Showing posts tagged “Tulane”
Mike Potter ·
20 Jul 2009, 9:41 AM ·
Comment
Yasmani Grandal (pictured) blasted a two-run homer in the sixth, giving USA Baseball’s National Team the lead for good in a 5-2 win over host Canada in the World Baseball Challenge in Prince George, British Columbia.
The win in the opener of the event broke the Americans’ two-game losing streak.
Christian Colon of Cal State-Fullerton gave the USA a lead in the first with his solo homer.
The Canadians took the lead by scratching out two in the bottom of the frame off Ole Miss’ Drew Pomeranz. Kevin Atkinson scored the first run on a sacrifice fly, while Nic Lendovy brought home the second on a fielder’s choice.
The winning rally came with two out in the sixth, when Tennessee’s Blake Forsythe drew a two-out walk and Grandal, a rising junior at Miami, followed with his two-run blast to right.
The USA got insurance runs on a wild pitch in the eighth and an RBI double from Hawaii’s Kolten Wong in the ninth.
Pomeranz (3-1) of picked up the victory, striking out six in six innings. Tulane’s Nick Pepitone collected the save.
Danny Briton-Foster also had a quality start, going six innings for the Canadians.
The USA’s second game in the event is against Germany, tonight at 10 p.m. EDT.
ACC, Baseball, USA Baseball Blake Forsythe, Cal State-Fullerton, Canada, Christian Colon, Danny Briton-Foster, Drew Pomeranz, Germany, Hawaii Rainbow Warriors, Kevin Atkinson, Kolten Wong, Miami Hurricanes, Mississippi Rebels, Nic Lendovy, Nick Pepitone, Ole Miss, Prince George, Tennessee Volunteers, Tulane, World Baseball Challenge, Yasmani Grandal
Mike Potter ·
5 Jul 2009, 12:58 AM ·
Comment
At least it’s over.
USA Baseball’s National Team finished a four-game sweep of Guatemala on Saturday night with an 18-1 victory that wasn’t a bit out of context.
Arkansas’ Andy Wilkins (pictured) hit a 435-foot grand slam while Sonny Gray of Vanderbilt was the winning pitcher as the home team rocked the Quetzals for a fourth straight night in front of a full house at Durham Bulls Athletic Park on the city’s traditional July 4 fireworks night. Team USA players all wore No. 4 jerseys saluting Lou Gehrig on a night Major League Baseball used to promote awareness of ALS.
While Wilkins’ slam in the fifth inning was certainly a big hit and an exciting hit, it certainly wasn’t a key hit.
In the National Team’s four wins over Guatemala in Kannapolis, Cary and Durham, the USA scored a total of 61 runs to the visitors’ two. That score would make for a very, very miserable football game. Continue reading »
Baseball, Durham Bulls, USA Baseball Al Yevoli, ALS, Andy Wilkins, Arkansas Razorbacks, Cary, Chinese Taipei, Coastal Carolina, Cody Wheeler, Cuba, Eastern League, embargo, Guatemala, High Point Panthers, Japan, Kannapolis, Lou Gehrig, Major League Baseball, Manchester, Manuel Hernandez, Marlon Claveria, NECBL, New Hampshire Fisher Cats, Portland Sea Dogs, Republic of China, Rick Jones, Sonny Gray, South Korea, Taiwan, Tulane, Vanderbilt, World Baseball Classic
Mike Potter ·
3 Jul 2009, 10:28 PM ·
Comment
COLEMAN FIELD/CARY It’s Game 3 of what has so far been a very lopsided series between the USA National Team and Guatemala.
In Game 1 on Wednesday night in Kannapolis the USA pitching staff combined for 24 strikeouts and then on Thursday night on this field the staff combined for the first official no-hitter in team history.
The crowd is a little bigger on a very pleasantly warm evening at the National Training Complex, perhaps drawn in by the post-game fireworks. And maybe there will be some during the game, too.
The USA is in camo uniforms tonight to celebrate the Independence Day weekend.
To review, this Guatemalan team has a massively wide age range. Infielder Jorge Gutierrez, who came into the game with the Quetzals’ only two hits of the series and isn’t in the starting lineup, is 42 while center fielder Manuel Hernandez is 16.
And once again, I’m the only one in the house representing local media - or in fact any general-circulation publication not specializing in baseball. Baseball America is also on site.
