July 23, 2003

Durham, N.C. – The USA Baseball National Team heads to Strongsville, Ohio for five games vs. Northern Ohio and the Great Lakes Collegiate All-Stars in preparation for the 2003 Pan American Games. Under head coach Ray Tanner, the U.S. National Team is 17-0 including five-game series sweeps of Japan and Mexico. Tanner, who will enter his eighth year as head coach at Carolina, and left-handed pitcher Matt Campbell, have been on tour with the U.S. National Team since the Trials in Tuscon, Arizona in late June.

The USA National Team has set a record for shutouts in a summer with nine and have outscored its opponents 100-20 in the first 17 games, trailing just twice in all 17 games combined. After a five-game sweep of Japan, the U.S. Team traveled to the Northeast and defeated six New England Collegiate Baseball League teams (Danbury, Torrington, North Adams, Keene, Sanford & Newport). The five-game sweep of Japan was only the second time in the 30-plus year history that Team USA has swept Japan.

Tanner is in his fifth stint with USA Baseball and his first as head coach. Tanner previously served with USA Baseball in 2000 as Auxillary Coach to Tommy Lasorda on the 2000 Gold Medal Olympic Team. Tanner also was an assistant coach for the 1996 Olympic Team that was coached by former LSU head coach Skip Bertman.

Campbell, who was a three-time SEC Pitcher of the Week as a sophomore, owns a 3.38 ERA in 13 1/3 innings pitched and has made seven relief appearances, second highest on the team. Campbell has struck out 21 batters and allowed just five walks and five runs. The native of Simpsonville, S.C. also earned a save in Team USA’s first win of the summer, 3-1 vs. the Arizona JC All-Stars. Campbell will return to South Carolina this fall as a junior.

Team USA will open up the Pan American Games on August 2 and face Guatemala in the first of four pool games beore medal round competition. Also in Team USA’s pool are: The Bahamas, Dominican Republic and Nicaragua.