DURHAM, N.C. -- The U.S. Olympic Team's patience paid off in a 1-0 win over the Collegiate National Team on Monday night at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park in the second game of a three-game exhibition series. Nick Martinez (Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks) led the Olympic Team on the mound in the pitcher’s duel, tossing five shutout innings while striking out nine batters.

After neither offense could get anything going in the first, the Collegiate National Team were the first to get the bats going in the second inning when Gavin Cross (Virginia Tech) hit a leadoff-single into left. Cross moved over to third on a one-out single from Logan Tanner (Mississippi State), but a strikeout and pop out got Martinez out of the jam.

After a couple of walks in the first three frames, the Olympic Team got its first hit of the game in the fourth inning on a double from Patrick Kivlehan (San Diego Padres AAA) down the left field line. One batter later, Eric Filia (Seattle Mariners AAA) drew a walk to put runners on first and second with one out, but southpaw Chris Villaman (NC State) got out of the jam with a flyout and a strikeout.

The Olympic Team threatened once again in the fifth, loading the bases with a pair of walks and an error, but the Collegiate National Team was able to escape unscathed, after Jaxon Wiggins got a flyout to end the inning.

Using defense as momentum, the Collegiate National Team got back-to-back singles off the bats of Robert Moore (Arkansas) and Jacob Gonzalez (Ole Miss). Martinez then got the next two batters to strike out swinging to strand the runners.

The Olympic Team finally broke through to bring its first and only run across in the sixth, rallying with two outs when Tim Federowicz (Los Angeles Dodgers AAA) and Nick Allen (Oakland Athletics AA) got consecutive singles and Jack Lopez (Boston Red Sox AAA) drew a walk to load the bases before Eddy Alvarez (Miami Marlins AA) drew a bases-loaded walk to bring in the go-ahead run.

That was all the Olympic Team bullpen would need as they did not allow a hit in the final four frames. Anthony Carter (Saraperos de Saltillo) pitched scoreless sixth and seventh innings, while Ryder Ryan (Texas Rangers AAA) and David Robertson each tossed scoreless innings. Ryder struck out the side in the eighth while Robertson collected a lineout and two punchouts of his own to earn the save.

Martinez got the win in the contest and collected nine of the Olympic Team’s 17 strikeouts. Nick Allen led the way for the Olympic Team offense with two hits while Filia, Alvarez, and Lopez all drew two walks. Collectively, Team USA tallied eight walks in the game. Gavin Cross was the Collegiate National Team’s offensive leader, collecting two of the team’s five hits in the game. Wiggins suffered the loss, but the Collegiate National Team pitching staff combined for eight strikeouts in the contest.

The three-game series will conclude tomorrow with an afternoon contest at the USA Baseball National Training Complex in Cary, North Carolina. First pitch is set for 1:00 p.m. EDT and the game will be streamed live on USABaseball.com, as well as Facebook and YouTube Live.

The U.S. Olympic Baseball Team faces off against the Collegiate National Team in game two of a three-game exhibition series to prepare Team USA for the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020. Sunday's game is set for 6:35 p.m. at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park in Durham, North Carolina.

The game is open to the public and tickets may be purchased at online or at the Durham Bulls ticket booth. Fans can watch the game online on the official website for USA Baseball, as well as on Facebook Live.

Team USA took the series opener with an 8-3 victory over the Collegiate National Team. Eddy Alvarez and Patrick Kivlehan contributed home runs for the Olympic Team while Scott Kazmir picked up the win on the mound. Jacob Berry (LSU) also hit a home run in the game for the Collegiate National Team. Gabriel Hughes (Gonzaga) suffered the loss.

EXHIBITION SCHEDULE

- July 19, 2021 – 6:35 p.m. EDT
Team USA vs. Collegiate National TeamDurham Bulls Athletic Park (Durham, N.C.) // Tickets

- July 20, 2021 – 1 p.m. EDT
Collegiate National Team vs. Team USA
USA Baseball National Training Complex (Cary, N.C.) // Tickets

CARY, N.C. – The U.S. Olympic Team kicked off a three-game series against the Collegiate National Team on Sunday night, tuning up for their trip to the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 with an 8-3 win in a rain-shortened seven-inning game at the USA Baseball National Training Complex in Cary, North Carolina.

Playing against the country’s top collegiate players, the Olympic Team scored eight runs in the game's first two innings and got five strong innings from starter Scott Kazmir (AAA San Francisco Giants) to secure the series-opening win.

The Olympic Team got started early, with the first three batters reaching base. Jack Lopez (AAA Boston Red Sox) led off the inning with a walk, before Eddy Alvarez (AAA Miami Marlins) and Todd Frazier followed with back-to-back singles. Collegiate National Team starter Gabriel Hughes (Gonzaga) nearly escaped a bases-loaded jam, but Eric Filia’s (AAA Seattle Mariners) two-run single started a two-out rally for the Olympic Team. With a pair of runners on, Patrick Kivlehan (AAA San Diego Padres) cranked a three-run homerun to left field to put the Olympic Team up by five runs in the opening frame.

Kazmir, who struck out the side in the top of the first, continued to dominate in the second inning. The left-hander struck out the first two batters of the second – his fourth and fifth of nine punchouts in the game – in a perfect inning to keep the Olympians up by five.

The Olympic Team offense stayed hot in the second inning, extending its lead to six on a Lopez sacrifice fly. Then, one batter later, Alvarez hit a two-run homer to center field, driving in Nick Allen (AA Oakland A's) to make it 8-0.

After the early offensive outburst, the Olympic Team was held at bay by the Collegiate National Team bullpen. Paul Skenes (Air Force) tossed two scoreless frames in relief, scattering three hits before the Collegiate National Team finally cracked the scoreboard in the fourth on a two-run homer by Jordan Berry (LSU). Berry drove in Brock Jones (Stanford) – who led off the inning with a single – to put the Collegiate National Team within six.

The college squad then trimmed its deficit by one more in the top of the seventh against Edwin Jackson. Hayden Dunhurst (Ole Miss) started the inning with a leadoff bunt single before Kyle Teel (Virginia) and Drew Gilbert (Tennessee) hit back-to-back singles to make it 8-3. Anthony Gose (AAA Cleveland) replaced Jackson though and was able to escape further trouble with a strikeout and groundout to secure the win.

The Olympic Team had nine hits in the win. Kivlehan had a pair of hits, leading the team with three RBIs. Alvarez went 3-for-4 in the win, adding two singles and a stolen base to his homer and Allen reached base in all three of his plate appearances, singling once and walking twice. Kazmir secured the win with his strong five innings of work, finishing the night with nine strikeouts while allowing just three hits and a pair of runs.

