TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Hernando Today

Cseh Mate: Catching Up With Former Central High Pitcher

ADVERTISEMENT

By CHRIS BERNHARDT JR.

Hernando Today

Published: May 3, 2008

Randy Cseh has gone through two schools and one major arm surgery since his days playing baseball at Central High.
The 2003 grad is in his final year of eligibility, five years after he left the Bears. He spent two years pitching at Pasco-Hernando Community College before transferring to Florida Southern College.
In between, he endured Tommy John surgery – ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction – on his elbow.
The 6-foot-3, 195-pound right-hander has recovered to pitch the past two years for the Moccasins. He has a 2-0 record through the weekend, with a 3.75 earned run average over 62.1 innings.
"It's been good this year," said Cseh following a recent doubleheader against St. Leo University. "It's been tough. We've lost a lot of close games this year. It's been a battle all year.
"We're still battling. We still believe we're in it. We'll try to win out. I think if we do that we'll definitely be in regionals."

Chasing A Title

In his sophomore season at P-HCC, Cseh led the team in ERA (2.71) going 5-3 and striking out 61 in 69.2 innings. He also shared the team lead in wins while coming in second in strikeouts.
So upon completing his two-year tenure at the community college, what compelled him to move on to Lakeland-based Florida Southern?
How about this: the Mocs have won nine NCAA Division II national championships, and have finished in the national top four 45 times.
"Just the program, the winning tradition," said Cseh, who also considered Florida Gulf Coast University in Naples. "They've had the winningest team in D-II."
Last year Cseh appeared in 18 games, making 15 starts, going 3-3 with a 4.48 ERA and striking out 52 over 64.1 innings.
This season he has worked primarily out of the bullpen, with 15 of his 18 appearances coming in relief. Though more of a long reliever based on his inning total, he has recorded two saves.
"It's a little different," Cseh said. "You get your work in one day and you pretty much get the week off. You've got to get your work in between outings.
"I like it. You never know when your name will be called. It's kind of exciting."
In the classroom, Cseh majors in physical education. If baseball doesn't work out, he said he'd like to try his hand in coaching.
But he has still has work to do on the diamond. The Mocs are 28-21, 15-8 in the Sunshine State Conference, trying to reach the regional level.
In 2007 Florida Southern finished second in both the South Regional and conference. The program's last national title came in 2005.
"It's pretty much crunch time," Cseh said. "We've got to just focus."

BY THE NUMBERS: RANDY CSEH AT FLORIDA SOUTHERN (thru 04-27)
YR           GP           IP            H             R             ER           BB           K             W            L              SV           ERA
2007        18            64.1         66            44            32            35            52            03            03            00            4.48
2008        18            62.1         52            30            26            28            38            02            00            02            3.75
TOTALS36            126.2       118          74            58            63            90            05            03            02            4.12

Sports writer Chris Bernhardt Jr. can be reached at (352) 544-5288 or online at cbernhardt@hernandotoday.com

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT