Madison, WI – April 22, 2009. USA Baseball announced yesterday that future Mallard and current Louisville pitcher Tony Zych is one of five freshmen invited to tryout for the 2009 USA Baseball National Team during trials to be held at the National Training Complex in Cary, NC, June 15-24. 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 team will compete in several exhibition games in the Triangle-area of North Carolina, including a series against the Canadian National Team. Following its domestic schedule the U.S. will travel to Japan to compete in the 37th Annual Japan vs. USA Collegiate Championships.

Said Zych, “It’s definitely an honor to be given the opportunity to represent both USA Baseball and the Louisville program on such a grand stage.”

Mallards Manager C.J. Thieleke added, “This honor speaks volumes of the relationship we’ve built with Cardinals pitching coach Roger Williams and the quality of players their program is able to sign on a year-in-and-year-out basis.”

The 2009 team will be coached by Tulane University head coach Rick Jones, who previously served as an assistant coach on the 1989 Presidential Cup Team and 1990 National Team.

The full 2009 National Team Trials Roster is listed below:

Michael Choice, OF, Texas-Arlington
Gerrit Cole, P, UCLA
Christian Colon, IF, Cal State-Fullerton
Derek Dietrich, IF, Georgia Tech
Blake Forsyth, C, Tennessee
Micah Gibbs, C, LSU
Sonny Gray, P, Vanderbilt
Yasmani Grandal, C, Miami
Rick Hague, IF, Rice
Chris Hernandez, P, Miami
Deck McGuire, P, Georgia Tech
Hunter Morris, IF, Auburn
Drew Pomeranz, P, Mississippi
Anthony Ranaudo, P, LSU
Anthony Rendon, IF, Rice
Logan Verrett, P, Baylor
Tony Zych, P, Louisville