Aaron Nixon (Texas) and Jack Washburn both turned in a scoreless inning out of the bullpen for the Collegiate National Team. Gilbert led the team with two hits, while Berry’s two RBIs were a team-best.

The three-game series will continue with game two on Monday night at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park in Durham, North Carolina, with first pitch set for 6:35 p.m. ET. The contest will be streamed live on USABaseball.com, as well as Facebook and YouTube Live.

BLUEFIELD, W. Va. - Six Stripes players posted multiple-hit efforts and the squad scored in five consecutive innings as it closed out the series with an impressive 11-4 victory over the Stars on Thursday night at Bowen Field in Bluefield, W. Va.

Eight Stripes players combined for a summer-high 16 hits, including three hits each from Daniel Susac (Arizona) and Kevin Parada (Georgia Tech).

It was Dylan Beavers (California) who stole the show though, finishing 2-for-2 with three runs scored, three RBIs and a home run in the sixth that put the bow on the victory.

The balanced offensive performance was even more impressive considering the Stripes entered the contest on a 21-inning scoring drought.

For the Stars, Caden Grice (Clemson) launched his first longball of the summer, blasting one to dead-center over the batter’s eye in the second.

Despite the loss on Thursday, the Stars were the overall winners of the 11-game series, which included a tour of all 10 Appalachian League stadiums, finishing with a record of 7-4.

Key Moments

• It was the Stars who scored first, taking a 1-0 lead in the opening inning after Robert Moore (Arkansas) doubled, moved to third on a groundout and then scored on an RBI single by Gavin Cross (Virginia Tech).
• The Stripes got the run back in the following frame though when Beavers was hit by a pitch and promptly raced around the bases to even the game on a triple down the right-field line by Drew Gilbert (Tennessee)
• That was the beginning of a back-and-forth battle over the next few innings as the Stars immediately answered with Grice’s two-run shot in the second.
• In the top of the third, the Stripes brought the game back to a deadlock with Ethan Long (Arizona State) and Susac both knocking in runs with back-to-back singles.
• The Stars actually escaped further damage in the inning thanks to a strong throw from Cross in center that cut one run down at the plate and another runner getting caught stealing to end the frame.
• That momentum carried over into the home half of the third as the Stars moved back out in front, 4-3, on an RBI single by Brooks Lee (Cal Poly).
• From there it was all Stripes as they outscored the Stars, 8-0, over the final four innings of play.
• Brock Jones (Stanford) came through in the fourth with the eventual game-winning RBIs as he plated two with a triple down the right-field line.
• In the fifth, a wild play on a wild pitch that bounced well away from the plate allowing baserunners to score from both second and third.
• A four-run sixth inning put the game out of reach with Sean McLain (Arizona State) scoring on a base hit by Susac just three batters before Beavers went yard with his three-run bomb to seal the win.

Notable Information

• The 16 hits for Stripes were a summer high, doubling their previous best of eight on both July 3 and July 7.
• The 11 runs were also a team-high, topping the seven runs it scored on July 3.
• With another RBI on Thursday, Cross now has 13 RBIs in 11 games which ranks as the most for either team. He has now driven in a run in four consecutive games and five of the last six.
• Cross also leads the team with a .455 batting average and 15 hits and is tied with Jacob Berry (LSU) for the team lead with four home runs.
• Robert Moore (Arkansas) scored once on Thursday upping his team-high in runs scored to 10 for the summer.

On Deck

• The USA Baseball Collegiate National Team will return to Cary, N.C., where it will play three games against the professional team which is set to compete in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The two teams will first square off at 6:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, July 18, at the USA Baseball National Training Complex.

Social

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PRINCETON, W. Va. - The Stars continued their recent stretch of domination on the mound Wednesday as three pitchers combined to fire the team’s third consecutive shutout over the Stars, 5-0, at Hunnicutt Field in Princeton, W. Va.

The Stars have not allowed a run over the last 21 innings of play, dating back to the sixth frame in Elizabethton last Friday. Over that stretch, they have yielded just 14 hits and three walks while striking out 21 batters.

Starting pitcher Carson Whisenhunt (East Carolina) picked up the win Wednesday, fanning four over three shutout frames to open the game. Will Sanders (South Carolina) picked up right where he left off, facing just one over the minimum in his three innings of work before Chris Villaman (NC State) closed out the victory with a scoreless ninth.

The top two run producers on this year’s USA Baseball Collegiate National Team, Gavin Cross (Virginia Tech) and Jacob Berry (LSU), continued their torrid tears and are now tied for the team lead with 12 RBIs each.

Cross drove in two runs while going 2-for-3 at the plate to up his batting average to .467 for the summer. Berry finished 1-for-3 with an RBI double, two runs scored, a walk and a stolen base.

Key Moments

• The Stars came firing out of the gate with a pair of runs in the top of the first. Kyle Teel (Virginia) opened the game with a base hit to right before coming home to score two batters later on Berry’s double. Berry then stole third and Cross brought him home with a sacrifice fly.
• Three more runs scored in the fifth as a Stripes error led to two unearned runs. Cross also knocked in his second runner of the contest with a single up the middle.
• The Stripes had only three baserunners over the first six innings, just one of which reached scoring position.
• They tried to mount a rally in the seventh though as singles from Ethan Long (Arizona State), Kevin Parada (Georgia Tech), and Jordan Sprinkle (UCSB) loaded the bases but Villaman was able to escape unscathed and end the game with his second strikeout.

Notable Information

• The Stars have now held the Stripes scoreless over the last 21 innings, dating back to the sixth inning of last Friday’s contest in Elizabethton, Tenn.
• Cross and Berry combined for three RBIs on Wednesday and are now tied for the team lead with 12 RBIs each.
• Whisenhunt has now struck out 10 batters while walking just one in 6.0 innings this summer with Team USA.

 On Deck

• The USA Baseball Collegiate National Team will complete its tour of the Appalachian League on Thursday evening when it makes the trip to Bluefield, W. Va. The Stars and Stripes will play at 7 p.m. ET at Bowen Field, home of the Appy League’s Bluefield Ridge Runners.

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PULASKI, Va. - Three pitchers combined to throw the second consecutive shutout for the Stars and a Gavin Cross sacrifice fly brought in the only run of the game as they defeated the Stripes, 1-0, on Tuesday evening in Pulaski, Va.

The win was the sixth of the summer for the Stars (6-3) as they clinched the series victory over the Stripes (3-6).

Stars starting pitcher Brandon Sproat picked up the win with three shutout innings in which he struck out four. Paul Skenes (Air Force) followed with a pair of punchouts in two innings before Landon Sims (Mississippi State) fanned two in his one frame of work to pick up the save.

