Through 30 games this is about the time in a college baseball season where some analysis can be done regarding what’s going right and what’s going wrong with a particular team.
For UCF, the diagnosis for its ailments is not very difficult to peg. But a solution could be on the horizon, at least in one particular area.
In UCF’s win against Memphis on Sunday, junior right-hander Juan Pimentel answered questions about who could possibly be UCF’s Sunday starter, with Cre Finfrock and Robby Howell doing exceptionally well in the Friday and Saturday roles.
Pimentel tossed 8.1 innings of one-run ball, giving up five hits while striking out eight. And he did not walk a single batter, throwing 113 pitches before being relieved by Trent Thompson in the ninth, sealing the victory for the Knights.
This season Pimentel has showcased a decent curveball, a consistent delivery and a propensity to throw an abundance of strikes. But up until his start on Sunday, he was surrendering slews of hits due to throwing too many strikes in hittable areas of the zone.
Pimentel’s numbers on the season still are not wonderful (2-4, 5.08 ERA) and he has given up well more than a hit per inning this season (49 hits in 39 innings pitched).
But in a big rubber game in the first conference series of the season, and in particular on the road, where the Knights have struggled (3-8 away record), this was a performance UCF needed not just in the short term, but in the long run in order to attempt to set up roles for future series and try to establish a rotation for consistency in the pitching staff.
UCF has had incredible contributions from co-aces junior Robby Howell (6-0, 1.08 ERA) and sophomore Cre Finfrock (2-2, 2.83 ERA), but the rest of its staff has been nothing short of abysmal.
UCF’s team ERA sits at 4.60 in 264.1 total innings pitched on the season, including Howell and Finfrock. The duo at the top of the Knights staff have only surrendered a combined 21 earned runs in 97.2 innings pitched, good for an ERA of 1.94.
When you take those two away, that number skyrockets to a staggering 6.17 ERA in 166 2/3 innings for the rest of the UCF pitching staff.
UCF’s three leaders in appearances have three of the highest ERAs on the team. Redshirt senior Harrison Hukari has 17 appearances on the year, which is tied for first in the entire NCAA and has a 6.23 ERA to go along with it.
Hukari has given up a total of 46 baserunners this season in just 21.2 innings pitched. That is good for a 2.16 WHIP (walks and hits divided by innings pitched), which essentially means he is allowing at least two baserunners to reach base at the minimum every inning he pitches.
Left-handers Drew Faintich (13 appearances) and Campbell Scholl (16 appearances) have a combined 29 appearances with a combined 10.55 ERA in 16.2 innings pitched.
Entering Sunday’s start, Pimentel had surrendered 45 hits in just 30 2/3 innings pitched with only eight walks on the year.
The good news for the Knights is its starter situation could be developing some consistency and reliance on certain arms to suit certain roles with Pimentel’s Sunday gem. The bullpen has not gotten a ton of action the last three games, a good sign for the team.
The bad news is the need for quality arms at the back end of the staff in crucial late-game situations, particularly on the road and in mid-week games, is of paramount concern.
Only time will tell if UCF’s young team and young pitching staff can improve in time for the postseason, but for now, Pimentel’s performance against Memphis is only a silver lining.
