Representing USA means everything to ex-Air Force pitchers Paul Skenes, Griffin Jax

Paul Skenes and Griffin Jax, who both pitched for the Air Force Academy, were among the MLB standouts who were moved playing exhibition for Team USA.

SCOTTSDALE, AZ — It may have been a mere spring-training game, one that will be forgotten by morning with statistics that will never appear on the back of bubble-gum cards, but don’t try telling that to defending National League Cy Young winner Paul Skenes.

This is a game he’ll never forget.

Skenes stood on the field Tuesday, standing at full attention during the national anthem, staring at the American flag on the scoreboard, watching and listening to the military fly-over, and trying to keep his emotions in check.

Here he was, less than four years from leaving the Air Force Academy, where he planned to be a pilot serving his country, pitching for Team USA, with his parents driving over from Southern California to see him in action.

“I was going in treating it as a spring training game a little bit,’’ Skenes said, “but it’s tough when you wear a USA across your chest. It means more.’’