The Stripes pitching staff also impressed on Tuesday, starting with southpaw Cole Kirschsieper (Illinois) who yielded only two hits and struck out two over three innings in his Team USA debut. Devereaux Harrison (LBSU) and Reggie Crawford (UCONN) added a scoreless inning each as well.

Cross (Virginia Tech) was held hitless for just the second time in nine games this summer but drove in his 10th run with a sac fly in the sixth inning.

Key Moments

• The Stars put a pair of runners in scoring position in the top of the first but couldn’t cash in as Kirschsieper struck out Brooks Lee (Cal Poly) to leave them both stranded.
• The Stripes didn’t get a runner to second until the third when they were able to load the bases with two outs but Sproat escaped unscathed as he got Brock Jones (Stanford) to ground out to second.
• The lone run of the contest came in the fifth as a pair of walks and a single by Robert Moore (Arkansas) loaded the bases for Cross who lifted a fly ball to left to bring Kyle Teel (Virginia) in to score.
• The Stripes threatened in the ninth with a pair of singles and an error putting runners on second and third with two outs but Sims was able to get Carter Trice (Old Dominion) swinging on a high fastball to end the game.

Notable Information

• The Stars have now held the Stripes scoreless over the last 14 innings, dating back to the sixth inning of last Friday’s contest in Elizabethton, Tenn.
• Wi Cross’ RBI was his 10th of the summer, placing him in second among all Team USA players behind only Jacob Berry’s (LSU) 11 RBIs.
• Hayden Dunhurst (Ole Miss) threw out his team-leading third potential base-stealer of the summer.
• With his 1-2-3 inning in the sixth, Crawford has now allowed just one hit and struck out eight with no walks in four innings of work this summer.

 
On Deck

• The USA Baseball Collegiate National Team will have travel to Princeton, W. Va., on Wednesday. First pitch is slated for 7 p.m. ET at Hunnicutt Field, home of the Appalachian League’s Princeton WhistlePigs.

Social

• Stay tuned to @USABaseballCNT on Twitter for the most up-to-date news about the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team.

CARY, N.C. – Six USA Baseball alumni were selected in the first round of the 2021 Major League Baseball Draft on Sunday night, including second overall pick Jack Leiter. USA Baseball has now had 529 total athletes drafted in the first round since 1972.

Leiter (No. 2, Texas Rangers) was the first USA Baseball alum taken in the 2021 draft. The Rangers have now drafted a USA Baseball alumnus with their first-round pick in three consecutive drafts (Josh Jung, 2019; Justin Foscue, 2020). Leiter pitched for the 2018 18U National Team, striking out 20 and allowing zero earned runs to help the stars and stripes clinch gold at the 2018 COPABE U-18 Pan-American Championships.

Two more alumni were selected in the Draft’s first 10 picks with 2019 Collegiate National Team outfielder Colton Cowser coming off the board next as the fifth overall pick by the Baltimore Orioles. Kumar Rocker, who won a world championship with the 2017 18U National Team, was selected 10th overall by the New York Mets.

Two-time national team alum Brady House immediately followed Rocker, going to the Washington Nationals with the 11th pick. House is an alum of both the world-champion 2015 12U and 2018 15U National Teams. He was joined on the board two picks later by 15U National Team teammate Andy Painter, who went 13th overall to the Philadelphia Phillies.

2015 12U National Team alum Cooper Kinney was selected 34th overall by the Tampa Bay Rays to round out the first round for USA Baseball.

Four national team programs were represented in the first round of the 2021 MLB Draft. In total, the six alumni selected in the opening round have won a total of six gold medals in international competition.

Nine athletes taken in the first round have participated in the National Team Development Program, including Marcelo Mayer (No. 4, Boston Red Sox), Jordan Lawlar (No. 6, Arizona Diamondbacks), Rocker, House, Painter, Max Muncy (No. 25, Oakland Athletics), Maddux Bruns (No. 29, Los Angeles Dodgers), Joe Mack (No. 31, Miami Marlins), and Kinney.

The 2021 MLB Draft will continue on Monday, July 12, at 1 p.m. ET.

The full list of USA Baseball alumni selected in the first round of the 2021 MLB Draft is as follows:

• Round-Pick; Name; MLB Team; USA Baseball Team(s)
• 1-2; Jack Leiter; Texas Rangers; 2018 18U National Team
• 1-5; Colton Cowser; Baltimore Orioles, 2019 Collegiate National Team
• 1-10; Kumar Rocker; New York Mets; 2017 18U National Team
• 1-11; Brady House; Washington Nationals; 2015 12U National Team, 2018 15U National Team
• 1-13; Andy Painter; Philadelphia Phillies; 2018 15U National Team
• 1-34; Cooper Kinney; Tampa Bay Rays; 2015 12U National Team

KINGSPORT, Tenn. - Three pitchers combined to throw a combined two-hitter and the Stars launched four home runs, including two from Gavin Cross, as they cruised to a 7-0 shutout over the Stripes on Saturday night at Hunter Wright Stadium in Kingsport, Tenn.

Stars starter Blade Tidwell (Tennessee) retired all nine batters that he faced to open the game before handing the ball over to Parker Messick (Florida State) who yielded just a walk and a double in his three scoreless innings.

Carson Palmquist (Miami) closed out the contest by putting a zero up on the board in his one inning of work to seal the first shutout for either team this summer.

At the plate, all seven of the Stars’ runs came via the longball. Cross (Virginia Tech) finished the evening 3-for-4 with home runs in the third and seventh innings to go along with a base hit and a stolen base. The Bristol, Tenn., native is now hitting at a blistering .480 clip through the first eight games of the summer.

In addition to Cross’ two blasts, Jacob Berry (LSU) and Logan Tanner (Mississippi State) also hit home runs in the win. Berry’s three-run bomb came in the top of the first and was his fourth of the summer, which is tied with Cross for the team lead.

Key Moments

• The Stars wasted no time at all offensively Saturday with Kyle Teel (Virginia) jumping on the first pitch of the game for a leadoff double. Robert Moore (Arkansas) followed with a single before Berry crushed a 3-2 pitch over the wall in right for a three-run home run.
• Caden Grice (Clemson) made the defensive play of the day in the bottom of the second when he made a leaping grab up against the wall in right to rob Brock Jones (Stanford) of a home run.
• Cross kept the momentum going in the third unleashing a monster 434-foot two-run shot to make it a 5-0 game.
• Tanner tacked on another run in the top of the fourth which he led off by rocketing a 107-mph line drive off of the left field foul pole for his first Team USA home run.
• Cross tied the ribbon on the win with his second home run of the game, a solo shot in the seventh.

