Tulane's Bogusevic Invited For Tryout With Team USA

Brian Bogusevic

Tulane University baseball star Brian Bogusevic was one of the final eight players selected to try out for a spot on the 2004 U.S. National Team, USA Baseball announced on Thursday.

Bogusevic, a sophomore from Oak Lawn, Ill., who stood out both at the plate and on the mound, will join 35 other college freshmen and sophomores for a chance to represent his country on the diamond. Trials begin on Monday, June 21 in Durham, N.C., and conclude on the 26th. The team will be announced on Sunday, June 27. He is the lone player from the state of Louisiana and Conference USA to be chosen for a tryout.

During the 2004 collegiate season, Bogusevic led the team in RBI (68), triples (4) and total bases (132) while ranking second in home runs (10) and slugging percentage (.559) and fourth in hitting (.339). On the mound, he paced the team in innings pitched (111.2) and strikeouts (84), finished tied for the team lead in wins (9), and third in ERA (4.19) and opponent batting average (.289).

Bogusevic becomes the seventh Tulane player since 1991 to be chosen for a tryout with Team USA, starting pitcher Ivan Zweig donned the Red, White and Blue that summer. Catcher Chad Sutter and infielder James Jurries were selected for tryouts in 1996 and 1999, respectively, but both missed due to injuries.

Third baseman Jake Gautreau made the cut in 2000, and both Michael Aubrey and Tony Giarratano made Team USA in 2001. Aubrey made a return trip in 2002 and rewrote the USA Baseball record book after hitting .405 with six home runs and 26 RBI.

An honorable-mention All-American selection by CollegeBaseballInsider.com and a second-team All C-USA honoree, Bogusevic was also the only player in the nation in 2004 to earn a national weekly honor as both a hitter and a pitcher. On April 12, he was named Conference USA, Louisiana Sports Writers Association and NCBWA Pitcher of the Week after tossing 8.2 scoreless innings vs. arch-rival LSU with four strikeouts, no walks and just four singles. Then, on May 17, he was named C-USA Player of the Week, Louisiana Player of the Week and Louisville Slugger National Player of the Week after hitting .538 with a pair of home runs and eight RBI.

In the postseason, Bogusevic claimed Most Outstanding Player honors at the 2004 NCAA Oxford Regional after another stellar two-way showing. He hit .364 with a home run and six RBI while also picking up a win on the mound when he struck out three and gave up just two earned runs on eight hits in 8.2 innings of work vs. Washington in the opener.

The 2004 USA Baseball Team will open play on Wednesday, June 23 with an exhibition vs. Team Canada. Team USA will also play an additional seven games in Durham, along with several more domestic exhibition games prior to representing the United States at the 2004 II FISU World University Baseball Championships in Chinese Taipei from July 23-August 1.