By Charlie Leffler
University of Louisville Cardinal outfielder Mark Jurich was further honored after his outstanding sophomore season by being selected as one of 22 members of the 2002 USA Baseball National Team. The team will play 17 games here in the states before venturing to The Netherlands for a six-game tournament, July 19-29 and Italy for the FISU World Championships August 3-11.
Jurich, who played for Ballard High School in Louisville, was 6 for 14 with two RBI in four intrasquad games and was the only player to hit safely in all four games during the week-long tryouts. Jurich is expected to fill the fourth outfielder position and take the designated hitter spot in the lineup.
Louisville Head Coach Lelo Prado, who directed the Cards to a school record 39 wins and its first ever regional berth, will coach the USA team.
In 53 games last spring, Jurich lead the team with a .365 average, five triples, 16 home runs, a .724 slugging percentage and 60 RBI. He was selected to the NCBWA All-American third team, ABCAAll-Region second team and the Conference USA first team following the 2002 slate.
Thirty-three collegiate underclassmen were invited to tryouts in Tucson, Arizona and the team will open the summer schedule immediately, facing the Santa Barbara Foresters of the CaliforniaCoastal Collegiate League in Tucson on June 24th at 7:00 p.m.
Other players who have played on the National Team include Mark McGwire, Nomar Garciaparra, Jason Giambi, Todd Helton, Troy Glaus, TinoMartinez and Robin Ventura.
For more information on the USA National team, including live scoring of all of the games, you can log onto their website at www.usabaseball.com.
2002 USA Baseball National Team Red, White & Blue Tour , 6/24 Santa Barbara Foresters Tucson, Arizona 7:00 PM, 6/25 Santa Barbara Foresters Tucson, Arizona 7:00 PM, 6/28 Japan Aberdeen, Maryland 7:00 PM, 6/29 Japan Bridgeport, Conn. 7:00 PM, 6/30 Japan Long Island, NY 7:00 PM, 7/3 Japan Lakewood, NJ 7:00 PM, 7/4 Japan Trenton, NJ 7:00 PM, 7/5 Torrington Twisters Torrington, Conn. 7:00 PM, 7/6 Mill City All-Americans Lowell, Mass. 7:00 PM, 7/7 Sanford Mainers Sanford, Maine 7:00 PM, 7/8 Concord Quarry Dogs Concord, NH 7:00 PM, 7/9 Keene Swamp Bats Keene, NH 7:00 PM, 7/11 Newport Gulls Newport, RI 7:00 PM, 7/12 Northern Ohio Strongsville, Ohio 7:00 PM, 7/13 Northern Ohio Strongsville, Ohio 7:00 PM, 7/14 Northern Ohio Strongsville, Ohio 6:00 PM, 7/15 Great Lakes All-Stars Strongsville, Ohio 4:00 PM
HAARLEM Baseball Week , 7/19 Chinese Taipei Haarlem, The Netherlands 7:00 PM, 7/21 South Africa Haarlem, The Netherlands 7:00 PM, 7/23 Japan Haarlem, The Netherlands 7:00 PM, 7/25 Cuba Haarlem, The Netherlands 7:00 PM, 7/27 The Netherlands Haarlem, The Netherlands 7:00 PM, 7/29 Championship Game Haarlem, The Netherlands 2:00 PM
FISU World Championships , 8/3 TBD Messina, Italy TBD, 8/4 TBD Messina, Italy TBD, 8/5 TBD Messina, Italy TBD, 8/6 TBD Messina, Italy TBD, 8/7 TBD Messina, Italy TBD, 8/9 Quarterfinals Messina, Italy TBD, 8/11 World Championship Game Messina, Italy TBD
All times are local and subject to change
USA Baseball Roster
Name – Position – School – Home Town
Alvarez, Abe LHP So Long Beach State Fontana, CA, Aubrey, Michael IF So Tulane Shreveport, LA, Bakker, Kyle LHP So Georgia Tech Omaha, NE,Cordero, Chad RHP So CS Fullerton Chino, CACosta, Shane OF So CS Fullerton Visalia, CA,Fuld, Sam OF So Stanford Durham, NH,Hill, Aaron IF So Louisiana State Visalia, CA,Humber, Philip RHP Fr Rice Carthage, TX,Jackson, Conor IF So California Woodland Hills, CA, Johnson, Grant RHP Fr Notre Dame Burr Ridge, Ill., Jurich, Mark OF So Louisville Louisville, KY,Littleton, Wes RHP So CS Fullerton Oceanside, CA, Patterson, Eric IF Fr Georgia Tech Kennesaw, GA,Pedroia, Dustin IF Fr Arizona State Woodland, CA,Powell, Landon C So South Carolina Apex, NC,Quentin, Carlos OF So Stanford Chula Vista, CA,Sammons, Clint C Fr Georgia Stone Mountain, GA,Sleeth, Kyle RHP So Wake Forest Westminster, CO,Street, Huston RHP Fr Texas Austin, TX,Sullivan, Brad RHP So Houston Nederland, TX,Weeks, Rickie OF So Southern Alte Monte Springs, FL,Zimmermann, Bob RHP So SW Missouri State Creve Coeur, MO,
