CBB Visit: Team USA at North Shore Spirit

The CBB made the trip to Lynn MA to check on the Team USA Trials that are taking place this week during a series of exhibition games against teams from the NECBL. Team USA entered the game against the North Shore Navigators with a 2-0 record with victories over the Keene Swamp Bats and Holyoke Sox. The Navigators entered with a 4-2 record.

Team USA started Kyle Gibson of MIssouri but he was not sharp early on as the Navigators jumped all over him in the bottom of the first inning for five runs with Peter Fatse of UConn getting the big blow with a three run triple to put the Navigators up 5-0 after one frame. Gibson was able to settle down to get through five innings while allowing only those five runs (four earned) on six hits with five strikeouts. Gibson did not walk a batter on the afternoon. He seemed to be a little rusty in that first inning before finding his rhythm and overpowering the Navigators.

The Team USA offense looked horrible all evening as they struggled against Division 3 Springfield College left-handed starting pitcher Jimmy Lisoski. He only allowed the national team to get seven hits and one walk while only allowing two runs. He was followed by D-2 National Pitcher of the Year Mike Adams from Franklin Pierce who pitched two solid innings while only allowing one hit and one walk.

North Shore would scratch across a run in the sixth inning with a walk, one hit, and a fielding error by Derek Dietrich while Team USA would pick up a run in the eighth inning on three hits to finish off the scoring as the Navigators picked up a 6-3 victory. Team USA is back in action on Sunday in North Adams while North Shore hosts Sanford.

I will break down some of the players on Team USA in a post sometime this upcoming week.