ORLANDO -- UCF rode the arms of both Mark Michael and Lincoln Mincks as both pitched complete games and the Knights made quick work of Troy State. UCF won a pair of games, 7-1 and 6-2 Saturday afternoon at Jay Bergman Field to sweep the series. UCF now stand at 3-0 in the Atlantic Sun Conference.
Michael was the victor in the Knights 7-1 decision. He limited TSU to just four hits, one of which was a solo homerun to lead of the top of the second. This would be the Trojans only hint of offense as Michael slammed the door shut, only allowing one man past first the rest of the game.
The Knights, who scored in four separate innings, did most of their damage in the third. They started the inning with a double and two singles. With one run already home, one out and two men on Clay Timpner cleared the bases with a triple into the right field corner, putting the Knights up 4-1.
Mark Michael did not allow a hit after the fourth inning and ran his record to 2-2 on the year when Adam Miller and Mike Myers combined for beautiful play to end the game. The ball was hit up the middle to Miller’s right, who made a nice back hand play but would have had a hard time getting the runner. In stead of stopping, turning and firing he flipped the ball to Myers who was crossing his path. Myers gunned the ball to first to make the final out of game one.
Mincks stepped to the mound and would not be out done as he threw a complete game giving up two runs, both earned on four hits with three punch-outs. Troy scored both its runs in the second inning, taking a 2-0 lead. The runs came on two hits and were helped by a UCF wild pitch and throwing error. Mincks would settle down after that and throw one hit ball the rest of the way. The Trojans were not able to advance a runner past second base the rest of the game.
Timpner did not slow down in game two as he went 3-for-3 with a single, double and triple, while scoring every time he reached base a knocking in two runs in the Knights half of the third. UCF struck for one in the second and took the lead for good in the third with a four run out-burst. Timpner gave the Knights a 3-2 lead when he doubled in Myers and David Mann who had reached on a walk and a single respectively. Frost would score on a wild pitch a few pitches later and the final run of the inning was brought home on a Ty Hanson double. UCF scored its final run in the fifth when Rich Wallace singled in Timpner, who had previously tripled.
UCF go over the .500 mark for the first time since opening day with its two wins on Saturday and now stand at 13-11 overall and 3-0 in A-Sun play. The Knights will take the field again on Tuesday, March 19 when they take on Bethune Cookman College. The Knights will be looking for a little revenge as they are 0-2 vs. BCC and were shutout in their last meeting. Game time is slated for 7:00 p.m.
