Logan Shore earned plenty of hardware in his freshman season.
The right-handed pitcher from Coon Rapids, Minn., has already been tabbed a third-team All-American, freshman All-American and the Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Year, becoming the first Gator pitcher to receive the award.
But on July 3, Shore added one more title to his name as he was named the National Freshman of the Year by Perfect Game.
“I feel really honored and I’m just looking forward to next year,’’ Shore said in a release.
Heading into his first year at Florida, Shore’s goals were modest.
“I just wanted to get some innings,” he said. “Going into the season my goal was to be in a reliever position on the weekends.”
He did more than that.
In his first three appearances — a midweek start against Central Florida, a relief appearance against Miami and a start against Florida Gulf Coast — Shore gave up just 11 hits and four runs (one earned) in 13 innings of work while fanning 12 batters in the process.
From there, coach Kevin O’Sullivan wasted no time moving the freshman righty into the Friday night starter role in the next series against Connecticut.
Shore responded by giving up only two hits and striking out four in seven frames as UF took the 1-0 win in 11 innings.
Once SEC play rolled around, O’Sullivan kept the freshman on the mound under the Friday night lights.
In Florida’s first SEC game — a 2-1 win against Arkansas on March 14 at McKethan Stadium — Shore tossed 6.1 innings, giving up just one run while fanning five en route to his first win of the season.
“From the first to the last pitch of the game we got a really, really good start from Logan Shore,” O’Sullivan said after the game. “That might have been the best start we’ve had in a couple of years, and for him to be a freshman and do that against a really good Arkansas team, it shows a lot of poise and it shows a lot of maturity.”
Shore received the nod to start Game 1 in seven of the other nine SEC series and started Game 2 in the others, helping the Gators earn the regular season conference title after being projected to finish third in the Eastern Division.
Shore finished the year with a 2.16 ERA in 95.2 innings, the eighth and 11th best marks in the SEC respectively. He allowed batters a .241 average and started in 15 of his 16 total appearances.
His seven wins in league play tie with Kentucky’s A.J. Reed and Ole Miss’ Chris Ellis for the most victories in conference action this season.
Follow Jordan McPherson on Twitter @J_McPherson1126