Notable Information

• Stars pitchers faced just three batters over the minimum in the win, yielding only two hits and one walk.
• With three more hits on Saturday, Cross now has a team-high 12 this summer, three more than any other player.
• Cross is also leading the team in batting average (.480) and OPS (1.559) and is tied for the team lead in stolen bases (3) and home runs (4).
• Berry also has four home runs, including his three-run shot Saturday which upped his team-leading RBI total to 11.
• Stripes pitchers Jaxon Wiggins (Arkansas) and Drew Thorpe (Cal Poly) both added three strikeouts Saturday to tie them with Chris Villaman (NC State) for the team lead with nine punchouts.
• Saturday’s contest marked the first time in eight games in which the Stars scored the first run of the contest.

On Deck

• The USA Baseball Collegiate National Team will have two days off before it next takes the field again in Pulaski, Va., on Tuesday, July 13. The ninth game between the Stars and Stripes will be played at 7 p.m. at Calfee Park, home of the Appalachian League’s Princeton WhistlePigs.

Social

• Stay tuned to @USABaseballCNT on Twitter for the most up-to-date news about the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team.

ELIZABETHTON, Tenn. - An eight-run fifth inning in which the Stars sent 10 batters to the plate, five of which drove in runs, proved to be plenty as they defeated the Stripes, 8-3, Friday night at Riverside Park in Elizabethton, Tenn.

Eight different Stars players recorded at least one hit in the contest, including 2-for-3 efforts from both Gavin Cross (Virginia Tech) and Kyle Teel (Virginia).

Chris Villaman (NC State) picked up the win with five strikeouts in 2.2 innings in relief of his collegiate teammate Sam Highfill (NC State) who fanned four batters of his own in 3.0 innings of one-run ball.

Landon Sims recorded the final four outs for the Stars, punching out three. Gabriel Hughes (Gonzaga) gave the Stripes squad a solid start, needing just 39 pitches (26 strikes) to post three shutout innings.

Key Moments

• For the seventh time in as many games, the Stripes got on the scoreboard first taking a 1-0 lead after a leadoff double by Drew Gilbert (Tennessee), a passed ball and an RBI double by Ethan Long (Arizona State).
• The two teams traded zeroes until the fifth when the Stripes struck again with a bases-loaded walk to Long for his second RBI of the game.
• The Stars came roaring back in the home half of the frame though, erupting for eight runs on six hits.
• The first five batters in the inning reached base with either a walk or a single, including run-scoring hits from Teel, Logan Tanner (Mississippi State) and Robert Moore (Arkansas).
• Jacob Berry made it a 4-2 game with a sacrifice fly before Cross and Brooks Lee (Cal Poly) loaded the bases once again with back-to-back base hits.
• Jacob Gonzalez (Ole Miss) broke the game open three pitches later with a two-run single to center.
• Due to pitch count restrictions, the inning was brought to an end one out early and both remaining baserunners were tallied as runs based on a prior arrangement between the two teams for that situation.
• The Stripes got one run back with an RBI groundout off the bat of Dylan Beavers (California) but Sims came out of the bullpen and slammed the door shut by striking out three of the four batters he faced to close out the contest.
• Reggie Crawford (UCONN) also impressed on the mound for the Stripes, striking out the side in the bottom of the sixth.

Notable Information

• With two hits each on Friday, both Cross and Gilbert have nine hits this summer, tying for the team lead.
• Hayden Dunhust (Ole Miss) gunned down back-to-back potential basestealers at second in the second inning.
• After striking out five on Friday, Villaman now leads both squads with nine punchouts this summer.
• Friday’s contest was just the second of the summer that did not feature a home run and the first since the series opener in Danville on July 2.

On Deck

• The USA Baseball Collegiate National Team will conclude the Tri-Cities portion of its Appalachian League tour on Saturday evening when the Stars and Stripes take the field in Kingsport, Tenn. First pitch is slated for 7 p.m. ET at Hunter Wright Stadium, home of the Appy League’s Kingsport Axmen.

Social

• Stay tuned to @USABaseballCNT on Twitter for the most up-to-date news about the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team.

BRISTOL, Va. - A storybook grand slam by Gavin Cross in his hometown erased a four-run deficit in one swing and Jacob Berry plated the eventual game-winning run with a sacrifice fly as the Stars evened the series at three games each with a 5-4 win over the Stripes Thursday evening at Boyce Cox Field in Bristol, Va.

With his team trailing 4-0 in the fifth, Cross (Virginia Tech) stepped up to the plate with two outs and the bases loaded after a pair of walks and a hit batter. He promptly tied the game with one swing, depositing a 1-0 slider high on to the hill beyond the wall in right-center.

Berry (LSU) added another tally to the scoreboard an inning later with a sac fly to center which proved to be the game winner as pitchers Adam Stone (Harvard) and Carson Palmquist (Miami) combined for four scoreless innings to close out the contest.

Josh White (California) gave the Stripes a solid start on the mound, striking out three and allowing just two hits in three innings of work. Drew Gilbert (Tennessee) and Kevin Parada (Georgia Tech) also had two hits each in the losing effort.

Carson Whisenhunt (East Carolina) gave the Stars a solid start, punching out six in three innings of one-run ball. Landon Sims (Mississippi State) made his summer debut with a 1-2-3 inning in the sixth.

Cross Quote

• “I honestly blacked out a little when I hit it. That was probably the most fun I have ever had and may ever have on a baseball field. It was awesome. I know probably 90 percent of the people here tonight with so many friends and family coming out to show their support. It was once-in-a-lifetime.”

Key Moments

• The Stripes raced out to a 4-0 lead in the second inning, taking advantage of a pair of errors, a hit batter and a walk.
• Sean McLain (Arizona State) brought in the first run with an RBI groundout and Gilbert followed with a run-scoring single. Carter Trice (Old Dominion) and Jordan Sprinkle (UCSB) plated the next two runs with another RBI groundout and a double, respectively.
• Cross’ fifth-inning grand slam was his second home run of the summer with the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team.
• With his sac fly in the sixth, Berry drove in his seventh run of the summer which is the most of any player on either the Stars or Stripes.

On Deck

• The USA Baseball Collegiate National Team will continue the Tennessee portion of its Appalachian League tour on Friday evening. The Stars and Stripes will square off at 7 p.m. ET in Elizabethton, Tenn., home of the Appy League’s Elizabethton River Riders.

Social

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JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. - Solo home runs from Brock Jones and Jace Jung paved the way for the Stripes to cruise past the Stars, 5-2, Wednesday evening at TVA Credit Union Ballpark in Johnson City, Tenn.

