June 24, 2008
Durham, N.C. -
Cal State Fullerton baseball's Christian Colon and Josh Fellhauer have been selected to represent the United States as part of the 2008 22-man US National (college) Team as announced by USA Baseball Tuesday afternoon. The 2008 USA Baseball National Team will compete next month in the Haarlem Baseball Week in the Netherlands and at the FISU World Championships in the Czech Republic.
The National Team roster was selected following a two-week trials period, during which time the trials participants played 10 games and had two intrasquad scrimmages. Comprised of the top non-draft-eligible college players in the United States, the National Team plays six games against the Chinese Taipei National Team before beginning competition in Europe.
Both Colon and Fellhauer were offensive leaders throughout the trials and were among the top three hitters for skipper Rob Walton (Oral Roberts).
Colon (Corona, Calif.), who just finished his rookie season with the Titans, led the trials squad in hits (19) and stolen bases (6) while hitting .380 with a pair of home runs and six RBI at shortstop and second base.
Fellhauer (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.), who will be a junior in 2009 for Fullerton, posted the team's second-best batting average, hitting .416 (15-for-36) with a home run, five RBI and three stolen bases. He played both centerfield and left field during the trials.
Over the years, Cal State Fullerton has been one of USA Baseball's major suppliers of talent, having produced five Olympians, and now its 18th and 19th National Team representatives in Colon and Fellhauer. The pair are the first Titans to make the National Team roster since 2006 when both Wes Roemer and Kurt Suzuki donned the Red, White and Blue.
The National Team begins competition Wednesday, opening a six-game series against the Chinese Taipei National Team in Greenville, S.C. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. EDT at West End Field.
Titan U.S. National Team Members: Longo Garcia (1987), Phil Nevin (1991), Dante Powell (1993), Ted Silva (1994), Mark Kotsay and Brian Loyd (1995), Ryan Owens (1998), Kirk Saarloos (2000), Shane Costa, Chad Cordero and Wes Littleton (2002), Mike Lamb, Mike Rouse and Ricky Romero (2004), Blake Davis (2005), and Wes Roemer and Kurt Suzuki (2006), Christian Colon and Josh Fellhauer (2008)
Titan U.S. Olympians: Bob Caffrey (1984), Phil Nevin and Jason Moler (1992), Mark Kotsay and Brian Loyd (1996)