The Americans are batting in the top of the first inning, and it quickly becomes obvious this is like the movie “Groundhog Day” for the overmatched Guatemalans, who are on the way to an 18-0 loss that’s stopped after seven innings. UCLA’s Trevor Bauer (pictured) gets the win. Continue reading »
Baseball, Durham Bulls, USA Baseball Al Yevoli, Baseball America, Bryce Brentz, Cal State-Fullerton, Cary, Christian Colon, Groundhog Day, High Point Panthers, Jorge Gutierrez, Kannapolis, Manuel Hernandez, Mario Cruz, Marlon Claveria, Michael Choice, Middle Tennessee, Rick Jones, San Diego Padres, Sonny Gray, Texas-Arlington, Trevor Bauer, Tulane, UCLA, Vanderbilt
Mike Potter ·
2 Jul 2009, 11:14 PM ·
Comment
COLEMAN FIELD/CARY It’s Game 2 of the USA National Team series against Guatemala, and the main suspense is to see whether or not the visitors can get closer than Wednesday night’s 15-1 loss in Kannapolis.
It’s partly cloudy and warm - temperatures in the high ’80s - and the crowd for this one is pretty sparse.
There are no food freebies for the media tonight. Bummer. At least I’ve called ahead to find out and had a good meal at home with the family.
Already today I’ve been at Durham Bulls Athletic Park to do an interview with a player for a “Top 50 prospects” project for a baseball website.
The Bulls weren’t home on Wednesday either and neither were the Carolina Mudcats, making it one of those rare days since March on which there wasn’t at least one high quality baseball game in the Triangle.
That off-day gave me some time for some serious exploration of Facebook, which I had never bothered to join until last weekend. I’m going to start posting my Indy posts to my page every day, as well as putting them all on Twitter, where I am “mikepotterrdu.”
Guatemala has about the widest age range I have ever seen on a baseball team that plays together regularly. Infilelder Jorge Gutierrez, who got the only two hits on Wednesday, is 42, while center fielder Manuel Hernandez is 16.
And apparently on what turns out to be an historic night, I am the only journalist covering the game for local media (Baseball America is also in the house) as the USA wins 10-0 on the first regular-season no-hitter in team history. UCLA’s Gerrit Cole (pictured), The Citadel’s Asher Wojciechowski, Tulane’s Nick Pepitone and Texas Tech’s Chad Bettis team up for the feat. (The 9-0 win against Canada in 2004 at DBAP was during the team’s “trials” phase.) Continue reading »
Baseball, Carolina Mudcats, Durham Bulls, USA Baseball Andy Wilkins, Arkansas Razorbacks, Asher Wojciechowski, Baseball America, Blake Forsythe, Bryce Brentz, Cal State-Fullerton, Canada, Casey McGrew, Chad Bettis, Christian Colon, Facebook, Follow us on Twitter!, Gerrit Cole, Guatemala, Hawaii Rainbow Warriors, Jorge Gutierrez, Manuel Hernandez, Middle Tennessee, Nick Pepitone, Rick Jones, Tennessee Volunteers, Texas Tech, The Citadel, Trevor Bauer, Tulane, UCLA, Wright State
Mike Potter ·
29 Jun 2009, 10:55 PM ·
Comment
COLEMAN FIELD/CARY It’s the finale of the big five-game series between the USA National (Collegiate) Team and the high school boys from Canada.
Before the game there’s a huge networking event among a couple of dozen Chamber of Commerce organizations, etc. The Carolina Hurricanes and the Durham Bulls and the Carolina Railhawks all have booths, as do numerous well-known local restaurants. At least what serves as the press meal is healthy tonight - until they bring in the leftover chocolate chip cookies and cinnamon bagels.
Bill Coleman, long-time former Cary town manager, throws the ceremonial pitch on a night the stadium is dedicated in his name. It’s a lot friendlier moniker than the “National Training Complex,” huh?
Early in the game Cary Mayor Pro-Tem Julie Aberg Robison comes into the press box and sits for a bit. I can’t resist picking her brain for a little politics. One thing she points out is the need to raise awareness of what a classy complex the town has put together, and she’s absolutely right.
And since apparently I’m the only local keyboard media type covering this game - which the USA wins 9-3 - the problem is pretty apparent.
