King of the hill: Jackson Flora leads UCSB into Austin Regional

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) - UCSB enters the Austin Regional armed and dangerous led by star pitcher Jackson Flora.

The Gauchos ace is 11-0 on the season with a nation-best 1.05 earned run average.

"I'm a way better coach when he pitches," laughed UCSB head coach Andrew Checketts.

Flora leads a staff that ranks among the top ten in the country in ERA, hits allowed per nine innings and WHIP.

The Gauchos face Tarleton State on Friday, 3 p.m. Pacific Time and are expected to start Calvin Proskey instead of Flora on Friday. Flora would then pitch on Saturday in this double-elimination tournament against either Holy Cross or host Texas.

Flora has pitched 94.1 innings striking out 124 batters who are hitting just .161 against him on the season.

Jackson Flora is projected by many to be the first pitcher taken this summer in the Major League Baseball Draft.

"Not trying to worry about all that stuff just being present, play for my team trying to help them win one pitch at a time," said Flora.