The D-backs Nike RBI Senior Baseball (18U) team — behind the pitching and hitting of Tucson High Class of 2025 standout Juan Hernandez — earned the Nike RBI World Series seniors championship with a 5-4 walk-off win in the bottom of the seventh over Indy Nike RBI on Friday night at Vero Beach, Fla.
The D-backs are the first team to go unbeaten (10-0) in the regional competition and World Series.
“It took us trusting each other, having faith in all of our coaches and every one of our players and being a team,” Hernandez said about winning the title to MLB Network. “This team is really special.”
Hernandez, who is headed to Pima College, was selected the MVP of the event.
Last month, he was chosen the Most Outstanding Player of the Sun Belt College League championship series, leading the Show Sluggers to a championship.
Hernandez’s former Tucson High teammates Tenochtli Eli Nepan Ollin and Gennaro Brito were also members of the D-backs Nike RBI team. All three of the prospects train at Jet Sports Training.
Ollin, the MVP when the D-backs earned the West Region title last week at Seattle, will attend Central Arizona College. Brito is bound for South Mountain Community College.
Hernandez had a run-scoring single and also allowed only two hits in 6 2/3 innings on the mound Friday. He gave up three earned runs and also struck out six while walking three.
He put the D-backs on the board first in the first inning with an RBI single.
After Indy rallied to take a 4-1 lead in the top of the third inning, the D-backs cut the lead to 4-3 in the bottom of the fourth on Omar Guzman’s RBI double and Cesar Valentine’s run-scoring single.
That remained the score until the bottom of the seventh.
Hernandez sparked the game-winning rally by leading off the inning with a walk after working the count full.
He moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Julio Reyna and then third on a single by Ricardo Fonseca.
Hernandez then ran home on a passed ball to tie the game at 3.
Consecutive walks loaded the bases with one out, but a fielder’s choice grounder resulted in the second out, a throw to home for the force out.
With Brito at the plate, another passed ball allowed the winning run to cross the plate.
“It means everything,” Hernandez said when asked what winning the MVP award means to him. “We’re all great competitors. I’m so happy to be with these guys.”
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