FROM CBB NEWS SOURCE
(OSTRAVA, Czech Republic) – Josh Fellhauer (Cal State Fullerton; Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.) capped a four-run seventh with a three-run homer to straightaway center field as the USA Baseball National Team shutout the Czech National Team 5-0 in a “friendly” game late Wednesday afternoon at Ostrava Field. Team USA, which played as the home team, improved to 16-0 on its 2008 tour with the victory.
Matt den Dekker (Florida; Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) reached on an error to leadoff the first inning and later scored on a groundout from Jared Clark (Cal State Fullerton; Castaic, Calif.).
That proved to be all the offense five Team USA pitchers would need as the staff tossed its fourth shutout of the tour. Starter Andrew Oliver (Oklahoma State; Vermillion, Ohio) earned the victory after allowing four hits and two walks with seven strikeouts over 5.0 innings.
A.J. Griffin (San Diego; El Cajon, Calif.) struck out three over 2.0 innings, while Kyle Gibson (Missouri; Greenfield, Ind.) and Tyler Lyons (Oklahoma State; Lubbock, Texas) combined to strikeout the side in the eighth. Kendal Volz (Baylor; Bulverde, Texas) struck out one in the ninth in a non-save situation.
The game remained 1-0 until Team USA’s four-run seventh. After Hunter Morris (Auburn; Huntsville, Ala.) and Scott Woodward (Coastal Carolina, Markle, Ind.) walked to leadoff the inning, Christian Colon (Cal State Fullerton; Corona, Calif.) scored pinch-runner Blake Smith (California; Modesto, Calif.) with a single up the middle.
The Czech team managed only five hits on the night, four of which came over the fourth and fifth innings. Czech starter Radek Prochazka, who actually is the team’s pitching coach, was saddled with the loss; he allowed one unearned run on three hits and a walk with two strikeouts over 5.0 innings.
Colon had two of Team USA’s five hits on the day. Woodward reached safely three times, walking once and getting hit by a pitch twice.
Team USA returns to action Friday in the Federation of International University Sports (FISU) World Championships. The U.S. opens pool play against the Korean National Team at 4 a.m. EDT (10 a.m. local).
USA Baseball is the National Governing Body of amateur baseball in the United States and is a member of the United States Olympic Committee. The organization selects and trains the United States Olympic Baseball Team (and all other USA Baseball Professional Teams); the USA Baseball National Team (collegiate); the USA Baseball 18U, 16U and 14U National Teams; and the USA Baseball Women’s National Team, all of which participate in various international competitions each year. For more information on USA Baseball please visit usabaseball.com.
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