Jung’s longball to lead off the fourth sparked a four-run frame which proved to be the difference in the contest. The Texas Tech standout finished 2-for-2 at the plate with a double, a walk, a run and an RBI.

Jordan Sprinkle (UCSB) also struck a big blow, lacing a two-run double to left-center, and Sean McLain added a 2-for-3 effort at the dish. Jones’ (Stanford) blast in the second tied him for the team lead this summer with three home runs.

Tanner Witt (Texas) picked up the win after yielding just one run on two hits in three innings of work. Reggie Crawford (UCONN) slammed the door at the end of the game, fanning two in the final frame to earn the save.

Carson Whisenhunt (East Carolina) gave the Stars a solid start, punching out six in three innings of one-run ball. Landon Sims (Mississippi State) made his summer debut with a 1-2-3 inning in the sixth.

Key Moments

• For the second day in a row, Jones got the scoring started in the second inning with a home run.
• The Stars answered back in the third though when back-to-back singles by Dylan Crews (LSU) and Robert Moore (Arkansas) and a wild pitch brought in a run.
• Jung opened the following frame by crushing a 2-2 pitch 412 feet over the wall in right.
• The Stripes continued to apply the pressure, plating another run with a pair of singles, including a perfectly-executed hit-and-run, and a double steal with Daniel Susac (Arizona) swiping home.
• After a base hit by McLain and a walk to Caden Trice (Clemson), Sparkle smashed a two-bagger to left-center to bring both runners in and make it a 5-1 game.
• Brooks Lee (Cal Poly) capped the scoring in the home half of the fourth with an opposite-field bomb over the Dr. Enuf sign in left-center. 

On Deck

• The USA Baseball Collegiate National Team will continue the Tennessee portion of its Appalachian League tour with a visit to DeVault Memorial Stadium in Bristol, Va., home of the Bristol State Liners. First pitch between the Stars and Stripes is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET.

Social

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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 each 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.

 Social

• Stay tuned to @USABaseballCNT on Twitter for the most up-to-date news about the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team.

CARY, N.C. - Home runs off the bats of Jacob Berry and Dylan Crews helped the Stars erase a four-run deficit and claim their first win of the summer with a 5-4 victory over the Stripes on the Fourth of July at the USA Baseball National Training Complex.

Berry barreled up balls all afternoon, finishing a triple away from the cycle with a 3-for-4 effort at the plate. He hit his second home run in as many days, crushing a three-run blast down the right field line in the third. The Queen Creek, Ariz., native also had a double in the first and a single in the fourth.

The winning blow came in the fourth when Crews (LSU) put a dent in the scoreboard in right to bring in a pair of runs which served as the eventual game winners. Brooks Lee (Cal Poly) also had a strong day for the Stars, going 3-for-3 with a run and a stolen base.

The winning blow came in the fourth when Crews (LSU) put a dent in the Nate Savino (Virginia) and Christopher Villaman (NC State) picked up the win and the save, respectively, with two shutout innings on the mound each. The duo combined to fan seven batters in those four frames, with Savino striking out three and Villaman punching out four.

Key Moments

• The Stripes jumped in front early when Jace Jung (Texas Tech) singled, stole second and scored on a base hit by Reggie Crawford (UCONN) in the top of the first inning.
• They continued to pad their lead in the second when they were able to push across three two-out runs on an RBI triple by Jordan Sprinkle (UCSB), a run-scoring single by Drew Gilbert (Tennessee) and a Stars error.
• Down 4-0, the Stars got one of the tallies back in the home half of the second as Lee doubled, moved to third on a single by Kyle Teel (Virginia) and scored on a wild pitch.
• The Stars continued to cut into the deficit in the third when Berry followed a leadoff walk to Robert Moore (Arkansas) with a home run down the right-field line to make it a 4-3 game.
• The biggest swing of the afternoon came in the fourth when Crews took a 2-0 pitch and drove it off the top of the scoreboard in right to complete the comeback and put the Stars in front, 5-4.

On Deck

• The USA Baseball Collegiate National Team will have a travel day on Monday as it heads out to complete its tour of the Appalachian League. The Stars and Stripes will next be in action at 7 p.m. ET on Tuesday, July 6 at Pioneer Park in Greeneville, Tenn., home of the Greeneville Flyboys. 

Social

• Stay tuned to @USABaseballCNT on Twitter for the most up-to-date news about the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team.

BURLINGTON, N.C. - Powered by home runs from Brock Jones and Carter Trice, the Stripes claimed a 7-4 victory over the Stars on Saturday evening at Burlington Athletic Stadium in Burlington, N.C.

Drew Gilbert (Tennessee) and Ethan Long (Arizona State) each went 2-for-4 at the plate and combined to score three runs from the top of the Stripes lineup. Dylan Crews (LSU) had a pair of singles as well as the Stars’ leadoff hitter.

Picking up the win on the mound was Stripes starter Gabriel Hughes (Gonzaga) who yielded three runs on four hits in three innings of work. Jack Washburn followed with three shutout frames before Jaxon Wiggins (Arkansas) fanned two in the seventh to close out the win.

Key Moments

• Jones (Stanford) wasted little time getting his team on the scoreboard, crushing a three-run opposite field longball in the bottom of the first.
• Trice (Old Dominion) followed with a no-doubter of his own the following inning to put the Stripes up 4-0 early.
• After dropping the series opener Friday night, the Stars were determined to fight back, however, with Jacob Berry (Arizona) answering right back with a three-run shot in the third to make it a 4-3 game.
• Kevin Parada (Georgia Tech) dashed those comeback thoughts though, roping a two-run double to left-center in the fifth.
• Long tacked on one more run for the Stripes with a double in the sixth and a run-scoring groundout by Robert Moore (Arkansas) in the seventh rounded out the tally on the scoreboard.

 On Deck

• The Stars and Stripes will return to the USA Baseball National Training Complex in Cary, N.C., for a 1:30 p.m. ET contest on Sunday, July 4.

 Social

• Stay tuned to @USABaseballCNT on Twitter for the most up-to-date news about the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team.

Danville, Va.- Jordan Sprinkle set the tone in the series opener for the 2021 USA Baseball Collegiate National Team, scoring a run, driving in another and playing a flawless shortstop to lead the Stripes to a tiebreaker victory over the Stars Friday evening at American Legion Field in Danville, Va.

At the completion of seven full innings, the two teams found themselves deadlocked at 3-3. The Stripes walked away victorious due to a predetermined tiebreaker rule, however.

