FULLERTON, Calif. – Cal State Fullerton sophomore pitchers Thomas Eshelman and Justin Garza were named to the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team final 24-man roster, it was announced Monday.
Eshelman and Garza become the 24th and 25th Titans to represent Cal State Fullerton on the Collegiate National Team dating back to 1987. In addition, the Titans have placed a student-athlete on the Collegiate National Team for the last six consecutive seasons. It is also the sixth time multiple Titans have been named to the squad.
The Fullerton right-handers are amongst 19 players representing USA Baseball for the first time in their amateur careers. The sophomore-duo are also make up half of the four players from the Big West Conference selected to the Collegiate National Team; the others being Mark Mathias (Cal Poly) and Dillon Tate (UC Santa Barbara).
On June 21, Eshelman and Garza combined to pitch six perfect innings, three apiece, and struck out 11 of the 18 outs they recorded in Team USA first game of training camp. Team USA went 6-1 during the seven-game training camp and Garza would tie for the team lead with eight strikeouts in two appearances while Eshelman was 2-0 with a 1.80 ERA and seven strikeouts.
The Collegiate National Team opens its Friendship Series against Chinese Taipei at 7:05 p.m. on July 1 at the National Training Complex in Cary, N.C. The teams will play again on July 2 at Keeter Stadium in Shelby, N.C., on July 3 at BB&T Ballpark in Charlotte, N.C., and on July 4 and 5 at Durham Bulls Athletic Park in Durham, N.C.
Team USA will then host a three-game set against Japan July 6-8 in Thomasville, Wilson and Wilmington, N.C., before traveling to the Netherlands for Honkbal-Haarlem Baseball Week, July 11-20. Following that tournament, the U.S. will head to Cuba for a five-game friendship series, July 23-27.
Titans on Collegiate National Team
1987: Longo Garcia, RHP
1991: Phil Nevin, 3B
1993: Dante Powell, OF
1994: Ted Silva, RHP
1995: Mark Kotsay, OF; Brian Loyd, C
1998: Ryan Owens, 3B
2000: Kirk Saarloos, RHP
2002: Chad Cordero, RHP; Wes Littleton, RHP; Shane Costa, OF
2004: Ricky Romero, LHP
2005: Blake Davis, INF
2006: Wes Roemer, RHP
2008: Christian Colon, INF; Jared Clark, INF; Josh Fellhauer, OF
2009: Christian Colon, SS
2010: Nick Ramirez, 1B/LHP; Noe Ramirez, RHP
2011: Michael Lorenzen, OF
2012: Michael Lorenzen, OF
2013: Matt Chapman, INF
2014: Thomas Eshelman, RHP; Justin Garza, RHP