SAN JOSE, Calif. - After having their season cut short due to COVID-19, a pair of Spartans will have one last chance to lace up their cleats in 2020. Sophomore first baseman Ruben Ibarra and senior third baseman Troy Viola will take part in the Collegiate Summer Baseball Invitational, a four-team Regional-style tournament held in Bryan, Texas. The tournament begins tonight and will consist of six games through Saturday.
Over 70 Division I programs are represented in the tournament, which will feature the first collegiate baseball games played since March. ESPN2 will broadcast both opening games tonight beginning at 4:00 p.m. PT. Ibarra and Viola are teammates on Team Independence, and will play in the second game of the tonight's doubleheader.
The Spartan duo was named All-Mountain West this season for the first time in their respective careers. Ibarra returned to the diamond after missing all of 2019 with a redshirt. He finished the shortened season batting .344 with three home runs, 21 hits and eight RBI, and was perfect in the field while starting every contest. Viola also started every game and was perfect at the hot corner with 17 putouts and 39 assists. At the plate, he batted .271 with 19 hits, including five doubles and nine RBI.
Fans can catch Ibarra, Viola and Team Independence tonight at 7:00 p.m. PT on ESPN2 as they take on Team Freedom. All six games can be streamed via pay-per-view on the CSBI's website here.
2020 Collegiate Summer Baseball Invitational
June 4, 4:00 p.m. - Unity vs. Liberty*
June 4, 7:00 p.m. - Freedom vs. Independence*
June 5, 3:00 p.m. - Game 1 and 2 losing teams (G3)
June 5, 6:00 p.m. - Game 1 and 2 winning teams (G4)
June 6, 3:00 p.m. - G3 Winner and G4 Loser (G5)
June 6, 6:00 p.m. - Championship (G4 and G5 Winners)
