USA Baseball vs. Chinese Taipei at the DBAP

USA Baseball and the Chinese Taipei Baseball Association have announced their Collegiate National Team programs will compete in an international friendship series in the U.S. for the first time since 2008. The 2014 edition will feature five games across at least three locations in North Carolina in July, with the series concluding with two exhibitions at the newly renovated Durham Bulls Athletic Park on July 4 and 5. Both contests at the DBAP will feature postgame fireworks.

 "We are extremely excited to host the Chinese Taipei National Team this year," said USA Baseball Executive Director/CEO, Paul Seiler. "Our countries share a unique passion and enthusiasm for the game of baseball. In recent years our amateur national teams have traveled to Taiwan for international competitions, and we are excited to serve as gracious hosts in 2014."

"The Chinese Taipei Baseball Association appreciates and values the friendship that we enjoy with USA Baseball," said Richard Lin, Secretary General of the Chinese Taipei Baseball Association. "Re-establishing our yearly exchange with the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team is an important part of our senior baseball program's development."

The series will be the first in the U.S. between the two baseball-rich countries since the home team swept a six-game series in 2008. In 2010, the two countries resumed friendship series play at the collegiate level with Team USA traveling to Taipei, Taiwan for a four-game series - the two nations split the set, 2-2.

In 2014, the teams will take the field for a five-game series concluding with two Independence Weekend contests at Durham Bulls Athletic Park. On Friday, July 4, Team USA and Chinese Taipei play at 6:05pm. The two squads wrap up the series on Saturday, July 5 at 7:05pm. Following both games, fans will be treated to Independence Day Fireworks Extravaganzas. 

The two teams have met 11 previous times in Durham with Team USA holding a 9-2 record. The teams met in Durham for the first time at the historic Durham Athletic Park in the summer of 1988 as part of a seven-game series in preparation for the Seoul 1988 Olympic Games - the host nation won the contest 10-4 en route to sweeping the seven game set.

USA Baseball records show the two teams have met 102 times at the collegiate level since the U.S. defeated Chinese Taipei, 2-1, at Dodger Stadium on July 31, 1984 as part of the Los Angeles 1984 Olympic Games. The U.S. holds an 84-18 record, including a 63-6 record in games played in the United States.

The 2014 USA Baseball Collegiate National Team will be led by Arkansas skipper Dave Van Horn. Van Horn previously served as an assistant coach on the 2011 Collegiate National Team. Players will be invited over the course of the college baseball season, and the final 24-man roster will be announced at the end of June.  

The full 2014 Collegiate National Team schedule will be announced on USABaseball.com later this year. Tickets for USA Baseball games against Chinese Taipei at the DBAP on July 4 and 5 will go on sale in March, 2014.