JUNIOR NATIONAL TEAM TRIALS PLAYERS END PLAY WITH DOUBLEHEADER SWEEP
Sept. 14, 2006

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    • SNELLVILLE, Ga. - The 2006 Junior National Team Trials players wrapped up exhibition play today with a doubleheader sweep of two area squads in action at Parents Field on the campus of Shiloh High School.

    In the opener, Victor Sanchez (INF; Norwalk, CA) and Michael Moustakas (INF-OF; Northridge, CA) blasted home runs to lead the JNT to a 5-2 victory against Team Elite.

    Then, in the nightcap, the JNT took advantage of 12 walks, three hit batsmen and five errors to race past Team Georgia 7-3.

    Moustakas cracked a two-run homer to right field in the third inning of the opening game, following a walk to Justin Jackson (INF; Asheville, NC) to give Team USA an early lead. The JNT made it a 4-0 contest in the fourth inning when Matt Dominguez (INF; Lake Balboa, CA) and Hunter Morris (UT; Huntsville, AL) drew back-to-back walks with the bases loaded. Sanchez's solo blast to center field gave Team USA a 5-0 cushion in the sixth inning.

    Blake Beavan (RHP; Irving, TX) and Greg Peavey (RHP; Vancouver, WA) each struck out five in three innings of mound duty. Peavey allowed an unearned run in the sixth. Michael Main (RHP; Deltona, FL) surrendered Team Elite's other run in the seventh inning.

    Despite being outhit 6-4 in the second game, the JNT capitalized on fielding miscues and wildness by Team Georgia's pitching staff to secure the win. Team USA moved to a 4-1 advantage after three innings getting just two hits but cashing in on a pair of Team Georgia errors along with four walks and a hit batsman. Moustakas, Christian Colon (INF; Corona, CA), Rafael Thomas (OF; Lufkin, TX) and Tommy Medica (C; San Jose, CA) knocked in a run apiece in the first three innings.

    After Team Georgia closed to within 4-3, the JNT put the game away with two runs in the fifth and a single tally in the seventh. Moustakas notched his second RBI with a run-scoring single in the final frame.

    Four hurlers -- Matt Harvey (RHP; Mystic, CT), John Gast (LHP; Longwood, FL), Tim Alderson (RHP; Phoenix, AZ) and Kevin Rhoderick (RHP; Scottsdale, AZ) -- combined to strike out 17 for Team USA. Harvey started and fanned eight in three innings while Alderson whiffed six in two innings of relief.

    The sweep gave the JNT Trials squad a 4-0 final exhibition record and ended a week-long evaluation period of 32 players for consideration for the final 18-player JNT roster. Following Thursday's doubleheader, the team's final roster was announced.

    After a practice on Friday morning, the squad will depart Saturday for Sanctus Spiritus, Cuba, where the team will compete in the International BAseball Federation's "AAA" World Championships, which begins Sunday and continues through Sept. 27. The JNT competes in two major events in bi-yearly cycles - the COPABE Pan American Championships and the IBAF World Championships.

    The USA Baseball Junior National Team is a perennial power on the international baseball scene. Only once in the 21-year history of the IBAF World Junior Championships, has the United States failed to capture a medal. During this time, the JNT has earned five gold medals, nine silver medals and six bronze medals.