Spartans In Position At D-II World Series
Published: May 25, 2007
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TAMPA - The hardest thing to do in sports, according to University of Tampa coach Joe Urso, is stay at the top. Win a championship, then earn your way back and do it again.
That's why Urso began this season by forbidding any of his veteran players to discuss last year's national championship. It was an idea he stole from one of his coaching role models, the New England Patriots' Bill Belichick.
But the subject can't be avoided any longer - Urso and the Spartans are back in Montgomery, Ala., this week, trying to win back-to-back Division II World Series titles.
"I just thought that the best thing for us was, 'let's not talk about it. Let's focus on the 2007 team, not back-to-back. Let's focus on 2007 and that's it,'" Urso said before leaving for Montgomery. "Because we want to be remembered for what we accomplished, more than anything.
"They have a chance, if they can do the right things, to get rid of living in the past, the shadow of that 2006 team, and they'll have their own legacy if we can pull this thing off."
There hasn't been a repeat national champion in Division II since Tampa, in 1992 and 1993. Last year's squad went 54-6 and capped the season with a two-out, come-from-behind victory against Cal State-Chico to win the school's fourth baseball national title. It was a historic team by D-II college standards, with six players playing professionally.
That success makes the task of the 2007 team that much harder. Though they enter tonight's game with Cal State-Los Angeles with the No. 1 national ranking and a 49-10 record, the perception is that the Spartans are far behind last year's club talent-wise.
"You can't dwell on the past," said senior outfielder Troy Ferguson, the leadoff hitter in 2006. "It doesn't matter what we did last year, because it's a new year."
The only goal Urso set out to his players in the regular season was winning the Sunshine State Conference title, which UT did easily. That led the way to the Spartans receiving a host bid and No. 1 seed in the South Regional.
Winning that, according to Urso, was the hardest part of the season even if UT falls short in the World Series
"That really just kept us focused," said closer Jonathan Holt, the South Region Tournament Most Outstanding Player. "We did that to put us in a good situation for the regionals, and that happened, so you've got to get the small things out of the way first before you get to your ultimate goal, which is the World Series."
Surprisingly, the first person to break the rule was Urso, between games of the South Region final on Sunday. Always looking for ways to motivate, Urso brought out the national championship trophy in an effort to energize his players.
The move worked, as the Spartans, who had been shut out by rival Florida Southern in the day's first game, won 8-5 in 10 innings to secure a return trip to the World Series.
Now, Urso isn't sure what he will do to motivate his players if another crisis arises.
"It was definitely our ace in the hole," he said. "I mean, we definitely had to pull out every stop after that shutout. You know, now it's up to them. It's up to them to believe that they can get their job done and become another elite University of Tampa team."
AT A GLANCE
WHAT: NCAA Division II Baseball Championship
WHO: The eight D-II regional champions, including the University of Tampa, the South Region and defending national champion.
WHEN/WHERE: Today-June 1; Riverwalk Stadium, Montgomery, Ala.
ROUND 1 SCHEDULE: Bracket One/Today - No. 1 Tampa (49-10) vs. No. 7 Cal State-Los Angeles (43-15-1), 7:30 p.m.; No. 3 Kutztown (49-5) vs. Nebraska-Omaha (36-22), 2 p.m. Bracket Two/Saturday - No. 21 Angelo State (50-18) vs. No. 11 Franklin Pierce (49-9), 2 p.m.; Southern Indiana (41-21) vs. No. 14 Columbus State (48-18), 7:30.
HOST WEB SITE:
www.vstateblazers.com/montgomery
