MWL1 Kane County Cougars

Cougars to Host USA Baseball Collegiate National Team Games

June 26, 2013 - Midwest League (MWL1)
Kane County Cougars News Release


GENEVA, IL - The Kane County Cougars will host USA Baseball Collegiate National Team games on July 15 and 16 at Fifth Third Bank Ballpark. Advance tickets for both games, which range from $8 for general admission lawn seating to $12 box seats, will go on sale to the general public on Thursday, June 27 at 1 p.m. at kccougars.com, by phone at (630) 232-8811 or in person during business hours at the Cougars box office. Fans can learn more about Team USA at usabaseball.com.

Team USA will oppose the Crystal Lake Cardinals, a Metropolitan CBL of Illinois franchise, on Monday, July 15 at 6:30 p.m. For Tuesday's 1 p.m. game, Team USA will face Metropolitan CBL of Illinois All-Stars. Gates will open one hour prior to game time on both dates with full concessions and in-stadium attractions available, as is the case during Cougars games. Team USA's 24-man roster includes some of the most highly-touted collegiate players in the country and features a Chicagoland native, pitcher Nick Burdi from west suburban Downers Grove. Many of the team's players recently competed in the College World Series including Burdi (Louisville), infielder Alex Bregman (LSU), catcher Kyle Schwarber (Indiana), outfielder Michael Conforto (Oregon State) and pitcher David Berg, who was part of UCLA's CWS championship team earlier this month.

The team's summer schedule includes a collegiate league tour in various locations in the United States, a trip to Japan, and several games against Cuba following the team's appearance in Geneva. Team USA is currently 4-0 on its trek through the Coastal Plains League and is managed by Texas Christian skipper Jim Schlossnagle.

"Cougars fans have been accustomed to seeing future big league talent throughout our franchise history, and our partnership with Team USA is another tremendous opportunity for baseball fans to see some of the best and brightest collegiate stars," Cougars General Manager Curtis Haug said. "The rich history of USA Baseball, along with the talented collegiate national roster on this summer's team, will make July 15th and 16th an exciting time for fans to visit us at Fifth Third Bank Ballpark."

"USA Baseball is extremely excited to play in Kane County for the first time," said USA Baseball CEO/Executive Director, Paul Seiler. "The opportunity to play in Fifth Third Bank Ballpark as we prepare for our friendship series with the Cuban National Team is vital to our success this summer."

The Cougars' current roster and field staff includes several USA Baseball alumni. Cougars outfielder Albert Almora is a six-time USA Baseball alumnus, while Cougars pitcher Dillon Maples and pitching coach Ron Villone have USA Baseball ties as well. Current and past major leaguers who have been affiliated with USA Baseball include David Price, Ryan Zimmerman, Stephen Strasburg, Jim Abbott, Tino Martinez and Robin Ventura.

Check out the Kane County Cougars Statistics



Midwest League Stories from June 26, 2013


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central