Kansas Sophomore Walz Picks Up Second Win with Team USA

July 7, 2009

HOLYOKE, Mass. –

Kansas sophomore pitcher T.J. Walz pitched six solid innings to earn his second victory with the U.S. National Team, leading the Americans to a 5-2 victory over the Holyoke Blue Sox, a collegiate summer league team, Monday evening at MacKenzie Stadium.

Walz, a sophomore from Omaha, Neb., went six innings, allowing two earned runs on six hits with a walk and six strikeouts. He surrendered single runs in the first and third innings, but retired nine of the final 11 hitters he faced to secure the win.

So far in three appearances for Team USA (11-0), Walz is 2-0 with a 1.59 ERA and 17 strikeouts in 11 1/3 innings. Opponents are hitting just .167 against the right-hander this season.

The Omaha, Neb., native is the first Jayhawk baseball player to participate on the U.S. National Team. He led the Jayhawk pitching staff with an 8-3 record in 2009 and posted a season ERA of 4.70. He also led the team with 88 strikeouts in 82 1/3 innings. He posted victories over five nationally ranked teams during the season, including a 12-strikeout performance in his regular season finale against Kansas State. Walz was named All-Big 12 Second Team for his efforts.

The U.S. National Team will continue to tune up for international play Tuesday when it takes on the North Shore Navigators at Fraser Field in Lynn, Mass., at 6 p.m. (CST).