TAMPA, Fla. – For most Tampa residents, the trip from Hillsborough Community College to the University of Tampa is a 10-minute drive.
For Jake Griffith, the journey took two years.
The Fort Myers native spent his freshman and sophomore seasons with the Hillsborough Hawks, before committing to the Spartans for his junior year.
“I was a two-year guy over at a community college just down the street. I worked really hard to get here,” the left-fielder said following practice on Wednesday at UT Baseball Field. “It’s definitely a blessing.”
Before joining the Spartans for the 2024 season, Griffith travelled north to Alberta in 2023 to play summer baseball for the Brooks Bombers in the Western Canadian Baseball League.
While with the Bombers, he hit .354 in 26 games, including seven doubles and one home run in 99 at-bats.
“I never thought I’d be playing in Alberta, Canada, but it was honestly one of the best experiences of my life,” Griffith said, “it prepared me for Division II … I met a lot of great coaches there and great players from all over and it was an amazing experience.”
Since arriving at UT in the fall, the 22-year-old has found his stride hitting in the two-hole for the Spartans, appearing in 18 games this season, leading to a 17-1 record.
“Honestly, I really like the two-hole … There’s an old saying, there’s table setters and table cleaners, you gotta know who you are,” the lefty-batter emphasized when speaking on the difference after hitting in the leadoff spot for the majority of his career in junior college.
Through 18 games this year, Griffith has maintained a .328 batting average, with 21 hits and one home run, which came against the University of Central Missouri on Feb. 4, during a series played at Minute Maid Park in Houston.
“It was crazy. I blacked out trotting the bases and all that,” he said, adding that the series in Houston was a once in a lifetime experience.
Despite a strong start to the season for Griffith and the Spartans as a whole, he understands that the work doesn’t stop.
Looking towards the remainder of the season, the Allied Health major will work to continue his trend of getting on base.
“I’d love to keep the average up, just keep that on base percentage up. If I can get those two spots high, everything’s gonna follow, we’re gonna keep winning.”