The "first ever" Maryland Futures baseball team sponsored by the Maryland State Association of Baseball Coaches, the state high school baseball coaches association, rallied from a four-run deficit in the bottom of the seventh inning of its final game to beat Illinois, 9-8, on Aug. 1, in the team's final game of the Midwest Classic Baseball Tournament in Plainfield, Ill.

The win allowed the Maryland team to finish undefeated with a 5-0 record.

Earlier in the day, Maryland knocked off previously unbeaten Indiana, 9-3. The Maryland Futures is made up of 18 of the top rising high school seniors in the state, as selected by the MSABC.

Among area players on the team are: Zach Andrews (Arundel), Michael Marsh (Chesapeake), Kyle Convissar (Severna Park), Travis Clark (Hammond), Dominic Fratantuono (Cardinal Gibbons), Travis Steele (Reservoir), Andrew Jenkins (Arundel), Zach Fitzpatrick (McDonogh), Zach Nadolny (Bel Air) and Jason Seitler (Chesapeake).