UConn starter Matt Barnes proved to be one of the most dominant pitchers in college baseball throughout 2011, winning 11 games and flirting with a sub-1.00 ERA all season long.
The junior was so impressive that he actually drew some comparisons to Tigers ace Justin Verlander. When he was still available when the Red Sox' first pick of the 2011 MLB draft came around at No. 19, the front office jumped at the opportunity to add the lanky right-hander to their system.
But the NCAA tournament has proven to be a different story for Barnes, who dropped his second straight postseason start Saturday, a 5-1 loss in Game 1 of UConn's super regional battle with South Carolina.
After striking out the side in the first, Barnes struggled over the next 3 1/3 innings. He allowed five runs on eight hits to the No. 4 Gamecocks before getting pulled in the bottom of the fifth.
Despite the lackluster effort, Red Sox Nation got a small taste of the talent that turned Barnes into Boston's first pick of the 2011 MLB First-Year Player Draft. The righty struck out six batters in his 4 1/3 innings of work, featuring an 89-94 mph fastball with movement and a curveball that baffled hitters. He also sported a changeup that, while inconsistent, showed some promise.
UConn and South Carolina will play Game 2 of their best-of-three series at 7 p.m. on Sunday. Game 3, if necessary, would be Monday at either 4 p.m. or 7 p.m.
