Team USA 4-0 in Mexico  September 18, 2008 1:08 PM The Team USA 16U team is in Mexico playing in the COPABE "AA" Youth Pan American Championships. Going into their fifth game today Team USA is 4-0 with their closest game thus far coming against Cuba.
The United States opened things up with a 15-0 smashing over Panama. Scoring for the Americans did not come until the bottom of the third. The highlight of the inning was when Las Vegas (Nev.) High School's Bryce Harper blasted two homers in the third and Jake Rodriguez (Elk Grove, Calif.) left the yard twice himself.
According to USABaseball.com, the twelve run third inning was a record for the 16U team.
Cody Buckel got the win for Team USA going five strong innings with eight strikeouts.
Game two for Team USA was a match against Cuba. Thus far, the team's closest game coming out on top 3-1. The game went scoreless through ten innings and was decided in the eleventh. Because of the game entering the eleventh inning, a new rule regarding extra innings applied. Now, each team had to place a runner at first and second.
Bryce Harper drew a bases loaded walk moving the Americans into the lead at 1-0. The score moved to 2-0 on a passed ball and the third run of the inning came via a sacrifice fly by Jake Rodriguez.
The Cubans scored one in the bottom of the eleventh off an error by Harper, who came into pitch. He did earn the save as Team USA improved to 2-0.
Game three for the Americans pitted them against Puerto Rico, and it was another blowout, 16-1. Harper, Rodriguez and Christian Lopes (Canyon Country, Calif.) did the damage in this game. Rodriguez and Lopes added two hits a piece and Bryce Harper collected three hits and drove in a trio.
The Americans won their third game of the tournament and it was their second game via a blowout.
Game four was a 23-3 win over Guatemala. Marcus Littlewood, Jake Rodriguez and Bryce Harper all had five RBIs in the blowout. Harper, Rodriguez, Will Allen (Will Allen (Gainesville, Fla.) and Michael Lorenzen (Anaheim, Calif.) each hit homers in the win.
Information complied from USABaseball.com
Bryce Harper, Jake Rodriguez, Will Allen, CA, NV, FL
Rangers, Reds win Area Code openers August 6, 2008 4:00 AM by Ronnie Flores, Senior Editor Texas Rangers 5, Chicago White Sox 4
The 2008 Area Code Games started with the nation's top players in the Midwest Region (White Sox) facing an elite group of players from the state of Texas and Louisiana. Right off the bat, White Sox pitcher Ian Krol (Nequa Valley, Naperville, Ill.) struck out the side in the top of the first inning. Over two innings Krol impressed, as he fanned five and gave up one unearned run.
With one out in the top of the second, the Rangers' Colton Cain (Waxahachie, Texas) came through with a RBI single that drove in Randal Grichuk (Lamar Consolidated, Rosenberg, Texas).
The White Sox answered with a run in the bottom of the second inning on a fielder's choice after a hit and run single by Shelby Miller (Brownwood, Texas) put Slade Heathcott (Texas, Texarkana, Texas) on third base. The bats for the White came alive again in the bottom of the third as Josh Sheffert (Lincoln Southeast, Lincoln, Neb.) drove in a run with a stand-up double.
The White Sox then took a 4-1 lead in the bottom of the fifth inning as the two-run frame was highlighted by a two-out infield single by Luke Maile (Covington Catholic, Crestview Hills, Ky.) that drove in Justin O'Connor (Cowan, Muncie, In.).
The White Sox were in control of this game until the top of the seventh inning when the Rangers' Jake Miller (Stratford, Houston, Texas) scored on a RBI double by Jonathan Walsh (Coppell, Texas). The Rangers stranded a runner in scoring position in that inning, but got it right back and them some in the top of the eighth as the ChiSox pitchers could not hold onto the lead.
The rally started with two out and runners on the corners. Michael Hillard (Cy-Woods, Cypress, Texas) legged out an infield hit, that caromed off the glove of Chicago's second baseman, and scored Todd Glaesmann (Midway, Waco, Texas). Cain then came through with the game-winning hit, as he stroked a stand-up double into the left centerfield gap that cleared the bases.
The Rangers' Josh Turley, a southpaw who similar to Heathcott hails from Texas High in Texarkana, sealed the deal. He pitched the final two innings for the victors. He kept the Chicago hitters off-balance and struck out five batters while being credited for the win.
Cincinnati Reds 1, Washington Nationals 0
Both starting pitchers set the tone in the nine-inning night capper, as seven Cincinnati Reds pitchers combined for a no-hitter.
Nationals' hurler Matthew Boyd (Eastside Catholic, Mercer Island, Wash.), a southpaw, threw first and he gave up zero hits, runs and walks. He also struck out three of the six batters he faced. The Reds' Tom Lemke (Northwest Christian, Phoenix, Ariz.) was just as impressive, facing only one batter over the minimum while fanning three and giving up zero hits in two innings of work.
The Reds' second hurler, Michael Dedrick (Canyon View, Cedar City, Utah) also got the job done. He did allow two walks, but he did not allow a hit among the eight batters he faced. The Nationals kept pace with the live arm of Jeffrey Ames (Skyview, Vancouver, Wash.). The righty allowed one hit, but did strike out three batters in the two frames he pitched.
