College Baseball Week 2 Recap: Gators, Vols Announce Presence With Authority
Another week of college baseball is in the books, and while the calendar still says February, you can already feel the implications for May and June. There were several great matchups across the country as well as some fantastic moments from everywhere in college baseball, so let's take a look back at the second week of action.
Top Stories of the Week
No. 2 Florida Goes on the Road and Sweeps No. 1 Miami
We've been gifted some great matchups in the first couple weeks of the season. After preseason No.1 Louisville went on the road to Ole Miss to open the season, newly minted No. 1 Miami hosted No. 2 Florida in Coral Gables this weekend.
It was an opportunity for the much hyped Hurricanes to make an early season statement, but instead, the Gators went down to South Florida and made quite a statement of their own. UF won the first two games with extra inning heroics from Jacob Young and Kirby McMullen before taking care of the Canes in nine innings on Sunday. Florida freshman starting pitcher Hunter Barco looked like everything he's been cracked up to be in the Gators' win in the finale, going 5.1 IP with 2 H, 1 ER and 7 Ks.
The sweep gives UF 15 wins in the last 18 meetings between the in-state rivals.
Tennessee Makes Big Statement at Round Rock Classic
Other than the No. 1 vs. No. 2 matchup between the Florida schools, the big college baseball destination of the weekend was Round Rock, Texas, where No. 6 Texas Tech, No. 25 Stanford, Houston and Tennessee gathered for a round robin tournament. The Red Raiders were the talk of the town coming into the weekend, but the only team to leave Dell Diamond with three wins was the Tennessee Volunteers.
The Vols looked every part of a Top 15 team in decisive wins over Texas Tech and Stanford and have gotten off to a 7-0 start to the season without star pitcher and likely first round pick Garrett Crochet. Tony Vitello has done an amazing job with a Tennessee program which made its first regional since 2005 last season and looks poised to get back there and possibly further in 2020.
Bryce Jarvis Throws First Perfect Game in Duke History
Congratulations to Duke junior Bryce Jarvis, who threw the first perfect game in Blue Devils history against Cornell on Friday. The Franklin, Tenn. native threw 94 pitches on the night and ended with a career high 15 strikeouts.
Jarvis was drafted by the Yankees in the 37th round of the 2019 MLB Draft as a draft-eligible sophomore, so he still has this season and potentially 2021 to improve his stock — and I'd say a perfect game is a pretty good place to start.
Players of the Week: Tyler Kelder and Brendyn Stillman, St. Bonaventure
Advertisement
You don't have to be in the Power Five to earn Big T's POTW honors. If you're crushing baseballs, I'll find you.
Well this weekend, the middle of the St. Bonaventure lineup simply refused to stop hitting home runs. Tyler Kelder and Brendyn Stillman combined for nine homers in the Bonnies' doubleheader against Mount St. Mary's, going back-to-back three separate times. In the three-game series, the pair combined to go 20-30 with 10 HR and 21 RBI.
Play of the Week: Drew Bianco, LSU
What a great play by Drew Bianco. It came in a game against Eastern Kentucky, but a great play nonetheless. LSU will need that same level of production from Drew when it takes on his father's Ole Miss Rebels later in the season.
Uniform of the Week: North Carolina
Carolina Blue is a fantastic color, but pairing it with navy piping and and a navy cap takes it to another level. Those colors play so well together. I wish UNC's other sports would incorporate more navy into their uniforms because it just looks clean. The Carolina Blue/navy combo takes home the Uniform of the Week.
College Baseball Moment of the Week: Illinois Bat Dog
Advertisement
Simply a very good boy. Not much else I need to add.