Before University of South Florida pitcher Randy Fontanez took the mound for Friday’s critical baseball game against Notre Dame, Coach Lelo Prado offered some heartfelt words of encouragement.

“Randy, I’ll see you in the ninth,” Prado said. “I can get any mule to pitch six. Pitch nine, you get a scholarship.”

Welcome to the unique world of the baseball dugout, a rectangular tangle of players and managers, emotions and egos, superstitions and strategies, pranks and psychological ploys.

“It’s like our little office,” USF senior Joey Angelberger said. “It’s almost like a dorm room at times.”

On Friday, with USF fighting for a berth in the Big East Tournament that begins today in Clearwater, the Bulls dugout contained 35 players, four coaches, a team chaplain, a trainer, two blue coolers labeled SMAAASHH and CRUSHHH and five bags of sunflower seeds.

Plus one sports writer.

For an inside look at what goes on in the Bulls’ dugout during a game, here’s the link to my story. This is the full version. An abbreviated version can be found in Tuesday’s Tampa Tribune.

I’ll warn you, it is a little lengthy – but what do you expect? The game lasted 16 innings.

Three Bulls honored: Senior 1B Joey Angelberger and freshman OF Ryan Lockwood were named first-team All-Big East selections, while junior SS Addison Maruszak was named All-Big East second-team.

Angelberger, of Dunedin, hit .329 and has hit home runs in four consecutive games. Despite owning the nation’s longest hitting streak at 30 games, Lockwood, of Jesuit, did not earn the league’s Rookie of the Year honor. It went to West Virginia’s Jedd Gyorko.

Around the Big East: USF coach Jim Leavitt will speak before the Pinellas Park Kiwanis Club luncheon at Park Station, 5890 Park Blvd, on Thursday. For information, call (727) 409-0535. … Leavitt also will speak at a youth football coaches clinic for individuals that coach ages 6-14 at the USF Embassy Suites on Fowler Ave. Other coaches scheduled to speak include USF DE coach Kevin Patrick and strength coach Ronnie McKeefery and Webber International offensive coordinator and former USF QB Chad Barnhardt. Cost is $50. For information, call (813) 918-3123. … Louisville senior RB George Stripling was dismissed from the team for a violation of team rules, the Courier-Journal reported. … West Virginia coach Bob Huggins recently landed the nation’s top unsigned player, 6-8 F Devin Ebanks, Jeff Goodman of FoxSports.com reported. Ebanks, ranked the nation’s No. 13 player by Scout.com, originally signed with Indiana but was released after Coach Kelvin Sampson left.