DANVILLE, Va. – On Sunday, June 28, the USA Collegiate National Team went to the state of Virginia to play the MLB Draft Appalachian League’s Johnson City Doughboys. The Doughboys pulled off a stunning 4-3 win, holding the national team to two hits the entire game while recording 10 hits themselves.
Despite the loss, World Baseball Network looks at a couple of players on the collegiate national squad that stuck out.
Georgia’s Kolby Branch homers against Johnson City
Team USA was able to get on the scoreboard first by way of Georgia Bulldogs shortstop Kolby Branch. In the third inning, Branch hit a towering center-field home run to give the national team a 1-0 lead.
416 feet. 108 MPH off the bat. ????
Kolby Branch sends one out to open the scoring for the Stars! ⭐️@KolbyBranch x @BaseballUGA pic.twitter.com/61p00VQG7G
— USA Baseball CNT (@USABaseballCNT) June 28, 2026
Branch was a part of a historically good home-run-hitting Georgia team in 2026. The Bulldogs finished the season with 179 home runs as a team. Branch hit 20 of those home runs himself. He was third on the team in home runs behind Daniel Jackson and Brennan Hudson.
Branch was a finalist for the Brooks Wallace Award and named second-team All-Southeastern Conference (SEC). He accomplished these individual feats while helping Georgia along to an SEC regular season title, an SEC Tournament title, and a trip to the College World Series.
Southern Miss LHP Grayden Harris puts together a solid start for the USA
Southern Miss left-handed pitcher Grayden Harris had three strikeouts in two scoreless innings of work. He started on the mound for Team USA against Johnson City. Harris also did not have any walks in his appearance.
What ended the national team’s chances of a win was the Doughboys’ runs in the last three innings of the game. Johnson City outscored Team USA 5-1 over that stretch of the game.
Harris was the 2026 Sun Belt Pitcher of the Year in his sophomore season with the Golden Eagles. He had a 4.02 ERA and 107 strikeouts in 87 1/3 innings of work.
Harris played a big part in Southern Miss making their 10th straight NCAA Tournament and hosting a regional at Pete Taylor Park.
WBN NCAA: https://worldbaseball.com/league/ncaa/
PHOTO: Georgia infielder Kolby Branch (9) runs to first during an NCAA baseball College World Series game against Texas, Saturday, June 13, 2026 in Omaha, Neb. Georgia won 7-1. (AP Photo/Vera Nieuwenhuis)
