Barco pitched 6.0 shutout, one-hit innings with a career-high 11 strikeouts en route to earning the win on opening night against Liberty.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – University of Florida left-handed pitcher Hunter Barco<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_roster.aspx-3Frp-5Fid-3D15091&d=DwIF-g&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=KUNv6xCJk5MVov2WfM2ByozXrkhMmumb9eIZ5i7FmQA0BKRNFzp6MldK-LQIcX1K&s=5_j7Z-nRLEw1cUVYg__47jIZnz_l_xEOLJx8eIvaMKU&e= > was honored as the SEC Pitcher of the Week on Monday afternoon in addition to being named one of Collegiate Baseball’s National Players of the Week.
Coming into the season as a unanimous preseason All-American, Barco collects the first SEC Pitcher of the Week honor of his career following today’s announcement.
Making his first-career Friday night start on opening day against Liberty, Barco took a perfect game into the sixth inning en route to earning the victory for the Orange & Blue. After retiring the first-16 batters of the game in order, the third-year southpaw worked around a pair of sixth-inning baserunners to finish with 6.0 shutout innings pitched on one hit and one walk while striking out a career-high 11 batters.
Barco’s 11 strikeouts were the most by a Florida pitcher on opening day since at least 1999.
A Jacksonville, Fla. native, Barco is coming off a 2021 campaign in which he was named to the Newcomer All-SEC Team and Southeast-ABCA/Rawlings All-Region Second Team. Pacing the Gators with 10 wins in a team-high 16 starts, Barco finished the year with a 4.01 ERA, .239 batting average against and 94 strikeouts in 83 innings pitched. The second-year performance came on the heels of a standout freshman season in which Barco went 2-0 with a 1.40 ERA and 26 strikeouts across 19.1 frames.
Following Friday night’s start, Barco now owns a career 13-3 record with a 3.32 ERA, .218 BAA and 131 strikeouts in 108.1 innings pitched – translating to 10.9 strikeouts per nine innings.
Barco is currently positioned as the No. 53-ranked prospect for the 2022 MLB Draft by MLB Pipeline.
Florida is off on Monday before traveling to Stetson for a Tuesday midweek tilt at 6:30 p.m. The Gators then return home on Wednesday, hosting North Florida at 7 p.m. at Florida Ballpark.
