Ust Again Goes 1-for-3 for USA Baseball
Team USA stays unbeaten with 12-0 win over Mexico.
June 9, 1998
TUCSON, Ariz. - The USA Baseball team remained unbeaten in its summer exhibition
season, posting a 12-0 victory Monday over the Mexico national
team in the third game between the teams at Hi Corbett Field. The
four-game series concludes Tuesday night, with Texas Tech junior
righthander Shane Wright scheduled to take the mound for the USA.
Notre Dame sophomore third baseman Brant Ust (Redmond, Wash.)
drew his second straight start and again went 1-for-3, with two
fielding assists. Notre Dame freshman righthander Aaron Heilman
(Logansport, Ind.) has yet to pitch for Team USA.
Baylor sophomore righthander Jason Jennings tossed six strong
innings, allowing four hits and no walks while striking out six.
The USA scored three runs in the third, behind a bases-loaded
sacrifice fly by Clemson centerfielder Patrick Boyd, an RBI
single by Texas Tech catcher Josh Bard and a run-scoring double
by UNLV designated hitter Ryan Ludwick.
The Americans added three runs in the sixth, five in the seventh
and one in the eighth. Rice sophomore righthander Jeff Nichols
had two strikeouts and two hits allowed in the seventh and eighth
innings before Texas sophomore righthander Dan Wright closed
things out with a perfect ninth inning.
A total of 15 players combined for the USA's 16 hits, with
Washington leftfielder Kyle Woods going 2-for-3 with a run
scored. Seven players drove in runs, led by Boyd's two RBI, while
10 players scored a run, paced by two each from North Carolina
second baseman Brian Roberts and Arizona shortstop Keoni DeRenne.
Team USA plays a five-game series versus Canada from June 10-14
before departing for the World Championship qualifier in Managua,
Nicaragua (June 17-26).
USA Baseball ultimately will select 22 players to comprise the
national team, from the current player pool of 44. The team is in
the midst of playing 33 games in preparation for the World
Championship ( July 21 - Aug. 2), which will feature reigning
world champion Cuba, host country Italy, Korea, Japan, Taipei,
China, the Netherlands, Spain and Russia. Five additional teams
will qualify from the Americas while the African champion and
Oceanian champion also will compete.
In addition to the United States, the 10-team qualifier
tournament will feature Argentina, Canada, Colombia, the
Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, and
Venezuela.
