Hague Earns Spot On United States National Team
6/24/2009 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
June 24, 2009
CARY, N.C. - After an extensive tryout camp, Rice's Rick Hague has earned a spot on the 22-man United States national team for its up-coming month-long national and international tour, USA Baseball announced from its headquarters in Cary, North Carolina, on Wednesday evening (June 24).
This summer Hague will play for Team USA against the national teams of Japan, Canada, Guatemala, Chinese Taipei, the Bahamas and Germany. The U.S. national team will also face a team from Beijing as well as selected collegiate summer league teams across America to round out a four-and-a-half-week summer tour.
Hague was invited to try out for Team USA along with 36 of the top college players from across the country. He hit safely in six of the tryout camp's eight games and had five stolen bases, four RBI and four runs scored. A complete list of the national team's 22-man roster can be viewed at USA Baseball's official web site at www.usabaseball.com.
Team USA opens play right away with a five-game series against the Canadian National team beginning on Thursday (June 25). First pitch is set for 6 pm in Cary (5 pm Central Time).
After four home games against Guatemala next week, Team USA travels through New England for a series of exhibition games before heading to Japan to participate in the 37th annual USA vs. Japan Collegiate All-Star Series July 11-16. Team USA will also play Kokusai Budo University on the trip overseas. Hague will represent his country and Rice as Team USA competes in the World Baseball Challenge in Prince George, British Columbia, Canada, from July 19-26.
Hague had a sensational collegiate season for Rice in 2009. In addition to helping the Owls win the Conference USA Tournament Championship, he was one of only two Rice players to start all 61 games. The shortstop from Spring, Tex., and Klein High School, batted a steady .319 for the Blue & Gray and earned second team All-Conference USA on a vote of the league's head coaches. Hague led the Owls in doubles (17) and shared the team lead in steals (11). He was second on the squad in RBI (57) finished third in hits (81) and home runs (9).
Hague is the first Rice player to make Team USA since pitcher Ryan Berry in 2007. He is the first Owl position player to make the national team since Josh Rodriguez (inf,) and Joe Savery (inf./p) both made the squad in 2005. Team USA's 2009 schedule is as follows...
United States National Team 2009 Tour
June 25 vs. Canada, Cary, N.C 7 pm
June 26 vs. Canada, Durham, N.C. 7:05 pm
June 27 vs. Canada, Durham, N.C. 7:05 pm
June 28 vs. Canada, Durham, N.C. 5:05 pm
June 29 vs. Canada, Cary, N.C 7:30 pm
June 30 vs. TBD TBD TBD TBD
July 1 vs. Guatemala, Kannapolis, N.C. 7:05 pm
July 2 vs. Guatemala, Cary, N.C 7 pm
July 3 vs. Guatemala, Cary, N.C 6:30 pm
July 4 vs. Guatemala, Durham, N.C. 6:05 pm
July 5 vs. NECBL All-Stars, Manchester, N.H. 2:45 pm
July 6 vs. Holyoke, Holyoke, Mass. TBD
July 7 vs. North Shore Navigators, Lynn, Mass. TBD
July 10 vs. Kokusai Budo University, Tokyo, Japan TBD
37th USA vs. Japan Collegiate All-Star Championship Japan
July 11 vs. Japan, Botchan Stadium, Matsuyama, Japan 11 pm
July 13 vs. Japan, Tokyo Dome, Tokyo, Japan 4 am
July 14 vs. Japan, Miyagi Stadium, Sendai, Japan 4 am
July 15 vs. Japan, Dream Stadium, Tsuruoka, Japan 4 am
July 16 vs. Japan, Jungu Stadium, Tokyo, Japan 4 am
World Baseball Challenge at Citizen Field, Prince Georgia, British Columbia
July 19 vs. Canada, 7 pm
July 20 vs. Bahamas, 8 pm
July 21 vs. USA-Reno, 8 pm
July 22 vs. Prince George Axeman, 11 pm
July 23 vs. Chinese Taipei, 11 pm
July 24 vs. Beijing Tigers, 5 pm
July 25 vs. Germany, 4 pm
July 26 World Baseball Challenge Finals, TBD