The Stripes earned two tiebreaker points for winning both the first three innings (1-0) and innings four through six (2-1). The Stars earned only one point after winning the seventh inning (2-0).

Sprinkle led the way for the Stripes, finishing 2-for-2 at the plate with a single and a double, an RBI on a sacrifice fly and a stolen base.

A pair of University of Texas products helped maintain the Stripes lead on the mound as Tanner Witt and Aaron Nixon combined to throw five innings of one-run ball. Witt fanned two batters in three scoreless innings, while Nixon yielded just one run on two hits in his two frames of work.

Witt’s effort was particularly impressive as he found himself in a jam straight out of the gate as the Stars loaded the bases in the bottom of the first. He was able to get Kyle Teel (Virginia) swinging to escape unscathed and then retired the side in order in the next two innings.

Sprinkle got the scoring started in the top of the third, using his speed to create a run. The UC Santa Barbara standout led off the frame by hustling out a double before stealing third and scoring on an error.

Just two innings later, Sprinkle came through for the Stripes again. After a leadoff walk, a stolen base and a passed ball put a runner on third with just one out, Sprinkle lifted a sacrifice fly to center to put his team up 2-0.

The Stars answered right back in the bottom of the fifth though, when Hayden Dunhurst (Ole Miss) lined out sharply to right. Although Dylan Beavers (California) made a terrific diving grab on the play, it went down as a sacrifice fly with Gavin Cross (Virginia Tech) tagging and scoring from third.

The great outfield defense continued in the sixth when Teel made an incredible throw from left field to cut down a runner at the plate, but a walk and an error in that same inning allowed the Stripes to score an unearned run and take a 3-1 advantage.

Undeterred, the Stars’ bats came alive in the bottom of the seventh when a walk and a single put two runners on for Dylan Crews (LSU) who drove them both in with a game-tying double.

The Stars and Stripes will take the field again at 7 p.m. ET on Saturday when they travel to Burlington Athletic Stadium in Burlington, N.C.

CARY, N.C. – USA Baseball today announced the 45-man 2021 Collegiate National Team roster that will be split into two teams to compete in an 11-game Stars vs. Stripes intrasquad series starting on July 2. The team will be led in 2021 by Manager Elliott Avent (NC State).

“We are thrilled to have such a strong group representing the U.S. on the 2021 Collegiate National Team as we tour through the cities of the Appalachian League this summer,” said Eric Campbell, USA Baseball Collegiate National Team General Manager. “This year’s team offers a unique experience to play with, and against, some of the best collegiate baseball talent in the country in some of the best baseball communities, and we are looking forward to an incredible series.”

The roster is highlighted by eight USA Baseball alumni, including three that have played for Team USA multiple times. Justin Campbell (Oklahoma State), Dylan Crews (LSU), and Robert Moore (Arkansas) have all suited up for the red, white, and blue twice. Campbell helped the 2013 12U National Team win the program’s first-ever gold medal at the International Baseball Federation “A” World Cup, and Crews and Moore were teammates, along with Tanner Witt (Texas), on the 2017 15U National Team that won gold at the COPABE Pan Am “AA” Championships.

Moore will also reunite with his 2014 12U National Team teammate Paul Skenes (Air Force) on the 2021 Collegiate National Team, while Crews was part of the 2018 18U National Team that won the program’s eighth consecutive gold medal in international competition at the COPABE U-18 Pan American Championships.

Additionally, Nate Savino (Virginia) was a member of the 18U National Team program in 2019, and Campbell, Ethan Long (Arizona State), and Landon Sims (Mississippi State) will play together on Team USA for the second time in their careers in 2021 after participating with the 15U National Team in 2016.

Eight of the athletes on the 2021 roster also participated in the USA Baseball National Team Development Program (NTDP), including two-time participants of the program Moore and Aaron Nixon (Texas). Moore was a member of the 2016 14U NTDP along with Jacob Gonzalez (Ole Miss) and Crews, and was joined by Witt at the 2018 16U NTDP, while Nixon participated in the 2015 14U NTDP with Brooks Lee (Cal Poly), Long, and Sims. In addition, Nixon was also part of the 17U NTDP in 2018.

Thirty different schools are represented on the 2021 Collegiate National Team roster, with 12 boasting multiple athletes. Mississippi State and Virginia lead the way with three players each, while Arizona, Arizona State, Arkansas, Cal Poly, California, Florida, NC State, Ole Miss, Tennessee, and Texas all claim two.

The Collegiate National Team will not play an international opponent in 2021; instead, the Stars and Stripes will play an intrasquad series with 10 of their 11 games in the cities of the Appalachian League which is currently in its first season as a summer collegiate league as part of the Prospect Development Pipeline (PDP). The Appalachian League also serves as a national team pathway and identification event for the Collegiate National Team and other USA Baseball national teams.

Team USA will kick-off its tour on Friday, July 2, in Danville, Virginia, and will finish the series on Thursday, July 15, in Bluefield, West Virginia. The U.S. will also play on the Fourth of July at the USA Baseball National Training Complex in Cary, North Carolina. For the team’s full summer schedule, click here.

Avent, who just finished his 25th season as the head coach at NC State with an appearance in the 2021 College World Series, was named the manager of Team USA in April. He will be joined on staff by pitching coach Kevin O’Sullivan (Florida), as well as Bobby Austin (Mississippi State), Dan Hartleb (Illinois), Kobe Phillips (NC Central), Josh Pike (NC State), Alex Sogard (Wright State), Troy Tulowitzki (Texas), and Jerry Weinstein (Colorado Rockies).

Sogard and Weinstein will manage the Stars and Stripes teams, respectively, and Josh Pike of NC State will assist O’Sullivan as Team USA’s pitching coach technician.

