TAMPA, Fla. — The University of Tampa baseball program is coming off a ninth Division-II National Championship season in 2024.
“All year, it's championship or bust around here,” head coach Joe Urso said. “That’s what we signed up for and we are very happy with that.”
“We’re here to win championships,” starting pitcher Skyler Gonzalez added. “This club has a lot of history. A lot of national titles, a great head coach.”
Urso was busy this offseason assembling a squad to compete for a tenth title this season.
“We lost our Friday night guy in (pitcher) Alex Canney. We lost all the bullpen arms that were key for us, E.J. Cumbo, the all-time hit leader, J.P. Gates was really hot at the end of the year,” Urso said.
The Spartans have to replace plenty of production, but they do have one of their better recruiting classes that includes University of North Carolina transfer first baseman Alberto Osuna.
“I was contacted by Coach Urso, and he let me know I do have eligibility left, and I figured getting a Master’s and playing for a national championship is the best thing for me,” Osuna said. “I took it and have been nothing but grateful for the opportunity.”
Osuna will bring some serious pop to this Spartans line-up. In his three previous seasons with the Tar Heels, he hit 45 home runs, which ranked fifth in UNC’s program history.
“He’s a A+ character kid, hard worker, he was a DH over there and we’re trying to work him into first base over here,” Urso said. "He’s had to work hard on his defensive skills. All his life hitting has come easy to him. He hits with power to all fields. He’s going to be fun to watch.”
UTampa will open the season Friday night against Georgia College.
Brides, families fighting for refunds after event venue closes suddenly
“We’ve struggled so hard to scrape the money to be able to do this for her,” Irizarry said. “She’s my only girl and I wanted this so much for her.”
Couples and families who had weddings and events planned at a well-known venue that abruptly closed claim they’re out thousands of dollars and aren’t being given refunds. Annette Irizarry was supposed to hold her 15-year-old daughter’s quinceañera in August at the Clearwater location and said she’s now out the $6,160 she paid. Without that money, Irizarry said she can’t afford to have her daughter’s celebration somewhere else.
