Vogel Wins Second Gold Medal with Team USA

Make that two gold medals for Matt Vogel. The Patchogue native helped USA Baseball’s 16U National Team beat Cuba, 9-0, to capture a gold medal at the 2011 IBAF World Youth Championships in Lagos de Moreno, Mexico this weekend.

Vogel was on the national team in 2009 also. This marked the sixth straight title for the 16U program.

“The overall experience was truly an experience I will never forget,” said Vogel, who made two pitching appearances during the tournament in which the U.S. team went 7-1. “The baseball there was pretty good all around.”

Vogel, heading into his junior year at Patchogue-Medford High School, earned the victory against the Chinese Taipei team in Game 2. He pitched five innings, allowed no earned runs and struck out seven. He also went 2-for-3 with two singles, two stolen bases and two runs scored.

“The first gold medal was great but this one means more because we just won the World Baseball Championship,” he said, “not that many people my age can say they've won two gold medals.”

Vogel is visiting South Carolina Tuesday and is expected to give the Gamecocks a verbal commitment to play Division I baseball at the two-time defending national champions beginning in 2013.