By R.L. Bynum
Carolina right-handed pitchers Jason DeCaro and Matthew Matthijs and catcher Luke Stevenson earned roster spots Friday on the United States team that will go on a Summer League Tour.
USA Baseball is also named a Collegiate National Team to play games against Chinese Taipei.
This is the second time representing the U.S. team for Matthijs, who was tied for third in the country for wins as a sophomore last season, going 12–4 with a 3.72 ERA.
DeCaro was the Tar Heels’ ace for the second half of the season as a freshman, going 6–2 with a 3.81 ERA. Stevenson (top photo) hit .284 with 14 home runs and 58 RBI as a freshman last season.
In Matthijs’ only appearance in the Stars vs. Stripes scrimmages on Wednesday and Thursday, he gave up one hit and stuck out one in one inning. DeCaro gave up two hits and two earned runs with a walk and a strikeout in ⅔ of an inning. Stevenson played in both games, going 0 for 7 with three strikeouts.
Other ACC players on that Summer League Tour team include N.C. State pitchers Cooper Consiglio and Jacob Dudan; Virginia’s Eric Becker and Henry Ford; Duke’s AJ Gracia and Kyle Johnson; Miami infielder Daniel Cuvet; Virginia Tech’s Brett Renfrow; Louisville’s Zion Rose; and Stanford’s Joey Volchko.
The team opens play at 5:30 Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday at the USA Baseball National Training Complex in Cary against the Coastal Plain League Select Team. On Monday at 7 p.m., it faces the Appalachian League East Select Team at Calfee Park in Pulaski, Va. The last game is 7 p.m. Tuesday against the Appalachian League West Select Team at TVA Credit Union Ballpark in Johnson City, Tenn.
The two U.S. teams will face each other at 6:35 p.m. Thursday at Segra Stadium in Fayetteville.
Photo courtesy of UNC Athletics
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