Anyway, the game gets going in front of a very polite crowd that seems as if it got lost going to a tennis or golf event. Not like DBAP or even Five County. Those wanting beer had to get it at the networking event.
So it gets going and nobody scores in the first. In the second, the USA run machine fires up. The hosts score two in the second on a hit and an error, then two more in the third with the first RBI hit by Michael Choice (pictured) of Texas-Arlington. Continue reading »
Baseball, Carolina Hurricanes, Carolina RailHawks, Durham Bulls, USA Baseball Asher Wojciechowski, Bill Coleman, British Columbia, Darren Kolk, Drew Pomeranz, Durham Bulls Athletic Park, Five County Stadium, Guatemala, Julie Aberg Robison, Kannapolis, Kellin Deglan, Langley, Michael Choice, Rick Jones, Texas-Arlington, The Citadel, Tulane, World Baseball Classic
Mike Potter ·
28 Jun 2009, 10:22 PM ·
Comment
DBAP/DURHAM OK baseball fans, today I’m “Safe at Home in Durham” (although I live in Brier Creek now) for Game 4 of the USA National Team’s five-game set with Canada.
The Red, White and Blue, which has won all three by comfortable scores, will be favored once again. Not just because the U.S. is just better than Canada in baseball at the amateur level, but also because the Canucks have sent an 18U team. Good for the young boys from Canada to get some experience - I mean every golfer would like to play a round with Tiger Woods, right? - but for competitive balance, not so much.
When I get to the press box I learn there will be a total of two keyboard journalists in the house, and that we will be the first to cover any game in the series, which started on Thursday night in Cary. Kudos to the News & Observer for getting to the game, and I’m not going to take shots at the papers in Burlington or Greensboro or any of the smaller surrounding cities for not being here. I’m just not. I would have been around for the first three myself, but I couldn’t be in Zebulon and Durham at the same time.
Today the buffet menu includes both your standard meat-and-tomato sauce lasagna along with a vegetable alternative and Caesar salad.
Canada scored five runs in the first inning on Saturday night before losing 14-5, and today it’s competitive early. After the USA, which is the designated “visiting” team, scratches out two in the first, the Canadians tie it in the bottom of the frame.
But when veteran Christian Colon of Cal State-Fullerton - the only school for which somehow game ops does not have the fight song - blasts a two-out, 0-1 offering over the Blue Monster wall in left in the second, the tricolor boys are off to the races. USA scores two in the third, two in the fifth, five in the sixth, four in the seventh and it’s a challenge to stay engaged in the process.
The homeboys eventually win it 20-3, with 11 different players hitting safely and Coastal Carolina’s Cody Wheeler (pictured) getting the win. In other USA Baseball action on Sunday, Babe Ruth beat Bryce Harper and the American Legion team 8-7 for the championship of the Tournament of Stars.
Continue reading »
ACC, Baseball, USA Baseball American Legion, Asher Wojciechowski, Babe Ruth, Boston Red Sox, Bryce Harper, Cal State-Fullerton, Canada, Cary, Christian Colon, Coastal Carolina, Cody Wheeler, Cuba, Florida State Seminoles, Greg Hamilton, Jason Bay, Jerome Werniuk, Justin Morneau, Los Angeles Dodgers, Minnesota Twins, News & Observer, Rick Jones, Russell Martin, Steve McKinnon, Texas Rangers, The Citadel, Tiger Woods, Tournament of Stars, Tulane, Tyler Holt, World Baseball Classic
Mike Potter ·
21 Jun 2009, 10:32 PM ·
Comment
Christian Colon of Cal State-Fullerton had the only RBI hit as the Blues beat the Reds 2-0 in the USA Baseball National Team’s seven-inning intrasquad game Sunday at the National Training Complex in Cary.
A two-out single to right from Colon (pictured) in the fifth inning easily plated Wright State’s Casey McGrew from third.
The Blues got their other run in the sixth on an error to Florida’s Preston Tucker.
Nick Pepitone of Tulane picked up the win, while Baylor’s Logan Verrett recorded the save.
The teams will play another intrasquad Monday at 3 p.m. at the NTC. The first game against outside opposition is Thursday night at 7 at the NTC against Canada.
Baseball, USA Baseball, Uncategorized Baylor, Cal State-Fullerton, Casey McGrew, Christian Colon, Florida Gators, Logan Verrett, Nick Pepitone, Preston Tucker, Tulane, Wright State
