Team USA Vs. Team NECBL
Published on June 21, 2011 under New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL)
Valley Blue Sox News Release
USA Baseball and the New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL) announced Friday that the 2011 Collegiate National Team and Team NECBL will play an exhibition game at Fenway Park in Boston, on Monday, June 27, at 12:00 p.m. ET. Team USA is slated to face off against seven teams from the NECBL from June 23 through June 29. Before Team USA makes the trip to Fenway Park, there is a scheduled stop in Holyoke, Ma to clash with the current Western Division leading Holyoke Blue Sox at 6:30 p.m. on June 25 at MacKenzie Stadium. For more information on this game or any other events, visit www.Holyokesox.com
"This will be our 2nd time going head to head against Team USA, here at MacKenzie Stadium, said Holyoke Blue Sox CEO & owner Karen Rella, "we look forward to another exciting game for the Fans of Pioneer Valley".
Holyoke Blue Sox COO, & Owner Barry Wadsworth, said, "This will be a great experience for the players of the NECBL, I think we will match up well against Team USA. These players come from all across the United States many from top Division 1 schools. For them to have an opportunity to play in Historic Fenway Park will be something they will remember for the rest of their lives." "I think the NECBL will match up well against Team USA" "We are excited to take on the NECBL All-Stars again this season," Eric Campbell, USA Baseball Collegiate National Team General Manager, said in a news release. "The opportunity to play such a high level of competition at a historic venue like Fenway Park will be an unforgettable experience." The last time a USA Baseball National Team program appeared at Fenway Park was in 1995 at the IBAF World AAA/18U Junior Championships. The 18U National Team defeated Australia, 5-4, in the semifinals, and Chinese Taipei, 10-0, for the gold medal. Prior to that, the 1984 Collegiate National Team -- which also served as the U.S. Olympic Baseball Team -- faced a team of local all-stars at Fenway Park as part of its exhibition schedule before heading to the Los Angeles Games. The USA Collegiate team last faced the NECBL All-Stars in 2009 at MerchantsAuto.com Stadium in Manchester, N.H. The U.S. won the game, 4-1, behind a 3-for-4 performance from current Red Sox prospect Bryce Brentz.
USA Baseball alums currently on the Red Sox include manager Terry Francona (2001 World Cup) and players Daniel Bard (2004 Collegiate), Carl Crawford (2001 World Cup), J.D. Drew (1996 Collegiate), Jed Lowrie (2004 Collegiate), Dustin Pedroia (2002-03 Collegiate, 2009 World Baseball Classic), Jarrod Saltalamacchia (2001 16U, 2002 18U, 2005 CONCEBE Olympic Qualifier, 2006 COPABE Olympic Qualifier), Jason Varitek (1992 Collegiate, 2006 World Baseball Classic), Dan Wheeler (1999 Pan American, 2006 World Baseball Classic), and Kevin Youkilis (2009 World Baseball Classic). The USA Baseball Collegiate National Team is made up of the top non-draft-eligible collegiate baseball players in the country. Players who have worn the red, white, and blue for the Collegiate team and have gone on to Major League Baseball success include such notables as Nomar Garciaparra (1992), Ryan Howard (2000), David Price (2005-06), Stephen Strasburg (2008), Huston Street (2002-03), and Mark Teixeira (2000).
New England Collegiate Baseball League Stories from June 21, 2011
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