The University of Tampa baseball team enjoyed a very successful weekend, sweeping the defending Sunshine State Conference champions, Barry University, in a three-game series.
Tampa started out the series with a Friday night 10-0 victory, with the defense doing a great job at keeping Barry off the scoreboard. Saturday’s doubleheader started out with an astounding 21-1 victory for the Spartans, followed by a 4-1 win in the second game of the day.
Junior pitcher Ben O’Shea started strong on the mound for Tampa on Friday, which Manager Joe Urso praised him for.
“The momentum Ben had was spread throughout the rest of the team,” Coach Urso said.
O’Shea had his own reasons for aiming for the win. “After last weekend, I really wanted to come out here and pitch a good game. Last weekend was bad,” O’Shea said, referencing his March 30 start against Rollins in which he gave up seven runs, five earned, in five innings.
O’Shea was very happy with his performance Friday night, including the fact that he didn’t walk anyone but he managed to strike out seven hitters.
Coach Urso really felt that his offense stepped up to the plate on Friday. “The offense really performed. We got some early runs and just continued to build off of them in each following inning,” Urso said. He also explained that the defense did a great job at holding off Barry’s offense, saying that where his defense has been consistent all season; his offense has had a harder time staying consistent.
Senior outfielder Andrew Jones was one of the standouts in the offensive line-up. Jones hit a homerun, as well as a double and a single during Friday night’s game. “I was just able to see the pitches well tonight,” Jones said of his successful game. “I really think having the extra day off made a difference this week,” he said. Jones felt that the additional rest gave the team some time to recuperate and focus on the games this weekend.
When asked whether or not the team would be able to take the conference title this year, both Jones and O’Shea said they think it is possible.
“We really have to do well against the next few teams, and hope some of the teams we have lost to lose a few games,” Jones said, but he thinks the conference is definitely within the team’s reach.
UT plays next on April 13 against Florida Southern.
The Spartans will enter the game with a 28-6 overall record and a 10-5 record within the conference.
Rebecca Casey can be reached at rcasey@spartans.ut.edu.