The No. 5 University of Tampa baseball team looks to continue its rich history of winning in the 2011 season.
The Spartans finished the 2010 season in impressive fashion, ending the year with a conference and south region championship while also sending 10 players into Major League Baseball.
With so much success coming to the team last year, the squad enters five freshmen and a different look around the lineup.
Kicking off their season may have not been what the Spartans were looking for. They lost two out of three at home to No. 4 Georgia College with defensive struggles haunting them. UT committed six errors in those three games.
As the team left the series, they traveled to Greenwood, S.C. to take on three teams, two of which were ranked in the top-25 of Division II baseball rankings.
The Spartans swept the weekend series, improving their record to 4-2. UT opened the weekend with a 5-2 extra-inning win over Lander University on Friday and rallied from a five-run deficit to defeat No. 25 Grand Valley State on Saturday night.
In the weekend finale, the Spartans recorded a 10-4 victory over then-fifth-ranked Mount Olive College.
“I am very proud of the improvements our team made in Carolina. We responded extremely well, limiting the defensive mistakes, and it was great to see our team take all three,” stated Coach Joe Urso.
Pitcher Max Krueter, who has tossed one and a third innings and struck out two batters so far this season, believes the key to success for the Spartans is in the field and on the mound.
“Coming off a big three game weekend I believe we need to keep it simple and continue to play great defense and pitch well like we’ve been doing,” the junior lefty said.
“Our timely hitting will come through and with all that, we will come out on top and continue rolling.”
The Spartans might not produce 10 MLB prospects this season, but a positive and productive season is in sight.
In past seasons, UT has made it to national championships with physically smaller players, and this year resembles the past.
“This year’s team is not big in size but we can pitch and play defense. I think our pitching is as deep as it has ever been,” said Urso.
With three out of the five freshman players starting on a regular basis, the future looks bright for the Spartans. A tradition of winning has always been the goal for the UT baseball program.
According to Coach Urso, nothing has changed.
“It’s always the same for us year in and year out. UT is expected to win the National Championship.”
The team will play host to Stillman for a four game series this weekend, beginning on Friday, Feb. 18 at 6 p.m.
Michael Paonessa can be reached at mpaonessa@spartans.ut.edu.