FROM USA BASEBALL RELEASE
BOSTON – Seven pitchers limited the NECBL All-Stars to three runs and four hits, but the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team managed three hits of its own in a 3-2 loss Monday afternoon at Fenway Park.
Team USA scored a run in the seventh off three NECBL errors, but stranded a runner at third to end the inning. It was the club’s last true rally, and allowed the NECBL All-Stars to pull out the one-run victory.
Kevin Gausman (LSU) made his first start for Team USA and worked three innings, allowing two hits and a run with two strikeouts. He did not figure in the decision.
Gausman’s lone blemish on the day was a solo home run to Tom Murphy in the second inning, a towering shot over the Green Monster in left field.
Murphy’s home run gave the NECBL All-Stars a 1-0 lead, but Team USA matched that via a single off the bat of Dominic Ficociello (Arkansas) in the bottom half of the inning. It drove in Josh Elander (Texas Christian) who had doubled two batters earlier.
The NECBL All-Stars, however, took a 3-1 lead in the sixth when Joe Hudson and Brandon Miller posted consecutive run-scoring singles off Team USA (3-1) reliever Tom Windle (Minnesota).
Windle took the loss after allowing two hits and two runs.
Team USA had each of its relievers throw one inning apiece. Hoby Milner (Texas), Andrew Mitchell (Texas Christian), Corey Knebel (Texas), Mark Appel (Stanford) and Marcus Stroman (Duke) all threw scoreless innings. Milner and Knebel both made their Team USA debuts after arriving in New England on Saturday,
Ryan Harvey picked up the win after a scoreless inning of relief for the NECBL All-Stars.
Team USA continues its trek through New England Tuesday when the club visits the Newport Gulls at Cardines Field. First pitch is set for 6:30 p.m. ET. Make sure and check usabaseball.com for a live stats link pre-game and a full box score and recap at the contest’s conclusion.
USA Notes: The game marked the first for Team USA at Fenway Park since 1995 when the 18U National Team participated in the IBAF World AAA/18U Junior Championships … Team USA defeated Australia, 5-4, and Chinese Taipei, 10-0, in those games … The Collegiate National Team served as the home club in Monday’s game against the NECBL All-Stars.
