage, Elite Squad 15U National is just two wins away from moving on to bracket play, and just maybe winning the whole thing.
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