The full 45-man 2021 Collegiate National Team Roster is as follows:

• 2021 Collegiate National Team Roster
• (Name; Position; Hometown; School)
•  Hunter Barco; LHP; Jacksonville, Fla.; Florida
• Dylan Beavers; OF; Paso Robles, Calif.; California
• Jacob Berry; INF; Queen Creek, Ariz.; Arizona
• Justin Campbell; RHP; Simi Valley, Calif.; Oklahoma State
• Reggie Crawford; LHP/INF; Frackville, Pa.; UCONN
• Dylan Crews; OF; Longwood, Fla.; LSU
• Gavin Cross; OF; Bristol, Tenn.; Virginia Tech
• Hayden Dunhurst; C; Carriere, Miss.; Ole Miss
• Jackson Fristoe; RHP; Paducah, Ky.; Mississippi State
• Drew Gilbert; LHP/OF; Stillwater, Minn.; Tennessee
• Jacob Gonzalez; INF; Glendora, Calif.; Ole Miss
• Caden Grice; 1B/LHP; Greer, S.C.; Clemson
• Devereaux Harrison; OF/RHP; Vacaville, Calif.; Long Beach State
• Sam Highfill; RHP/INF; Apex, N.C.; NC State
• Gabe Hughes; RHP; Eagle, Idaho; Gonzaga
• Brock Jones; OF; Fresno, Calif.; Stanford
• Jace Jung; INF; Flower Mound, Texas; Texas Tech
• Brooks Lee; INF; San Luis Obispo, Calif.; Cal Poly
• Ethan Long; INF/RHP; Gilbert, Ariz.; Arizona State
• Sean McLain; INF; Tustin, Calif.; Arizona State
• Parker Messick; LHP; Plant City, Fla.; Florida State
• Robert Moore; INF; Leawood, Kan.; Arkansas
• Aaron Nixon; RHP/INF; McAllen, Texas; Texas
• Carson Palmquist; LHP; Fort Myers, Fla.; Miami
• Kevin Parada; C; Pasadena, Calif.; Georgia Tech
• Will Sanders; RHP; Atlanta, Ga.; South Carolina
• Nate Savino; LHP; Sterling, Va.; Virginia
• Landon Sims; RHP; Cumming, Ga.; Mississippi State
• Paul Skenes; C/RHP; Lake Forest, Calif.; Air Force
• Jordan Sprinkle; INF; Palm Springs, Calif.; UC Santa Barbara
• Brandon Sproat; RHP; Pace, Fla.; Florida
• Adam Stone; RHP; Stamford, Conn.; Harvard
• Daniel Susac; C; Roseville, Calif.; Arizona
• Logan Tanner; C; Lucedale, Miss.; Mississippi State
• Kyle Teel; C/INF; Mahwah, N.J.; Virginia
• Drew Thorpe; RHP; Washington, Utah; Cal Poly
• Blade Tidwell; RHP; Loretto, Tenn.; Tennessee
• Carter Trice; INF; Mechanicsville, Va.; Old Dominion
• Chris Villaman; LHP/INF; High Point, N.C.; NC State
• Jack Washburn; RHP; Webster, Wisc.
• Carson Whisenhunt; LHP; Mocksville, N.C.; East Carolina
• Josh White; RHP; Danville, Calif.; California
• Jaxon Wiggins; RHP; Roland, Okla.; Arkansas
• Tanner Witt; RHP/INF; Houston, Texas; Texas
• Matthew Wyatt; RHP; Towson, Md.; Virginia

CARY, N.C. – USA Baseball today announced the 2021 Collegiate National Team coaching staff. Joining Elliot Avent (Manager; NC State) on staff is Bobby Austin (Mississippi State), Dan Hartleb (Illinois), Kevin O’Sullivan (Florida), Kobe Phillips (NC Central), Josh Pike (NC State), Alex Sogard (Wright State), Troy Tulowitzki (Texas), and Jerry Weinstein (Colorado Rockies).

Florida Head Coach Kevin O’Sullivan will serve as Team USA’s pitching coach and assisting him as the pitching coach technician will be Josh Pike of North Carolina State.

The Stars coaching staff will be led by Wright State Head Coach Alex Sogard, who will work alongside Illinois Head Coach Dan Hartleb (assistant coach) and Bobby Austin (bullpen coach).

American Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Famer Jerry Weinstein will manage the Stripes with University of Texas assistant Troy Tulowitzki serving as the team’s assistant coach and Kobe Phillips as the bullpen coach.

This year’s Collegiate team will feature 48 of the top non-draft-eligible collegiate players in the country on two 24-man rosters, the Stars and Stripes, for an 11-game tour of intrasquad games. Team USA will play its Fourth of July game at the USA Baseball National Training Complex in Cary, North Carolina, and the remaining schedule will take place in the cities of the Appalachian League. The Appalachian League is in its first year as a summer collegiate league as part of Major League Baseball and USA Baseball’s Prospect Development Pipeline, and a national team identification opportunity for future Collegiate and Professional National Teams.

“We are honored to welcome eight tremendous coaches to assist the Collegiate National Team this summer,” said USA Baseball General Manager of National Teams Eric Campbell. “This year will be unique for the Collegiate program as we welcome in forty-eight athletes to represent Team USA. As we constructed this season for the athletes, the need for an experienced and versatile coaching staff became a priority to heighten the overall development experience, and we are confident that we have done just that. These coaches bring a wealth of knowledge that will impact every single athlete who will wear the red, white, and blue in a positive way now and for many years to come.”

O’Sullivan will make his Team USA coaching debut this summer after recently completing his 14th season as the head coach at Florida. The bench boss has led the school to seven NCAA College World Series appearances, a program-record 13-straight NCAA Tournament appearances, and won a national championship with the Gators in 2017. The Goshen, New York, native was named the National Coach of the Year in 2017 and has earned SEC Coach of the Year accolades three times (2010, 2014, 2018). He has also led the Gators to five SEC Championships and two SEC Tournament Championships, en route to becoming the winningest coach in school history.

During his tenure in Gainesville, O’Sullivan has coached 88 MLB Draft selections, including a nation-leading 10 first-round picks since 2012. He has also coached 12 players who have participated on the Collegiate National Team, including Nolan Fontana (2010, 2011), Brian Johnson (2010, 2011), Jonathon Crawford (2012), A.J. Puk (2015), Alex Faedo (2016), and Tommy Mace (2019).

Fresh off a stint as the bench coach for the Professional National Team, which recently clinched a berth in the 2021 Tokyo Olympic Games, Weinstein will be wearing the Team USA uniform for the sixth time in his career as the manager of the Stripes this summer. Weinstein began his coaching career in 1966 and took over as the Sacramento City College manager in 1974, where he led the program to a National Community College Championship in 1998, 16 league championships, two state titles (1988 & 1998), and compiled an 831-208 record in 23 years at the helm.

He then moved to the professional ranks where he managed teams in the Washington Expos and Chicago Cubs organizations before serving as the Director of Player Development for the Los Angeles Dodgers from 2000-2001 and working as an assistant coach at Cal Poly from 2001-2005. In 2007, Weinstein joined the Colorado Rockies organization and served in many roles at various levels of the organization until 2018, including catching coach and offensive coordinator for the major league club from 2012-2014, as well as manager of the Modesto Nuts (2007-2011) and the Hartford Yard Goats (2017).

He earned the Baseball America Tony Gwynn Lifetime Achievement Award in 2018 and currently serves as the Rockies’ Special Assistant for Scouting and Player Development. No stranger to USA Baseball, the ABCA Hall of Famer has been on five previous Team USA coaching staffs throughout his career, including four stints with the Collegiate National Team (1987, 1992, 1995, 1996).

