Stassi playing for U.S. again

For the third consecutive summer, Yuba City High standout Max Stassi will be represent his country as a member of the USA 18U Baseball Team.

Stassi was picked for the team after competing in five intra-squad games held in Phoenix as a week-long trial period. He will remain in Arizona for training this week starting with a game against the Junior College All-Stars tonight and Saturday.

After this week the team will head to Edmonton, Canada, for the IBAF Junior Championships, which will be held July 25 to Aug. 3.

This is Stassi's first season with the 18U team. Last summer with the 16U team, he hit .421 in six games and scored seven runs to go with four RBIs. In his first year with USA Baseball in 2006, Stassi hit .310 with a homer and nine RBIs in eight games.

His team took home the gold medal in both 2006 and 2007.