USA Baseball and the Chinese Taipei Baseball Association have announced that their Collegiate National Team programs will compete in an international friendship series in the U.S. for the first time since 2008. In 2010, the two countries resumed friendship series play at the collegiate level with Team USA traveling to Taipei, Taiwan for a four-game series -- the two nations split the set, 2-2.
The 2014 edition will see the Chinese Taipei Collegiate National Team travel to the United States, and feature games across at least three locations in North Carolina from July 1-5.
"We are extremely excited to host the Chinese Taipei National Team this year," said USA Baseball Executive Director/CEO, Paul Seiler. "Our countries share a unique passion and enthusiasm for the game of baseball. In recent years our amateur national teams have traveled to Taiwan for international competitions, and we are excited to serve as gracious hosts in 2014."
"The Chinese Taipei Baseball Association appreciates and values the friendship that we enjoy with USA Baseball," said Richard Lin, Secretary General of the Chinese Taipei Baseball Association. "Re-establishing our yearly exchange with the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team is an important part of our senior baseball program's development."
The series will be the first in the U.S., between the two baseball-rich countries since the home team swept a six-game series in 2008, held across four locations in North Carolina and South Carolina -- including a trio of games at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park in Durham, N.C., and the series finale at the USA Baseball National Training Complex in Cary, N.C.
In 2014, the teams will take the field for the first time on July 1 at the USA Baseball National Training Complex. Team USA holds a 2-1 record against Chinese Taipei at the collegiate level in games contested at the National Training Complex, most recently winning 5-3 in the 2008 series finale.
On July 3, the Charlotte Knights will host Team USA and Chinese Taipei at the brand new BB&T Ballpark in Charlotte, N.C. The game will be the Collegiate National Team's first trip to Charlotte since 2010.
The following day, the two teams will travel back to the Triangle-area of North Carolina to play the final two games of the international friendship series at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park.
On Friday, July 4, the two teams will meet at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park in Durham, N.C., with the series finale coming the following night at the DBAP. The two teams have met 11 previous times in Durham with Team USA holding a 9-2 record. The teams met in Durham for the first time at the historic Durham Athletic Park in the summer of 1988 as part of a seven-game series in preparation for the Seoul 1988 Olympic Games -- the host nation won the contest 10-4 en route to sweeping the seven game set.
The location of game two of the series, scheduled for July 2, is still to be determined.
USA Baseball records show the two teams have met 102 times at the collegiate level since the U.S. defeated Chinese Taipei, 2-1, at Dodger Stadium on July 31, 1984 as part of the Los Angeles 1984 Olympic Games. The U.S. holds an 84-18 record, including a 63-6 record in games played in the United States.
Additionally, Team USA is 16-3 against Chinese Taipei in games played in the state of North Carolina.
The five-game set is part of the Collegiate National Team's 2014 summer tour, and will serve as preparation for international competition throughout July.
The 2014 USA Baseball Collegiate National Team will be led by Arkansas skipper Dave Van Horn. Van Horn previously served as an assistant coach on the 2011 Collegiate National Team. Players will be invited over the course of the college baseball season, and the final 24-man roster will be announced at the end of June.
The 2013 Collegiate National Team played international friendship series against Japan and Cuba, sweeping the latter in a five-game set held in the U.S.
The full 2014 Collegiate National Team schedule will be announced on USABaseball.com later this year.
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