Right-handed sophomore pitcher Jake Lemoine has been selected and accepted his invitation to compete for the 2014 USA Baseball Collegiate National Team this summer.
Lemoine is among the nation’s elite selected to compete and represent the United States, which will feature several stops on U.S. soil against Chinese Taipei and trips to the Netherlands and Cuba.
“It is an honor to play for Team USA, knowing only a handful of players are selected to play for this prestigious team,” Lemoine said. “I’m excited to be able to represent my country, University of Houston and my hometown. This experience is going to be different having never played international baseball, but I’m looking forward to it. I think I’m going to like it a lot.”
Lemoine became the first Cougar since Michael Bourn in 2006 to compete for USA Baseball and the fifth Cougar to represent UH on the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team. Lemoine is also the first pitcher selected for the Collegiate National Team from UH since Brad Sullivan in 2002.
“Jake has really elevated his game and his expectation level for himself, and I think he understands confidence is everything,” said head coach Todd Whitting. “He understands that he is one of the best pitchers in this country, and once he realized that, that gave him confidence to dominate to this point in this season.”
Lemoine has a 1.70 ERA and is 5-3 on the year in 10 starts. In a total of 68.2 innings pitched, Lemoine has fanned a team-high 58 and ranks tied for second in the conference.
