TAICHUNG, Taiwan – Vanderbilt’s Tyler Brown and Austin Martin helped the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team to a 2-2 week in Taiwan highlighted by a series win against Chinese Taipei. Team USA returns to action in Japan next week.
Martin elevated his average to .289 (11-for-38) through nine starts and ranks second on the club with eight RBIs. The Jacksonville, Florida, product went 3-for-5 with a team-best four RBIs including a three-run home run, leading the squad to a 12-5 win in the opener of doubleheader action against Chinese Taipei on Thursday.
GONE! @austin_martin99 with a three-run homer to make it a six-run inning. #ForGlory🇺🇸
USA 9, Chinese Taipei 4 | B6 pic.twitter.com/tLnP7MEgRw
— USA Baseball CNT (@USABaseballCNT) July 11, 2019
Brown (1-1) locked up his first victory despite permitting three runs on two hits while striking out two and walking as many in two innings. The Ashland, Ohio, product tossed a hitless fifth inning and settled down after allowing two hits in the sixth, inducing a flyout and inning-ending strikeout.
The Stars and Stripes clinched the series with a 10-4 win in the finale. Martin went 1-for-3 while batting second and playing center field. The squad scored four times in the sixth and added three more in the seventh while tallying 13 hits.
Team USA fell 7-6 in 10 innings to Taichung Cooperative Bank, a local professional team, on Friday. Martin finished 1-for-4 and plated a team-high two runs while reaching base twice. The center fielder, who walked and stole second in the first inning, drove an RBI-double into left in the third.
The Collegiate National Team will practice Saturday before a Sunday morning flight to Japan for the 43rd USA vs. Japan Collegiate All-Star Series. The five-game series begins Tuesday at 4 a.m. CT from Botchan Stadium in Matsuyama, Japan.
On Deck
July 16 vs. Japan (4 a.m. CT; Matsuyama, Japan; Botchan Stadium)
July 17 vs. Japan (4 a.m. CT; Imabari City, Japan; Imabari Municipal Baseball Stadium)
July 18 vs. Japan (4 a.m. CT; Iwakuni, Japan; Kizuna Stadium)
July 20 vs. Japan (4 a.m. CT; Kooriyama, Japan; Kaiseizan Stadium)
July 21 vs. Japan (4 a.m. CT; Tokyo, Japan; Meiji Jingu Stadium)