June 16, 2011COLLEGE PAGE
DURHAM, NC (AP) -- Two members of the Stanford Baseball club will be a part of Team USA's initial set of players for its collegiate summer tour.
Righthander Mark Appel has already made the team, while first baseman Brian Ragira is an an alternate, depending on players availability following the College World Series, currently set to begin in Omaha on June 18.
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The national team begins play against the New England Collegiate Baseball League and Keene, NH on June 23 and plays a shortened, 16-game schedule, finishing off with Japan throughout North Carolina from July 3 to 6 and on July 8 at TD Ameritrade Park in Omaha.
Appel, the Cardinal's Super Regional ace, was 6-7 with a 3.02 ERA over 17 starts this past season, compiling a team-best 110.1 innings and 86 strikeouts. He finished off his sophomore season by pitching a seven-hitter in the NCAA Regional against Kansas State, before giving up three runs over 6.0 innings at North Carolina last Friday in the Super Regional. Three of his losses were by single runs to top-15 teams, Texas, Vandy and Oregon State. Over his last four starts, Appel gave up six earned runs over 30.1 innings for a 1.78 ERA.
Ragira, the Pac-10 Freshman of the Year, led the Cardinal in RBIs with 46 while batting .329, second-best on the club. He was just the third Cardinal to hit for the cycle since 1992 and was the second-straight and only Cardinal freshman to lead the team in RBIs. In his first season playing first base after being a prep outfielder and third baseman, Ragiara fielded at a .993 clip.
Stanford has had 32 players play for Team USA and had seven Olympians.