N.C. State pitcher Carlos Rodon took to the mound at Durham Bulls Athletic Park on Tuesday and led the United States Collegiate National Team past Cuba, 5-3, to complete its first-ever sweep against its Caribbean rivals.
Rodon went 6.2 innings and faced only one batter over the minimum. The lefthander struck out 11 batters while yielding only two hits and no runs.
Rodon, who pitched in N.C State’s epic 18-inning Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament game versus UNC-Chapel Hill, has now hurled 16.2 innings of shutout ball in his last two outings in the downtown home of the Triple-A Durham Bulls. The Holly Springs native struck out 40 batters in 25.2 innings in the three games he pitched at Durham Bulls Athletic Park in 2013.
With the victory, Team USA completed its summer tour with a 20-3 record, 13-0 in exhibitions and 7-3 in international competition. Rodon went 3-0 in his three starts for the national team. The lefty hurled 21 innings in four games for the United States and fanned 21 batters while walking four and allowing five hits.
The opposition did not score against Rodon on the summer tour, and Rodon was the only one of the three pitchers on the national team to be credited with three wins on the trip to have a 0.00 ERA.
Also appearing for the United States Collegiate National Team was N.C State shortstop Trea Turner. The speedster started an American rally on Tuesday by reaching in the fifth inning via a walk. Turner summarily stole second base. After reaching third base on a wild pitch, the rising junior then scored on a sacrifice fly from Alex Bergman of LSU.
Turner started in all 20 games he appeared in for the United States and was second among the Americans with nine stolen bases in 10 attempts. The speedster also drew 17 walks to lead the team.
The experience Rodon and Turner have gained by playing with, and against, the best amateur competition should help next season’s squad expand on its fantastic 2013 season, when the Pack reached its first College World Series in 45 years. State finished the campaign with 50 wins and rankedfifth in the nation at season’s end, both school records. For his efforts, N.C. State head coach Elliott Avent was named the American Baseball Coaches Association Atlantic Region Coach of the Year earlier this month.
While both Rodon and Turner are set to return in what will likely be their last season in Raleigh, the Wolfpack will lose 11 seniors off of last season’s team in 2014, including first baseman Tarran Senay, and two-thirds of its outfield in Brett Williams and Bryan Adametz. State will be returning four of its regulars from 2013 and 26 of 37 players overall.
