The NCAA rule changes are receiving a lot of attention for curbing run totals, lowering home run counts and batting averages this season.
But in Gainesville, there is a different reason for the smaller numbers: Florida’s pitching staff.
The Gators’ weekend rotation combined to limit South Florida’s hitters to one run in 17 innings on the mound, posting a miniscule 0.65 WHIP to open the season last weekend. The only walk allowed by the starting pitchers (Brian Johnson, Hudson Randall and Karsten Whitson) came against the 57th batter they faced in the final game of the series.
Florida carried its success on the mound over to Tuesday’s game against FAU, holding the Owls to seven hits and two runs.
All of these impressive stats could be due to the NCAA’s new standards for bats — if UF’s staff didn’t rack up similar stats late last season.
Using pinpoint control in last year’s NCAA Regional, Randall and Johnson accounted for 14.1 innings of work and gave up three runs. The two combined to strike out 14 batters while walking zero before the new bats began being used.
These two sophomores provide UF with a pair of pitchers who keep the ball over the plate and can be relied upon to rack up quality starts.
Johnson finished his freshman year with just 14 walks in 73.2 innings pitched and lasted an average of more than five innings per start. Randall walked 21 hitters in 97.1 innings of work in his first year as a Gator. And he pitched an average of about 5.2 innings per start.
But neither possesses half the talent freshman hurler Karsten Whitson does. Much has been made about Whitson being the ninth overall selection in last year’s MLB Draft, but he backed up the hype with his first collegiate start Sunday.
The right-hander impressed with his mid-90s stuff against USF, baffling hitters in five scoreless innings while giving up one hit and striking out nine.
Whitson’s emergence has pushed Alex Panteliodis, who was Florida’s Friday night starter last season, out of the weekend rotation — for now.
There are even pitchers in UF’s bullpen who can compete for a weekend spot if Johnson, Randall and Whitson slip up. Tommy Toledo and Anthony DeSclafani, currently Gators relievers, already possess experience in that role.
DeSclafani made his case to coach Kevin O’Sullivan on Tuesday, starting in place of a sick Panteliodis and pitching four scoreless innings against FAU.
Even Austin Maddox, who led the team in home runs and RBIs last season, is attempting to receive some time on the mound, making his pitching debut Tuesday.
Maybe getting hitters out won’t be the toughest challenge Gators pitchers face this season. Earning a spot in the rotation seems hard enough.