After five and a half innings the game remained scoreless and only one hit had been allowed by Ames, a harmless double by Kirby Pellant (Corona del Sol, Chandler, Ariz.). The Reds' Bryce Harper, a 6-foot-3 195-pound 2011 prospect from Las Vegas High School, changed all that with one swing of the bat.
Nearly every player in attendance can play at a high level so the scouts and media at Area Code use caution when singing the praises of any particular player. With Harper, however, it's hard not to talk about his potential. His frame defies logic for a 15-year old and the ball simply jumps off his bat.
In the bottom of the seventh inning, the left-handed Harper hit a shot off the right field wall that was hit with such ferocity that it caromed back towards the infield. Harper can also run well, and ended up with a stand-up triple. Jacob Stewart (Rocky Mountain, Fort Collins, Colo.) then drove in the game-winning run, as Harper scored on a groundout to the shortstop with one out.
The Nationals had their chances to get on the board, but in the top of the seventh inning Bobby Joe Tannehill (Kentlake, Auburn, Wash.) struck out with two runners in scoring position to end the threat. Righty A.J. Carman (Judge Memorial, Bountiful, Utah) came in to close out the no-hitter for the Reds and he got the job done, as the Nationals' batters could only come up with three comeback grounders in their last go around.
All seven of the Reds' pitchers impressed and Casey Upperman (Notre Dame, Phoenix, Ariz.) was credited with the victory.
Area Code, Bryce Harper, Coltan Cain, Randal Grichuck, CA, TX, AZ, CO, WA
A Surprise Performance in Vegas July 5, 2008 2:27 PM Posted by Andrew Knepper Las Vegas was the second of three locations for the Cincinnati Reds Area Code Baseball Tryouts. The tryout was held at Cashman Field, home of the Las Vegas 51's, on Saturday, June 14. Cashman Field is a deep ball park with dead center touching 433 feet, the power alleys are at 368 feet and lines are marked at 328 feet, so leaving this park is a feat in its own, and even more impressive for the wood bat swinging prep stars.  |  | | Andrew Knepper | | | Pearl City High's Bryson Namba had a solid showing in Las Vegas |
IN THE FIELD: Bryce Harper: The youngest player in attendance at the bright age of fifteen years old, Harper is in his second year of trying out for the Reds' Area Code team. Last year he attended at the age of 14, along with his brother Bryan, and made a lasting impression that is going to have him at the tryouts until he is ineligible. This slugging catcher has so much raw power his upside seems limitless. During his batting practice session, with an aggressive left-handed swing, Harper left the yard on back-to-back mashes that easily travled over 365 feet. If the balls did not leave the yard, they sure made a few dents into the 30 foot high wall that surrounds the outfield. Bryson Namba: Flying across the Pacific from the Hawaiian Islands, Namba made himself feel at home when he stepped to the plate in batting practice. With power to the gaps, this third baseman from Pearl City High School consistently sprayed balls all over the outfield. In the field he showed smooth movement and a good arm across the diamond. RJ Santigate: In his second year of attendance, Santigate showed his growth and potential that the scouts saw in last year's tryout. In the field he showed a natural feel for the game and with a strong arm and quick release. His 6-foot-3, 195 pound frame is a perfect build for a future corner infielder. With a line drive frenzy from the left side of the plate in his batting practice session, Santigate tagged a few balls off of the left field wall. He primarily stayed to the left side of the outfield will a slight pull stroke. Devon Kell: Another power swinging hitter from the Hawaiian Islands, Kell has tremendous power from the right side of the plate. Leaving the ball park on a towering bomb to left field, Kell set in the comfort zone and continued to rake balls off of the left field wall. With a solid build of 6-foot-4 and 220 pounds, this outfielder from Hilo, Hawaii might of made his best case to claim he had the best overall showing from the islands. Other to note: Zach Sanford: With a tall and lanky frame at 6-foot-6 and 200 pounds, this OF/P is going to settle in nice with a good arm from the field and the mound and a good bat. Carlton Tanabe: With another Hawaiian making this list, Carlton showed good movement behind the plate and a good arm in the pop-times. He had a clean stroke at the plate and decent gap power. Jordan Van Hoosier: This middle infielder showed good instincts and natural reactions to the ball, and with his quick release and good balance he makes himself out to be a very nice shortstop. PITCHERS: Miguel Ortiz: When the day started off, Ortiz worked with the outfielders and we got first glimpse to his arm strength when he threw bullets to third and home from right field. Once he got on the mound you could hear every scout in attendance without a radar gun asking for numbers on Ortiz. His fastball was sitting around 87-89 MPH and touched as high as 91 on a few guns while his breaking stuff came in around 62 MPH with good location. Ortiz looked extremely confident when coming off his fastball to the breaking stuff and he knew he could throw for strikes. Overall he had one of the better performances on the day. Brock Duke: Coming down to Vegas form Spanish Fork, Utah, Duke showed some impressive stuff on the mound. Sitting around 84-85 MPH, his fastball showed nice late movement and had a good sound to it. With a decent fastball, he set up hitters early in the counts and showed off his nasty slider that he brought down to 74 MPH. When he got his slider working, he overmatched the hitters that were in attendance. Taylor Jones: Another Utah native, Jones dazzled off a beautiful delivery from the left side and his fastball was sitting around 84-86. Area Code, Bryce Harper, Bryson Namba
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