Pitching coach resigns
USF coach Lelo Prado opened a search Wednesday to replace pitching coach Lazer Collazo, who resigned Tuesday after four seasons with the Bulls.
Collazo’s resignation marks the team’s second coaching change in less than a week, as Prado hired former USF player Chris Heintz on Sunday as the new hitting coach after Bryant Ward took a job last week as hitting coach at Loyola Marymount in California.
Collazo, 46, cited family reasons for his departure, and is expected to move back to Miami, his hometown.
“It’s been 26 years that it’s always been about me. It’s time to dedicate time to my wife and kids,” he said to the St. Petersburg Times on Wednesday.
Under Collazo, the Bulls led the Big East with 207 strikeouts in conference play last season.
The Bulls new pitching coach should have a lot to work with next season if juniors Randy Fontanez and Andrew Barbosa each return for their senior seasons instead of signing pro contracts. Both starters were among the conference leaders in ERA and strikeouts last season.
“He did a good job for us. We wish him and his family the best of luck,” Prado said to the Times. “We have a lot of guys who will miss him. Lazer brought a lot of energy to the team, but it’s over and we have to move on.”
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