Hunter Morris Accepts Invitation From USA Baseball To 2009 National Team Trials

[AUSportTalk 4]

Hunter Morris has been extended and accepted an

invitation to the 2009 USA Baseball National Team Trials to be held at

the USA Baseball National Training Complex in Cary, N.C., June 15-24.

Morris is one of five players who played on last summer’s gold medal

winning team to be on the list of 17 initial invitees to the trials.

Morris hit .270 in 19 games for USA Baseball last year, collecting 10

hits in 37 at bats with a double, three home runs and nine RBI. He

finished the summer by driving in the winning run in the 12th-inning in

the FISU World Championships as the squad completed an undefeated run

over the summer, finishing the year 24-0.

This season Morris is hitting .288 with five doubles and nine home

runs, driving in 24 RBI while also scoring 24 runs.

“USA Baseball is looking forward to kicking off the 2009 National

Team Trials,” National Team General Manager Eric Campbell said. “We

look forward to building off the momentum of 2008’s undefeated season,

and with five players from last summer leading our first group of

invitees, we’re well on our way.”

Along with his 2008 National Team experience, Morris also played on

Team USA’s silver medal-winning Junior National Team in the 2006 World

Game in Cuba.

The National Team Trials will be comprised of 36 collegiate players

vying for a spot on the final 22-man roster to be announced on June 24.

The 2009 National Team will compete in several exhibition games in the

Triangle-area of North Carolina, including a friendly series against the

Canadian National Team, June 25-29, which will be played across both the

Durham Bulls Athletic Park and the USA Baseball National Training

Complex. Following its domestic exhibition schedule, the U.S. will

travel to Japan to compete in the 37th annual Japan vs. USA Collegiate

Championships before closing out its summer in Canada at the Enbridge

Northern Gateway Pipeline World Baseball Challenge in Prince George,

British Columbia.