OMAHA, NE – Gerrit Cole (UCLA) worked six strong innings allowing one run and striking out seven as Team USA defeated Japan 4-1 Wednesday night at Rosenblatt Stadium in a friendly international game. With the win the Collegiate National Team (CNT) improves to 8-0 on the summer.

Cole (1-0) was impressive from the outset retiring nine of his first 10 batters with three strikeouts and allowed just one extra base hit on the night. Team USA’s bullpen was just as impressive as Sonny Gray (Vanderbilt) and Noe Ramirez (Cal State Fullerton) worked the final three innings allowing two hits with a pair of strikeouts. Ramirez recorded his team-best third save on CNT’s tour.

Takayuki Fujii (0-1) suffered the loss after allowing four runs (three earned) on 11 hits with six walks and three strikeouts. The right-hander threw 143 pitches on the night and faced 39 batters.

Nolan Fontana (Florida) gave USA an early 1-0 lead in the first inning when he grounded out to second scoring Drew Maggi (Arizona State) from third base. Maggi lead off the game lacing a triple to right center, Team USA’s second three-bagger of the summer tour.

Team USA pushed across two more runs in the second taking a 3-0 lead. Jason Esposito (Vanderbilt) walked to start the frame then took second on Steve Rodriguez’ (UCLA) first hit of the summer, a shot back up the middle. A double-steal by Esposito and Rodriguez moved runners in scoring position before Maggi lifted a ball to center with one out scoring Esposito. Jackie Bradley, Jr. (South Carolina) singled to right with runners on the corner scoring Rodriguez for the second run of the inning before Fontana was hosed at the plate.

Japan scratched across a run in the fourth cutting USA’s lead to 3-1 when Takasi Ikusima doubled home Ryunisuke Kobayasi with a shot to left center.

Team USA scored its final run in the eighth inning when Mike Mahtook (LSU) touched home on a passed ball for a 4-1 lead. Mahtook singled up the middle with two outs then stole second and moved to third on Fontana’s bunt single back to the pitcher.

Offensively Team USA pounded out double-digit hits (11) for the third-straight game and fourth time this summer.

The Collegiate National Team will be back in action Thursday when they square off against The Strike Zone at Westside High School. First pitch is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. (CST).

Notes: Nick Ramirez (Cal State Fullerton) extended his current hitting streak to six games with his single to center in the third inning … Steve Rodriguez, who recorded his first career hit for Team USA, was 2-for-4 in the game with a run scored … Nine members of Team USA (Jackie Bradley, Jr., Gerrit Cole, Nolan Fontana, Sean Gilmartin, Brian Johnson, Drew Maggi, Brad Miller, Steve Rodriguez and Kyle Winkler) are among a select group of college players who played in the last College World Series and suited up for the last amateur baseball game ever at Rosenblatt Stadium … Also joining the players on this list is Team USA’s athletic trainer Danny Wheat (Texas Christian) … Team USA will participate in a closed clinic Thursday morning at Creighton University starting at 10 a.m.

Tickets on sale for July 21, 2010 International Game at Rosenblatt

(OMAHA, Neb.) – USA Baseball and the Omaha Sports Commission have released the practice and warm-up game schedules for USA Baseball and the Japan Collegiate All-Star teams leading up to the international friendship game at Rosenblatt Stadium. The ConAgra Foods “Rosen Blast” game, showcasing some of the world’s top college baseball players, will be held Wednesday, July 21 at 7:00 p.m. CDT.

Practice and warm-up game schedules for the two teams include:

July 18 – Japan will practice at 7:30 p.m. at Fricke Field in Papillion.

July 19 – Japan will practice at 9:30 a.m. at Fricke Field in Papillion

July 19 – Japan will play a warm-up game in Clarinda, Iowa against the Clarinda A’s.

July 20 – USA Baseball will play a 5 p.m. warm-up game against the Omaha Diamond Spirit at Fricke Field in Papillion.

July 20 – Japan will play an 8 p.m. warm-up game against the Japan Omaha All-Stars at Fricke Field in Papillion.

July 21 – USA Baseball and Japan will play in the ConAgra Foods “Rosen Blast” at 7 p.m. at Rosenblatt Stadium.

The U.S. and Japan have long shared a close, competitive baseball relationship at the collegiate level.  The two nations have participated in a semi-annual international Collegiate All-Star Series since 1972, alternating each series as the event’s host.  Neither team, however, whether playing against each other or in other competitions, has ever competed in a sanctioned international event in Omaha.

USA Baseball named 1995-96 Collegiate National Team alum and 1996 College World Series hero Warren Morris honorary captain for the 2010 U.S. Collegiate Team.  Morris hit a walk-off home run against Miami in the ninth inning to give Louisiana State a 9-8 win and the title in 1996.  He was voted Most Valuable Player of the U.S./Japan series while with Team USA in 1995, and in 1996, as a member of the U.S. Olympic Baseball Team, Morris helped lead his club to a bronze medal (the Collegiate National Team represented the United States in the baseball competition at the Atlanta Olympic Games).

USA Baseball is now conducting tryouts for the team.  39 players are on the Trials roster including 11 players who were recently in Omaha competing in the College World Series.

Both the U.S. and Japan will depart Omaha for Taiwan following the competition to compete in the FISU World Championships in Tokyo.  The U.S. has won the last three FISU World Championships (2004, ’06, ’08), while host nation Japan will be looking for its first title.

Tickets for the July 21 “Rosen Blast are available at www.etix.com or calling the Omaha Royals box office at 738-5100.  Tickets are $8 and $10.