Joining Weinstein in the Stripes dugout will be Tulowitzki, currently a University of Texas assistant coach following a successful Major League playing career. A two-time All-American at Long Beach State, the California native brings with him the knowledge of playing for Team USA, having helped lead the Collegiate National Team to the gold medal at the 2004 FISU World University Championships in Tainan, Taiwan.

Tulowitzki spent 13 seasons in the big leagues where he was a five-time All-Star, two-time Gold Glove award winner, and two-time Silver Slugger. A career .290 hitter, he finished in the top-10 in MVP voting three times in his career and helped lead the Colorado Rockies to the first World Series in franchise history in 2007.

He began his coaching career at Texas in 2019, where he works with infielders and hitters. This season, he has helped guide the Longhorns to a Big 12 regular-season title, the No. 2 national seed in the NCAA Tournament, and a berth­­ in the College World Series.

Phillips rounds out the Stripes staff as the team’s bullpen coach. He joins the Collegiate National Team staff after a four-year playing career between Spartanburg Methodist College and North Carolina Central University. He appeared in 28 games behind the dish in his final season for the Eagles and graduated with a degree in behavioral and social science.

On the other side of the diamond this summer, the Stars dugout will be led by Sogard, who recently completed his third season at the helm of the Wright State program, leading the Raiders to a Horizon League Championship and a berth in the NCAA Tournament. 

Sogard spent two seasons as an assistant coach with the Raiders under current Indiana head coach Jeff Mercer before taking over the program in 2019. In his first season at Wright State, the Phoenix, Arizona, native led the program to a 42-17 record, the most wins by a first-year head coach in program history.

Under Sogard, the Raiders beat three ranked teams in 2019 and took down top-ranked Louisville in the COVID-shortened 2020 campaign. As a player, he spent two seasons at Oregon State, which won the national championship both years (2006, 2007), before transferring to North Carolina State to play his final three seasons under Avent. He then played at the professional level for six years, reaching as high as Triple-A in the Houston Astros organization. Sogard’s brother, Eric, currently plays for the Chicago Cubs.

Hartleb will serve as the assistant coach for the Stars, joining the Team USA staff for the summer after completing his 16th season as the head coach at Illinois. He ranks among the winningest coaches in school history, having led the Illini to a pair of Big Ten titles, four appearances in the NCAA Tournament, and the program’s first Super Regional appearance in 2015. 

The 2015 Big Ten Coach of the Year sports a career record of 476-349-1 (.576). Hartleb has spent a total of 31 seasons in an Illinois uniform, including 15 as an assistant, and was named the Big Ten Coach of the Decade for the 2010s. This will be the third USA Baseball assignment for Hartleb, who previously served on the staff of the 14U and 17U National Team Development Programs in 2014 and 2016, respectively. Additionally, he is currently a member of the Appalachian League Steering Committee.

Austin joins the Collegiate National Team staff as the Stars’ bullpen coach after working with USA Baseball in several roles, including as a coordinator for the 18U National Team in 2018. He also spent time working with the Mississippi State baseball program while getting his master’s at the school and served as a team manager and bullpen catcher at NC State under Avent during his undergraduate years.

Pike completes this summer’s Collegiate National Team staff as the pitching coach technician after serving as a student coach under Avent at NC State this past season. Before becoming a coach, Pike was a right-handed pitcher for the Wolfpack, making just one appearance as a freshman before being sidelined by injury. The Summerfield, North Carolina, native played at Northern Guilford High School, helping the team win a 3-A state championship as a senior when he went 5-0 with a 0.97 ERA in eight appearances.

Team USA will kick-off its 11-game tour on Friday, July 2, in Danville, Virginia, followed by a game in Burlington, North Carolina, on Saturday, July 3. USA Baseball will host the July 4 game at its National Training Complex in Cary, North Carolina, before hitting the road again to finish its season.

Greeneville, Tennessee, will host the U.S. on Tuesday, July 6, followed by Johnson City, Tennessee; Bristol, Virginia; Elizabethton, Tennessee; and Kingsport, Tennessee, in four consecutive nights.

The 11-game tour will conclude with a trio of games in Pulaski, Virginia; Princeton, West Virginia; and Bluefield, West Virginia, from July 13-15, respectively.

For more information on the 2021 Collegiate National Team, follow along on Twitter @USABaseball and @USABaseballCNT.

CARY, N.C. – USA Baseball today announced the naming of Chris Lionetti as its Director of Player Identification. Following six years of scouting experience with the Atlanta Braves, Lionetti will be responsible for identifying candidates for the Collegiate National Team, 18U National Team, and 16U/17U National Team Development Program. He will also identify candidates for joint MLB and USA Baseball events such as the Appalachian League, MLB Draft Combine, Prospect Development Pipeline (PDP) League, and PDP Premier events.

Lionetti will also be the organization’s liaison with the 30 MLB Clubs related to player identification and performance analysis, and assist all youth national team and development programs with player selection.

"We are extremely excited to welcome Chris Lionetti to the USA Baseball family as our first Director of Player Identification,” said USA Baseball Executive Director/CEO Paul Seiler. “Chris brings invaluable experience scouting the amateur baseball landscape on behalf of a Major League Club. We look forward to following his lead in the creation of a player identification system at USA Baseball and enhancing the talent pool for our identification events and national team programs.”

“I am both excited and honored to be named USA Baseball’s first Director of Player Identification,” said Lionetti. “The scouting community helped raise me in baseball and I look forward to using those experiences to contribute to USA Baseball’s standard of excellence. I cannot thank my mentors enough for making this opportunity a reality and I am ready to hit the road in search of players to represent our country.”

Lionetti began his professional career as a scouting intern with the Braves in January 2015 before being promoted to a scouting assistant in October. While in that position, he helped create an in-house scouting system, oversaw recruiting of players for the Braves Scout Team, and scouted more than 100 athletes annually, including Ian Anderson, Austin Riley, and Kyle Wright.

In January of 2018, Lionetti was once again promoted within Atlanta’s organization, serving as a scouting coordinator until he was named the Area Supervisor for the State of Georgia in October 2019. In his past few years with the Braves, he recruited players for “The Prospect World Series,” served as a liaison between the front office and athletes during contract negotiations, filed scouting and character reports, and assisted in creating camp and showcase opportunities for underserved athletes.

Lionetti received his bachelor’s degree in science and sports management in 2014 from the University of Georgia.

For more information on USA Baseball, visit USABaseball.com and follow @USABaseball on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.