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Saturday, June 24, 2000
U.S. faces
Japan in college
all-star games
The series will be in Hawaii
By Al Chase
for the first time in 29 years
Star-BulletinThe 29th annual USA vs. Japan Collegiate All-Star Series, featuring several All-Americans and top Major League draft picks, opens at Rainbow Stadium tomorrow night.
The U.S. collegians began their season by winning all four games against Mexico earlier this week at Hi Corbett Field at Tucson, Ariz., home of USA Baseball.
The scores were 5-0, 17-2, 11-4 and 11-5.
The U.S. pitchers allowed just four earned runs, struck out 53 while walking 13.
In the last game, Josh Karp (UCLA), Mike Gosling (Stanford) and Matt Lynch (Florida State), combined to strike out 19.
Bobby Crosby (Long Beach State) leads the U.S. with a .778 batting average. Tim Merritt (South Alabama) and Jake Gautreau (Tulane) are hitting .500.
However, the talent level of the Japan All-Stars should provide the Americans with a much stronger test, especially in pitcher-friendly Rainbow Stadium.
Japan, which hosted the series last year, swept all five games from the Americans.
Two USA players familiar with Rainbow Stadium are Karp, who pitched here in February, and California infielder Xavier Nady, who played here two years ago.
Nady, San Diego's 49th pick in the recent major league draft, was on the team last year.
Also returning is Patrick Boyd, an outfielder from Clemson who was selected by the Pittsburgh Pirates, the 119th pick overall.
Len DiNardo, a 6-4 left-hander from Stetson, Gosling, a 6-2 left-hander, and Kiki Bengochea, a 6-2 right-hander from Miami, picked up victories against Mexico.
DiNardo was 16-1 with an 0.90 earned run average this year.
He, catcher Casey Myers (Arizona State) and infielder Mark Teixeira (Georgia Tech) were first-team All-American selections by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association.
Teixeira, Baseball America's Player of the Year, had a .422 batting average with 18 home runs and 80 runs batted in.
Myers hit .412 with 18 homers and 97 RBIs.
Richard Lewis, am infielder from Georgia Tech, was a second-team NCBWA pick. He batted .398 with four homers and 52 RBIs.
Mike Gillespie, who has guided 12 of his 14-year Southern California Trojans teams into the NCAA tournament, is head coach of the USA team.
Gillespie is being assisted by John Savage of Southern Cal, Lelo Prado of Louisville, Frank Cruz of Loyola Marymount and Tim Corbin of Clemson.
USA-Japan Series
When: 7 p.m. tomorrow & Tuesday.
