McColgan, Barratt succeed at tourney

Hamlet Nalbandyan

They didn’t achieve their ultimate goal of making the U.S. Junior

National team, but former St. Francis High standout Matt McColgan and

Crescenta Valley senior Kyle Barratt still did what they set out to

do at the U.S. Tournament of Stars in Joplin, Mo., which began June

17 and ended Sunday.

The local duo gave the influx of scouts and coaches a taste --

albeit a small one -- of just what they are capable of.

McColgan’s USA Gray team won the Bronze game against RBI, 12-3, on

Sunday to finish third in the eight-team tournament.

Barratt’s Babe Ruth squad came in fifth.

Both Babe Ruth and USA Gray played five games apiece, and Barratt

and McColgan saw action in nine of the 10.

Barratt played in all five of his squad’s contests, starting four.

He didn’t hit as well as he had hoped, going two for 11 for a .182

clip.

Both hits came Wednesday in a 11-4 loss to USA White.

Barratt went two for three in the game -- which was held at Joe

Becker Stadium, like all the games for the tournament were -- with a

run scored and a run driven in.

Included in that was a double. Overall in the tournament, Barratt

walked once and struck out five times.

He had 12 assists, two putouts and committed four errors for a

.778 fielding percentage.

Barratt’s Babe Ruth squad finished the tournament 3-2 and had wins

against Pony (16-1 on Sunday), NABF (6-5 on Saturday) and Dixie (5-2

on Thursday).

McColgan’s USA Gray squad went 3-2 as well, with a pair of wins

against RBI (3-1 on Friday and 12-3 Sunday) and another against Pony

(5-1 on Tuesday).

McColgan finished the tournament with a .200 batting average,

going one for five.

He played in four games, starting one. His lone hit was a double,

which came during a 4-2 loss to NABF on Thursday.

McColgan, who played first base and catcher during the tourney,

scored a pair of runs, had 14 put outs and one assist for a .933

fielding percentage.

He also led his team with a .500 on-base percentage, thanks to

three walks.

The Tournament of Stars is an annual tournament held to determine

the U.S. Junior National team.