Taryn Luna of The Daily Barometer writes:
Sophomore catcher Ryan Ortiz and freshmen closer Kevin Rhoderick of the OSU Baseball Team were two of 32 invitees to the 2008 USA Baseball National Team Trials held from June 11-23. Of the 32 players selected by college coaches throughout the nation, 22 will be selected to join the team and travel to Greensville, S.C, on June 25 to compete in a the first of a six-game friendship series games against the Chinese Taipen.
Ortiz, a graduate of St. Augustine High School in San Diego, Calif., finished the 2008 season with an impressive .351 batting average, 16 doubles, and five homeruns, three of which were grand slams. Named a Pac-10 Player of the Week in March, Ortiz led the Beavers in hits (66), RBIs (55) and on base percentage (.442).
On the defensive end, Ortiz posted a .988 fielding percentage and threw out 14/40 stolen bases attempts from behind the plate this season. Ortiz was named to the 2008 All-Pacific Conference Team on Thursday. Rhoderick and outfielders Daniel Robertson and John Wallace received honorable mention status.
Rhoderick is honored as one of nine freshmen invited to the trials thus far. He was drafted by the Detroit Tigers in the 18th round on the 2007 MLB Draft, but chose to join the two-time National Champion Beavers for the 2008 season instead.
The Scottsdale, Arizona native’s 12 saves in the 2008 season rank him tied for third place for the OSU single season saves record. Rhoderick posted a 2.39 ERA, had 32 strikeouts in 26.1 innings, and held opponents hitless until his seventh appearance of the season. In April, he was named to the Stopper of the Year Watch List by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association.
Over the course of a month-long road trip to Europe, the 2008 National Baseball Team will compete in the Haarlem Baseball Week in the Netherlands and the IV FISU World Collegiate Baseball Championships held in the Czech Republic this summer. Rob Walton of Oral Roberts has been selected to coach the team.
Sports Information was unable to coordinate an opportunity for the Barometer to speak to Ortiz, Rhoderick or Coach Pat Casey.
-The Daily Barometer
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