Blackfoot’s Dax Whitney named to Team USA collegiate team and will play in Japan series

It’s official. Former Blackfoot High and Idaho Falls Bandits standout Dax Whitney was named to the Collegiate National Team, which will compete in the 45th USA vs. Japan Collegiate All-Star Series in various locations across Japan beginning Tuesday and running through July 13.

Whitney is one of 14 pitchers on the 26-man roster and joins Oregon State teammate and pitcher Ethan Kleinschmit on the team.

Whitney, who was named to several freshman All-American teams and was a third-team All-American selection by D1Baseball.com, helped lead Oregon State to the College World Series and finished the season with a 6-3 record and 3.40 earned run average.

He started 17 games and struck out 120 batters in 76 2/3 innings.

Here’s the schedule from the USA Baseball release: The 45­­th USA vs. Japan Collegiate All-Star Championship Series will begin with games on July 8 and 9 at Es Con Field in Hokkaido, Japan, at 4 a.m. ET/6 p.m. local. The next two games will be held July 11 and 12 at Hard Off Eco Stadium in Niigata, Japan, at 3 a.m. ET/5:00 p.m. local and 10 p.m. ET/12 p.m. local, respectively. The series will wrap up with a lone game in Tokyo at Jingu Stadium at 3 a.m. ET/5:00 p.m. local. Team USA leads the series with Japan 24-20 (Overall: 135-110-2).