The University of Tampa baseball team has started this season a bit more inconsistent than usual. The team started off 1-2, before going on an eight-game win streak. The win streak came to a halt, and led to the team losing five of their next nine games. Currently, the Spartans are on a six-game win streak to put their record at 19-7.
Sweeping Lynn University last weekend was crucial and it put UT back into third place in the Sunshine State Conference behind undefeated Florida Southern and Barry.
“We’re getting there,” said Coach Urso. “We’re getting better defensively, and most importantly cutting down on all of the walks.”
The team walked seven batters and hit two more in the first game of the Saturday double-header against Lynn.
“We have to pound the strike zone and go after guys early. Our pitchers have to be contact pitchers, not strikeout pitchers,” said Urso.
There were 10 UT baseball players drafted in last year’s Major League Baseball draft, more than nearly all other Division I schools. However, despite losing all but one starter from last year’s lineup, Urso likes this team’s willingness and ability to play some team-oriented small ball.
“The personality of this year’s team, I actually like a little better,” said Urso. “The guys have unselfish at-bats and don’t mind making an out to move a guy over; they’re a little more team oriented this year.”
One of those unselfish players is junior Raiko Alfonso.
Third on the team with 23 RBIs, Alfonso has played a solid second base all year and has turned 11 double plays. The Cuban-born Florida International transfer has played well and come through in the clutch on multiple occasions in his first year as a Spartan, displayed by his seven multiple RBI games, good enough for second on the team.
“He’s one of the best defensive players that have come to UT,” said Urso. “He has great hands, and is so smooth at turning double plays.”
The Spartan infielder has found success at the plate as well during his collegiate career. Before transferring to UT, Alfonso played two years at FIU, where he hit a shade over .300 in both seasons.
Now a member of the Spartans, Alfonso said he is very happy with his choice to play ball for Coach Urso and this continuously successful program.
“I chose the University of Tampa because it had a great baseball program tradition. The fact that they had 10 players drafted last year didn’t hurt either,” he joked. “I love it here.”
With a .951 fielding percentage, Alfonso has proven to be consistent with his glove around the infield, and he has come through at the plate when his team needed him most. He still strives to improve his game, however.
“I want to improve my hitting and become more consistent at the plate,” said Alfonso. “I love the situation of two outs, bases loaded. Everybody wants to be able to play in that situation.”
Through 26 games this season, in which Alfonso has started all but one, he touts a .274 batting average to go along with 21 runs scored. Coach Urso thinks with the help of Hitting Coach John Ramos, Alfonso will continue to improve as a switch hitter.
“He’s been a doubles guy all his life, but with the change in bats, we need him to be more of a line drive guy. We may even need him to drag bunt, which is something he has never done in his life,” said Urso. The change in bats Coach Urso referred to was implemented around the NCAA this past offseason.
The new model of bat has a thicker wall. Although it is still aluminum, it plays more like a wooden bat, taking some of the bounce off of hitter’s swings. Regardless of the change, Alfonso has remained a doubles’ guy. He is currently second on the team with nine doubles. On a team with a plethora of roster changes going into this season, Alfonso has been a constant starter and contributor for the Spartans.
“Raiko’s a gamer all right,” said Urso.
John Hilsenroth can be reached at jhilsenroth@spartans.ut.edu.