Kansas pitcher Walz earns second U.S. victory

By Staff     Jul 7, 2009

? Kansas University 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, on Monday evening.

Walz allowed two earned runs on six hits with a walk and six strikeouts. He retired nine of the final 11 hitters he faced to secure the win.

In three appearances for Team USA (11-0), Walz is 2-0 with a 1.59 earned-run average and 17 strikeouts in 111/3 innings. Opponents are hitting just .167 against the right-hander this season.

Walz is the first Jayhawk baseball player to participate on the U.S. National Team. He led the Jayhawks’ 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 821/3 innings.

Walz 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 also named to the All-Big 12 Second Team.

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

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