Jesuit’s McCullers gets USA 18U trials invite

Posted Jun 28, 2010 by Adam Adkins

Updated Jun 28, 2010 at 01:00 PM

Jesuit baseball standout Lance McCullers was among the 36 players invited to the 18-and-under U.S. National Team Trials following his performance over the past week at the Tournament of Stars.

McCullers, an infielder/pitcher, was one of just two players from the Class of 2012 who will stick around for the tirals at the USA National Baseball Complex in Cary, N.C. The week-long Tournament of Stars, an invite-only event that featured 144 players in an eight-team tournament, ended Sunday. The trials begin today and run through July 3.

McCullers, who played for the PONY squad, hit .385 (5-for-13) with four RBIs and five runs scored in four games at the Tournament of Stars. He also pitched three innings at the event, allowing two runs (one earned) on three hits while striking out two.

McCullers was one of three local players who participated in the Tournament of Stars. Brooks-DeBartolo teammates Adam Eggnatz, an outfielder/pitcher and Javier Reynoso, an infielder/pitcher, represented the American Legion squad, which lost to the Babe Ruth squad, 3-2, in the tournament championship game.

Reynoso allowed three runs (one earned) on four hits while striking out three in 3 2/3 innings pitched, and hit .250 (2-for-8) with a run scored. Eggnatz hit .417 (4-for-11) with one run scored and one RBI, and allowed one run on three hits and struck out two in two innings of work on the mound. Neither player received an invite to the trials.

The top 18 players at the trials will comprise the U.S. 18-and-under squad and represent the nation at the IBAF ‘AAA’ 18U Junior World Championship in Thunder Bay, Canada on July 23-Aug. 1.