There are freshmen who survive their first big road start, and there are freshmen who take it over. On Saturday, everyone in the ballpark found out which kind they were watching.

Seven innings, three hits, no runs — against a lineup that entered the day leading the conference in nearly every offensive category. The fastball had life, but it was the breaking ball, buried at the knees again and again, that did the damage.

"He pitched like he'd done it a hundred times," the head coach said. "That's not something you teach."