Three area baseball players will get the chance to showcase their skills at the upcoming USA Baseball National Team Identification Series in Cary, N.C.
Dayne Rowley and Ben Wiley from Durango High School and Matthew Knickerbocker from Bayfield High School were chosen to participate in the event after performing in a regional selection event against other players from southern Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, southern Nevada and west Texas.
Rowley and Wiley will compete as part of the 17-and-under age group, with Knickerbocker participating in the 16-and-under group. Events for both of those age brackets will run Thursday through Sunday.
From those two age groups, USA Baseball will select a minimum of eight players to the 2014 18-and-under National Team Trials and a minimum of eight for the 2014 17-and-under National Team Development Program.
Fifteen of the 16 teams in each age group will be organized on a regionalized club team basis, with another as an at-large team.
The weekend’s events include a symposium, individual skills testing and games.
Rowley picked up a win in four starts and six total appearances for the Demons’ prep team, which qualified for the final four at state in Class 4A. He had a 7.87 earned-run average, striking out 13 in 18 2/3 innings pitched.
Wiley, who recently competed with the Farmington Strike Zone Cardinals at the Connie Mack World Series in Farmington, went 3-5 on the mound for the Demons with an ERA of 7.00 last season in 38 innings pitched. He led the team with 37 strikeouts.
Knickerbocker hit .529 with 37 RBIs, six triples and 19 doubles for the state-qualifying Wolverines. He was even better on the mound, going 4-1 with a 1.87 ERA and 37 strikeouts in 12 appearances.
heraldsports@durangoherald.com
