San Diego State University pitcher Stephen Strasburg has been lauded as one of college baseball's greatest pitching prospects.
The top selection in this year's baseball draft lost only once during his junior season, and Duluth Huskies catcher Nick McCoy has seen the star hurler's stuff firsthand.
On March 5, McCoy, playing for the University of San Diego, blasted a Strasburg fastball deep to left field for a solo home run, one of only four Strasburg surrendered on the season. McCoy had a hard time believing what had happened.
"I talked to a scout after the game and he said I turned on a 99 mph fastball," McCoy said. "I couldn't believe that I got around on one that fast."
It was McCoy's first home run of the year. He finished the season with six for the Toreros.
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While Strasburg and San Diego State may have gotten the last laugh after the team won 5-3 and the pitcher struck out 18 of his cross-town rivals, including McCoy twice, the San Diego junior didn't leave the game entirely empty-handed.
"That home run will be a great memory for me," McCoy said. "Hopefully he goes on to a great career, wins a bunch of Cy Youngs and I'll be able to tell people I hit a home run off that guy."
MARK WARNER, NEWS TRIBUNE
