USA National Team defeats Holly Springs 3-1

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CARY, N.C. — Corey Ray (Louisville) set a new USA Collegiate National Team record with five stolen bases, reaching base safely in all five trips to the plate, highlighting the lid-lifter of the summer tour for the USA Collegiate National Team, a 3-1 eight-inning win over Holly Springs of the Coastal Plains League, on Saturday night at Coleman Field in the National Training Complex.

A native of Chicago, Ill., Ray set a new single-game record with five steals, totaling a hit, three walks and was hit by a pitch. Ray eclipsed the previous record of three steals in a game, last done by Clemson catcher Chris Okey, who is making his second tour with the CNT in 2015.

Team USA opened its summer tour with the first of three tune-up games against teams from the Coastal Plains League. The CNT jumped out to a three-run lead with a tally in the first and two runs in the second inning, using a RBI double from Nick Banks (Texas A&M) and a two-run triple from Anfernee Grier (Auburn). With heavy rains hitting the area, the game was halted in the bottom of the fourth inning.

After a 55-minute rain delay, the game resumed just before 9 p.m., with Team USA holding a three-run lead. Three

USA relievers then combined to allow a run over the final five innings, helping the Red, White and Blue earn their first win.

Team USA turned to Tyler (1-0) for the start in the opener. Tyler, a 6-foot-4, 217-pounder, worked three shutout, one-hit innings, walking two and striking out four. Freshman righty Tanner Houck (Missouri) started the fourth inning, working three innings, allowing three hits and one run, walking one and striking out four. Freshman southpaw Seth Romero (Houston) started the seventh, working around a dropped third strike. Righty Ryan Hendrix (Texas A&M) came on to work the final frame for his first save of the summer.

Grier led Team USA at the plate with a 2-for-4 game, with his two-RBI triple in the second serving as the game-winning hit. KJ Harrison (Oregon State) added two hits, with Banks ripping the RBI double in the first inning. USA also got a hit from Colby Woodmansee (Arizona State), with Okey adding a walk and run. Ray reached base in each of his five trips, stealing five bases with three walks and a hit by pitch, notching a single in the eighth.

Team USA will return to action on Sunday, playing host to Peninsula Pilots at 6 p.m. at the National Training Complex.

The CNT opened the scoring in the bottom of the first inning, as Corey Ray (Louisville) drew a five-pitch walk to open the game, stealing second on the first pitch of the next at-bat. After a groundout, Banks ripped a double into the right-centerfield gap, scoring Ray for a 1-0 lead.

In the bottom of the second, Team USA stretched its lead to 3-0 on two hits and a pair of walks. Woodmansee singled on a 0-2 offering up the middle with one out, taking third on a botched pick-off attempt. After Okey drew a walk to put runners on the corners, Grier ambushed the first pitch of his at-bat for a triple into the right-centerfield gap, scoring Woodmansee and Okey.

The Salamanders got on the board in the top of the sixth inning, as Collin Woody (UNC Greensboro) drew a one-out walk and Nick Hernandez (Princeton) singled through the left side. After a strikeout, Xyruse Martinez (NW Oklahoma State) pulled a ground-ball single through the right side, scoring Woody to make it 3-1.

Holly Springs (10-10 in the Coastal Plains League) started freshman righty Jordan Bissette (N.C. State), who worked two innings, allowing three hits and three runs, walking three and striking out three. Holly Springs used Brad Archer (Missouri State), Chris Cervantes (Eastern Kentucky), Chandler Sanburn (Wichita State) and Chris Williams (N.C. State) in relief.

 

Following the eight-inning game, the two teams played a final inning under international tie breaker rules, with each team starting its frame with runners on first and second base and no outs and the ability to start the inning at any point in the batting order.