The University of Mississippi Athletics
Head, Smith Named To USA National Team
6/27/2003 | Baseball
June 27, 2003
USABaseball.com | USA National Team Roster | USA National Team Schedule
DURHAM, N.C. - Ole Miss freshman 1B/LHP Stephen Head and sophomore OF Seth Smith have both been selected to the USA Baseball National Team's 20-man roster and will represent the United States later this summer in the Pan Am Games in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
Head and Smith were two of 36 collegiate players from around the country invited to participate in the national team trials, which were held this past week in Tucson, Arizona.
"Obviously, we are very proud of both Stephen and Seth," said Ole Miss head coach Mike Bianco. "It is a tremendous honor to be able to represent our great country. To be able to represent your country on the international stage is about as big as an honor as one can receive."
Head, the 2003 Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Year and a Collegiate Baseball National Freshman Player of the Year, is one of six freshmen to make the team.
Stephen Head was a 2003 National Freshman of the Year.  | |
He led the Rebels in both batting average and ERA this past spring. At the plate, Head appeared in 58-of-62 games, batting .337 with six home runs and 44 runs batted in. He also had 10 doubles and two triples. On the mound, Head appeared in 20 games, making four starts, and posted a 4-1 mark with a 1.40 ERA. He also converted on 13-of-13 save opportunities to set a new Ole Miss single-season record and struck out 43 in 57 2/3 innings, while limiting the opposition to a .192 batting average.
Smith, the 2002 SEC Freshman of the Year, batted .333 with five home runs and 35 RBIs in 61 games during the 2003 season. He also had 13 doubles, two triples and scored 42 runs.
Head and Smith are two of four players from the SEC to make the team. The others were South Carolina sophomore left-hander Matt Campbell and Auburn sophomore right-hander Steven Register.
South Carolina head coach Ray Tanner will serve as the head coach of the national team.
Team USA will play 22 games before traveling to the Pan Am Games, were the baseball competition is scheduled to run from August 2-12. The national team will face the Arizona JUCO All-Stars Saturday evening at 8 p.m., (CDT) at Hi Corbett Field in Tucson.
The team's first game against international competition will be Wednesday, July 2 in the opening game of the 32nd annual USA vs. Japan Series, to be played at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park in Durham, N.C.