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Bulls, Huskies shake off rainy day blues

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By BRETT McMURPHY | The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 22, 2009

CLEARWATER - With the University of South Florida and UConn in the midst of a five-hour, 15-minute rain delay, the Bulls and Huskies did what any group of college kids would do to pass the time – they started dancing.

As a steady rain fell down on Bright House Field, players from both teams emerged from their dugouts at about 8:30 p.m. and held an impromptu 30-minute dance off.

"That was pretty neat," USF coach Lelo Prado said. "I hope both teams play that good on the field [today]. If so, it will be a helluva ball game."

For the third consecutive day, rain disrupted the Big East Tournament. USF and UConn were originally scheduled to play Wednesday at 8 p.m., but it was postponed until Thursday at 3:45 p.m. After more than five hours, the game was postponed until today at 10 a.m.

"You want the guys ready, but you don't know when you're going to play," Prado said. "They're ready and then they have to sit down and wait some more.

"Having to wait is tough mentally. We can't let it drain us, but both teams are in the same situation."

UConn outfielder George Springer and USF pitchers Shawn Sanford and Andrew Salgueiro were the stars of the dance contest that concluded with both teams running and sliding headfirst across the soaked infield tarp and then exchanging handshakes and hugs.

"I've seen it before, we have a few guys with a little bit of rhythm," UConn coach Jim Penders said. "You have to let the kids go a little bit. I enjoyed it. I was laughing my tail off."

The only games that were not casualties of Thursday's rain storms were No. 1 seed Louisville's 12-2 victory against No. 5 Notre Dame and No. 3 West Virginia eliminating No. 7 Pittsburgh 20-8.

The constant rain delays have played havoc with the tournament schedule and Saturday's final has already been pushed back to Sunday, said Mia Brickhouse, the Big East's director of sports administration. Plans are to play three games today, complete semifinal play on Saturday and then hold the championship on Sunday at a time to be determined.

The delays have been especially frustrating for the Huskies.

"Today was such a long day," Penders said. "We're happy the drought is over in Florida, but we've been here since Sunday and have played only one game.

"We were ready. I told our team we've got to play well and be able to adjust [to the schedule]. We've got to be ready when the bell rings."

Led by Springer, the Big East's rookie of the year, the Huskies were the first ones out of the gates, so to speak, in the dance off.

Both teams stood outside their dugouts and took turns in showcasing a variety of moves.

"I didn't know they were that good," Prado said. "We might have to start our own dance team. We'll have some more good dances ready for [Friday] if there are any more rain delays."

Sanford, who has a secondary black belt in Tae Kwon Do, was slated to start on the mound for USF Thursday afternoon against UConn, but by Thursday night he was displaying spin moves to Michael Jackson's "Thriller" - "that's the one I pick up all the ladies with," he said - and doing the splits.

"I was supposed to pitch so I didn't want to go crazy at first," said Sanford, who will start Friday against the Huskies. "But when we found out the game was postponed, all heck broke loose. Connecticut put up a good fight, that made it interesting, but we won."

The Huskies probably have a different opinion who won the dance off, but second-seeded USF and sixth-seeded UConn can settle it on the baseball field today at 10 a.m.

That is, if it ever stops raining, men.

Big East Tournament

Tuesday's results
Notre Dame 14, St. John's 5
Louisville 12, Cincinnati 2
UConn 6, West Virginia 1

Wednesday's results
USF 12, Pittsburgh 2
St. John's 12, Cincinnati 2 (Cincinnati eliminated)

Thursday's results
Louisville 12, Notre Dame 2
West Virginia 20, Pittsburgh 8 (Pittsburgh eliminated)

Today's schedule
Game 8: 10 a.m. - UConn vs. USF
Game 9: 1 p.m. - St. John's vs. Notre Dame (loser eliminated)
Game 10: 5 p.m. - West Virginia vs. Game 8 loser (loser eliminated)

Saturday's schedule
Game 11: 10 a.m. - Louisville vs. Winner Game 9
Game 12: 1 p.m. - Winners Games 8 and 10 (ESPNU)
Game 13: 5 p.m. - Rematch of Game 11, if necessary
Game 14: 5/8 p.m. - Rematch of Game 12, if necessary

Sunday's schedule
Championship TBA

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