University of Houston Athletics
Sullivan Improves to 6-0 with Win over Italy
8/5/2002 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Aug. 5, 2002
MESSIA, SICILY, ITALY - The 2002 USA Baseball National Team opened their quest for the first ever World University Baseball Championship with a convincing 10-0 victory over the host country Italy, Friday night at Primo Nebiolo. Righthander Brad Sullivan (RHP, So, Houston) pitched 6.2 scoreless innings and held the Italians to just two hits while fanning eight, to gain the win. The Houston sophomore improved to 6-0 on the summer for Team USA.
The Americans got their offense going early by scoring four times in the second inning of Italian starter Robert Castelli (0-1). Landon Powell (C, So, South Carolina) scored the first run of the game after hitting a triple and scoring on Conor Jackson,s (IF, So, California) sacrifice fly. Aaron Hill (IF, So, LSU) added a run-scoring double, and Eric Patterson (IF, Fr, Georgia Tech) ripped an rbi-triple later in the frame.
Team USA made it 6-0 in the third and knocked Castelli out of the game. Michael Aubrey (IF, So, Tulane) connected on a solo homer leading it off, and Jackson chipped in another sacrifice fly. Patterson then doubled in another run in the fourth off reliever Luca Martignoni, making the score 7-0.
Bob Zimmermann (RHP, So, SW Missouri State) relieved Sullivan with two outs in the seventh and combined with Abe Alvarez (LHP, So, Long Beach State) and Chad Cordero (RHP, So, CS Fullerton) on the shutout.
Hill picked up two more RBI,s in the eighth with another double, while Aubrey tripled and Jackson doubled in the ninth, giving the Americans nine extra-base hits on the night. Costa went 4-for-4 in the game, with a pair of runs scored, while Sam Fuld (OF, So, Stanford) had a pair of hits and also scored twice.
The 2002 USA Baseball National Team is now 19-5 overall on the summer.
Due to technical difficulties, USA Baseball was unable to webcast the live play-by-play of the game on their website at www.usabaseball.com. But, USA Baseball is expecting to correct the problem in time for Team USA,s next game on Sunday evening vs. Canada at 8:30 pm local time (2:30 pm EDT/11:30 am PDT).
For updated stats, rosters, and more information about the 2002 FISU World University Baseball Championship, log on to www.cusmessina.it.
