TAMPA, Fla. – Pitcher Tobin Moran is still brushing off some early-season struggles on his new team.

Tampa Spartans’ newest right-hander has a 3-0 record on the nationally No. 1-ranked side, but is not completely satisfied with his performances.

“I kind of hit a struggling point at the start of the season,” said the former Sante Fe Junior College hurler, last week after practice. “But I’ve been slowly starting to get it back.”

Moran, who has five appearances including three starts, holds a 5.03 earned-run average, allowing 29 hits, 11 runs and three walks with 13 strikeouts.  

“If I can get a little velo(city) jump and a couple miles per hour on my fastball, that’d help,” Moran said, acknowleding he isn’t the hardest throwing guy on the field but does have “a variety of pitches.”  

He transferred from Juco after pitching 86 innings with a 2.51 ERA and 76 strikeouts last year. Moran was named to the NJCAA All-Region eight first team and was given the Mid-Florida Conference Pitcher of the Year award.

“(I) got the opportunity to get a scholarship here to Tampa,” Moran said. He signed with the Spartans in the spring of 2023.

Confidence is a strong part of his game and, knowing how good of a season he had previously.

“I knew I was coming in here as probably one of the top starters,” he said.  

Tampa has come out blazing to start the season with a 17-1 record at the time of the interview (now 20-1), Moran’s high expectations fall nothing shorter than a championship ring.