Marks Heads to Prestigious Cape Cod League
June 11, 2008 | Baseball
June 25, 2008
CHATHAM, Mass. - University of Louisville pitcher Justin Marks was not one of 24 players selected to the 2008 USA Baseball National Team, and will now focus his attention on pitching for the Chatham A's of the Cape Cod League - the top wood bat summer league for college baseball players. Marks was 1-0 with a 1.12 ERA in three appearances for the US team during the trials. He struck out 11, giving up just two hits in eight innings, limiting opponents to a .080 average.
June 21, 2008
Box Score
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - In a 3-0 shutout of homestanding Fayetteville, Justin Marks tossed three shutout innings, allowing a hit and walking two and striking out four for the US National Team. Entering in the fifth, the Cardinal sophomore set the side down in order in the seventh, striking out the final two batters he faced. He tossed 31 strikes in the 49 pitches he delivered as he continues to battle for a roster spot on the USA Baseball National Team.
June 15, 2008
Box Score
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. - Making his first start for the USA National Team, Marks earned the win by tossing four innings of one-hit baseball in a 6-4 win over the North Adams Steeple Cats. In the planned abbreviated start he allowed a run on the one hit, walking four and striking out five. The Cardinal junior-to-be worked 1-2-3 second and third innings, striking out the side in order in the second. Opponents are batting .067 against Marks in a team-best five innings of work.
June 12, 2008
Box Score
KEENE, N.H. - Marks made his USA National Team Debut with an inning of hitless baseball, walking one in an 11-0 win over the Keene Swamp Bats of the NECBL. The southpaw struck out two while retiring the side in the seventh inning, combining with four other USA pitchers on a seven hit shutout.
June 11, 2008
DURHAM, N.C. - Justin Marks, a member of the 2008 University of Louisville BIG EAST Champion baseball team, has been invited to the USA Baseball 2008 National Team Trials held June 11-23. He is one of 34 invitees that will compete for 24 spots on the 2008 National Team roster which will be announced on June 24.
USA Baseball's 2008 National Team schedule includes a six-game friendship series against Chinese Taipei and a month-long trip to Europe where the team will compete in the Haarlem Baseball Week in the Netherlands and the IV FISU World Collegiate Baseball Championship in the Czech Republic.
Former Cardinal, and current member of the Atlanta Braves AAA team in Richmond, Mark Jurich was a member of the 2002 USA Baseball National Team, winning a silver medal at the 2002 FISU World University Baseball Championship and capturing the 2002 Haarlem Baseball Week Championship, while playing for former Cardinal skipper Lelo Prado who coached the Cards and the National Team.
Marks, a sophomore pitcher from Owensboro, Kentucky, was a PING! Baseball Second Team All-American after posting a 9-2 record with a 2.37 ERA in 14 starts during the 2008 season.
The southpaw finished the season with 89 strikeouts, which is tied for 6th in the single season list, and his nine wins ties for fourth. In his two season he has 176 K's which ties him for 10th on the career list, a 2.53 ERA - the lowest in school history, and 18 wins, tying him for 3rd.
A First Team All-BIG EAST selection and a member of the 2008 All-BIG EAST Tournament team, he lead the Cards to the first conference title in school history. His freshman season he was named to the Louisville Slugger, PING! and Rivals.com Freshman All-American teams as well as 2007 BIG EAST Rookie of the Year, and Second Team All-BIG EAST.
In 2007 Marks was 9-2 with a 2.67 ERA in 18 starts, jumping into the weekend rotation as a freshman. He struck out 87 in 104.2 innings pitched and limited opponents to a BIG EAST low .189 batting average.
Marks and the other USA invitees will play 12 games in the next 12 days beginning June 12 against the Keene Swamp Bats of the NECBL at Alumni Field in Keene, N.H. at 7:00 p.m. ET.
