Broncos Send Quartet to Lone Star State
6/3/2020 1:20:00 PM | Baseball
BOISE, Idaho – Not only did the COVID-19 pandemic cut short NCAA spring sports season, but it has led to the cancellation of several summer collegiate baseball leagues.
Enter the Collegiate Summer Baseball Invitational (CSBI). From June 4-6, student-athletes from over 70 schools across the country will take part in a six-game regional formatted tournament in Bryan, Texas.
Boise State pitchers John Boushelle, Stu Flesland and Brayden Spears and utility player Dawson Martin are taking part in the invitation only event. Flesland and Spears were true freshman in 2020, while Martin was a redshirt-freshman. Boushelle is a graduate transfer from McNeese State and the most recent Bronco.
"What a great honor and opportunity for our players to get back on the field and compete against some of the best players in the nation," Boise State head coach Gary Van Tol said. "It will be the first sanctioned baseball event in the country since COVID-19 shut everything down and the first opportunity for any Boise State athlete to get back on the field of competition. I'm thrilled for our guys, our program, Bronco Nation and the game of baseball. I want to personally thank the CSBI and its partners for their efforts in making this possible. This is a big deal and I hope everyone can tune in to watch the games."
Flesland was 1-1 with a 3.38 ERA and 12.65 strikeouts per nine innings in 2020. He blanked Niagara for 6 1/3 innings, March 10 to earn a victory. Spears posted a 1-0 mark with a 2.53 ERA and 1.03 WHIP. He notched four no-hit innings with five strikeouts in relief to pick up a win against Northern Colorado, March 1.
Martin started at three different positions for Boise State in 2020 and batted .263 with a .481 on-base percentage. Boushelle made three appearances out of the bullpen for McNeese State in 2020 and allowed one hit while striking out six over three shutout innings.
The CSBI participants arrived in Texas, Monday, a stone's throw from Austin where the Broncos opened their 2020 campaign. The event had been coordinated with local health officials and includes COVID-19 testing and quarantining of everyone involved, including players, coaches, umpires and broadcasters. All participants are secured in a local hotel for the week and are being checked daily for any medical conditions.
Due to the layoff of competitive baseball since March, tournament rules include pitch count, innings and appearance limits.
The first night of games will be televised on ESPN2. At 5 p.m. Mountain, Team Liberty faces Team Unity (Boushelle). At 8 p.m. Mountain, Team Freedom (Martin) squares off against Team Independence (Flesland/Spears).
The remaining games will be streamed on a Pay-Per-View Basis. More information can be found at www.csbi2020.com.
Enter the Collegiate Summer Baseball Invitational (CSBI). From June 4-6, student-athletes from over 70 schools across the country will take part in a six-game regional formatted tournament in Bryan, Texas.
Boise State pitchers John Boushelle, Stu Flesland and Brayden Spears and utility player Dawson Martin are taking part in the invitation only event. Flesland and Spears were true freshman in 2020, while Martin was a redshirt-freshman. Boushelle is a graduate transfer from McNeese State and the most recent Bronco.
"What a great honor and opportunity for our players to get back on the field and compete against some of the best players in the nation," Boise State head coach Gary Van Tol said. "It will be the first sanctioned baseball event in the country since COVID-19 shut everything down and the first opportunity for any Boise State athlete to get back on the field of competition. I'm thrilled for our guys, our program, Bronco Nation and the game of baseball. I want to personally thank the CSBI and its partners for their efforts in making this possible. This is a big deal and I hope everyone can tune in to watch the games."
Flesland was 1-1 with a 3.38 ERA and 12.65 strikeouts per nine innings in 2020. He blanked Niagara for 6 1/3 innings, March 10 to earn a victory. Spears posted a 1-0 mark with a 2.53 ERA and 1.03 WHIP. He notched four no-hit innings with five strikeouts in relief to pick up a win against Northern Colorado, March 1.
Martin started at three different positions for Boise State in 2020 and batted .263 with a .481 on-base percentage. Boushelle made three appearances out of the bullpen for McNeese State in 2020 and allowed one hit while striking out six over three shutout innings.
The CSBI participants arrived in Texas, Monday, a stone's throw from Austin where the Broncos opened their 2020 campaign. The event had been coordinated with local health officials and includes COVID-19 testing and quarantining of everyone involved, including players, coaches, umpires and broadcasters. All participants are secured in a local hotel for the week and are being checked daily for any medical conditions.
Due to the layoff of competitive baseball since March, tournament rules include pitch count, innings and appearance limits.
The first night of games will be televised on ESPN2. At 5 p.m. Mountain, Team Liberty faces Team Unity (Boushelle). At 8 p.m. Mountain, Team Freedom (Martin) squares off against Team Independence (Flesland/Spears).
The remaining games will be streamed on a Pay-Per-View Basis. More information can be found at www.csbi2020.com.
Players Mentioned
WBB | Highlights vs Nevada
Monday, March 10
Baseball Uniform Reveal
Thursday, May 02
Bronco Weekly: Swimming and Diving
Thursday, February 06
