BCU Wildcat Pitcher Set to Debut in 2007 Stan Musial World Series

Photo: Joseph Gautier, Pitcher - Bethune Cookman University

Joseph Gautier will be representing Puerto Rico in the annual amateur event

Daytona Beach, Fla. - Bethune-Cookman pitcher Joseph Gautier will be toeing the rubber on Thursday afternoon, but this time donning a different jersey representing the national team of Puerto Rico in the annual Stan Musial World Series in Huntsville, Tex. The event is being sponsored by the American Amateur Baseball Congress.

For the first time in history, Puerto Rico is sending a team comprised of the best players in the nation to the Stan Musial World Series. The former arrangements were the team that won the national championship represented the country in the World Series.

Joseph Gautier will be taking the mound for Team Puerto Rico in a second-round game on Thursday evening against an opponent to be determined later on Wednesday. Better known as Gio, Gautier has been playing locally for Guayama, located on the southern-most tip of Puerto Rico in the southeast. However, he is a native of Dorado, located in the center of the island nation along the northern shore.

He becomes the first player to represent his home country in a World Series amateur event since Nabil Sagbini played for Colombia back in 2004. Gautier is slated to be a vital part of the pitching staff once again for the Wildcats of Bethune-Cookman in 2008, and was named twice to the College Baseball Foundation weekly awards team for wins against Savannah State and Florida A&M in 2007.

Photo: Statue of Stan Musial outside Busch Stadium.

Though not having won the event since 1997, Puerto Rico was last in the championship game back in 2000. They fell to Sacramento (Calif.) in a thriller, 16-15. Puerto Rico has won the event twice since its inception back in 1935.

The Stan Musial World Series will be taking place at Don Sanders Stadium at Sam Houston State University. The five-day tournament is a double-elimination affair. It will begin on Wednesday, Aug. 15 and run through the championship series slated for Sunday, Aug. 19.

For more information on this year's event and a full schedule of events, please visit the Stan Musial World Series official website at www.smws.us.