FROM CBD NEWS SOURCE
BOONE, N.C. – The USA Baseball Collegiate National Team scored 14 times in the first three innings and improved to 10-0 with a 14-0 victory over the Carolina-Virginia CBL Selects. Austin Cousino (Kentucky) homered and drove in two as part of a three-hit game.
North Carolina’s Trent Thornton (1-0) started for Team USA and allowed just one hit and a walk in his two innings of work. Matt Imhof (Cal Poly) walked one and struck out three in his two innings on the mound. Riley Ferrell (TCU) pitched a perfect fifth inning and David Berg (UCLA) worked around a two-out error in a scoreless sixth.
The Carolina Virginia CBL Selects were limited to just five base runners in the game, only one of which moved into scoring position. Thornton pitched around a one-out walk in the first. In the second, the Selects had a pair of runners on after an error and a base hit. Thornton worked out of that jam with an inning-ending 4-6-3 double play.
The scoring for Team USA started early as it put up a five spot in the first inning. Four runs in the second and five in the third helped the Red, White and Blue build a commanding 14-0 lead.
Trea Turner (NC State) lead-off the game with a triple. After drawing a walk, Alex Bregman (LSU) took off for second. He slid in safely at second, but the throw sailed into center allowing Turner to score the first run of the game. Michael Conforto (Oregon State) was hit by the pitch to put two on. The duo executed a double steal and Bregman scored on a Matt Chapman (Cal State Fullerton) sacrifice fly. A bases loaded wild pitch allowed Conforto to score. Sam Travis (Indiana) hit a sacrifice fly and C.J. Hinojosa (Texas) singled in the fifth run of the inning.
Four more runs crossed the plate in the second inning as the lead grew to 9-0. Cousino tripled and scored on a ground out from Turner. Bregman followed with a double and scored on a Conforto base hit. Following a double by Kyle Schwarber (Indiana), Taylor Sparks (UC Irvine) triple to drive in two more runs.
Hinojosa was plunked with the first pitch of the third inning and after battling through a 12-pitch at-bat before turning on a 2-2 offering and driving it over the right field fence for his first home run of the summer. Bregman reached on a one-out error and moved to third on a Conforto double. Chapman followed with a two-run double and came around to score on a passed ball to account for the final run total of 14.
The game was called after six innings due to a run rule.
The Collegiate National Team will take a 10-0 record to Japan. The team departs Wednesday and will arrive in Matsuyama on Thursday. Team USA will play one more exhibition before kicking off the 39th edition of the Japan-USA Series on July 6. The Red, White and Blue will meet the Matsuyama Industrial League at Bocchan Stadium on July 5 at 1 a.m. (ET)/ 2 p.m. (JST).
