One of 45 players to make the U.S. Collegiate National Team this summer, Gonzaga pitcher Gabriel Hughes has a busy month of July ahead of him throwing against some of the nation's premier college talent after his mound debut on Saturday.

Hughes is one of 10 throwers for Team Stripes, which took the opening game of an intrasquad series against Team Stars on Friday with a 3-3 tiebreaker win at American Legion Field In Danville, Va. After not appearing in the opener, the 6'4" righty got the start in game two on Saturday, throwing three innings with a strikeout while being tagged for four hits and three earned runs.

In lieu of international competition this summer, the Stars and Stripes will face each other nine more times throughout the month of July, traveling throughout Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee and West Virginia over the next two weeks before the team regroups for a three-game series against Team USA's pro team.

"We are thrilled to have such a strong group representing the U.S. on the 2021 Collegiate National Team as we tour through the cities of the Appalachian League this summer," said Eric Campbell, USA Baseball Collegiate National Team General Manager. "This year's team offers a unique experience to play with, and against, some of the best collegiate baseball talent in the country in some of the best baseball communities, and we are looking forward to an incredible series."

Players from 30 NCAA programs are featured on the team's roster, with Hughes as GU's lone representative.

The Eagle, Idaho native concluded his second year at GU with Second Team All-WCC honors despite an injury late in the spring, going 4-3 as the Bulldogs' Saturday starter with a 3.23 ERA and striking out 67 batters in a total of 61.1 innings of work. Playing first base in addition to pitching, Hughes hit .247 with 4 doubles, 3 homers and 12 RBI and was one of three named to Collegiate Baseball's Freshman All-America Team as a Multiple Position Athlete.