Saluki hurler Brad Blumenstock fanned some tough competition at last weekend’s 1995 USA Baseball Team Trials in Homestead, Fla.

The 6-6, 225-pound right-handed reliever was only one of 66 collegiate players invited to compete for a spot on the Olympic squad.

Blumenstock said his visit to the Sunshine State was a memorable one in which he will not soon forget.

Advertisement

It was a great experience and a thrill to get to compete against the best players in the country, Blumenstock said. I walked a couple of guys, but overall, was happy with the way I performed.

Getting to know some of those guys and throwing at such a beautiful facility was an almost unbelievable feeling that I’ll never forget.

Blumenstock pitched 3.1 innings, allowing only one earned run while fanning three. He finished with a 2.70 ERA and was clocked at 94 MPH on the JUGS radar gun.

Blumenstock’s biggest strikeouts came against Cal State-Fullerton’s Mark Kotsay, the 1995 College World Series MVP. Blumenstock fanned Kotsay both times he faced him.

One time I fanned him on four pitches, so that was exciting, Blumenstock said. There were over 100 Major League scouts down there watching us, so anything positive that you did certainly gave you a lot of exposure.

Blumenstock said whether or not he makes it to the level of competition depends on how he performs during the Salukis 1996 season.

There were no cuts following the trials, as all of the players will be monitored throughout the 1996 regular season, he said. Now I just have to go out and have a solid season for SIUC and see what happens.

Advertisement*

No matter what happens, the Marion native’s mother, Judy, is proud of Brad.

Yes, I’m very proud of him, she said. Brad did real well and he felt really good about it. He was very pleased with his performance.

If he could make the first cut it would be great and a good experience for him.

In May, 40 of the original 66 invited to Homestead will move on to the Olympic Training site in Millington, Tenn., where the roster will be streamlined to 25 players. The eventual Olympic Team consists of only 20 players.