After losing 12 players, nearly half of their roster from the fall season, USF St. Petersburg’s baseball club has set their goal for the 2015 season # championship or bust.
While gearing up for year two of the program, player and coach, Jeremy Berger asked each of his teammates to submit a list of their individual goals for the upcoming season. Nearly all of them wrote down “To win a national championship.”
Berger wants his team to become more consistent in batting, and he will rely on players to play multiple positions throughout the season in order to achieve the shared goal.
“We’re not asking the guys to be perfect on the field,” Berger said. “We’re asking them to give a perfect effort in every practice, every game.”
Having to cope with the loss of players, the team’s pitching rotation will be downsized to three players, starting off with senior ace, Jason Smith. Smith, who is 8-1 all time, will be followed by Zack Mellin and Jody Odom Jr.
Berger said aside from the pitchers, he expects third baseman Blake Bostic to have a breakout year in his second season with the team after transferring from Jacksonville University.
Junior Jordan Rubin will be welcomed back as the starting catcher after sitting out last season with a torn ACL. Rubin, 21, is considered to be one of the more vocal members on the team.
In light of their journey, however, the club was told the school would no longer fund their traveling expenses after their annual budget was cut nearly 75 percent, from $16,000 to $4,200. The club was also forced to relocate from Al Lang Stadium midseason in 2014 after Tampa Bay Rowdies owner Bill Edwards purchased the stadium.
“How you react to adversity is how you are defined,” Berger said. “We’ve had to overcome a ton of adversity; whether it’s the whole financial aspect with the school; whether it’s guys quitting, getting hurt or guys transferring. So the guys that are here are here to stay.”
The Bulls will play in 12 conference games during their 26-game schedule. If they can win the District IV-South Conference, they will be qualified for the district playoffs. If they win their district championship, they will qualify for the National Club Baseball Association (Division II) World Series, where eight teams will compete in a tournament format.
Prior to the home-opening doubleheader on Feb. 7 against FSU, the Bulls will hold a charity event at The Tavern at Bayboro.
The team will have giveaways and The Tavern will offer discounted drink and food specials. All proceeds raised will be donated to Voices of Hope for Aphasia. Aphasia is a condition caused by strokes or brain injuries, which impair a person’s speech, writing or reading.
Berger and his team believe it is necessary to hold fundraisers and charities for organizations throughout the season, because it shows the city they are trying to do something “bigger than baseball.”
“We just want to leave something here before we graduate,” Berger said. “This is going to be something close to my heart forever.”
