ORLANDO — Senior Mike Myers helped UCF make it three in a row with an 8-5 and a 6-1 victory in its double dip with Siena College at Jay Bergman Field on Saturday afternoon. The Knights improve to 8-10 overall and 7-1 at home this season. Myers brought back memories of last year, going 4-7 with four runs scored, two RBI’s and three stolen bases on the day. He also contributed defensively at short in game one and center in game two.
The Knights posted eight runs on eleven hits in game one. Both teams scored in the first, with the Knights taking the early 2-1 lead. Both teams would score again in the third with Siena crossing the plate twice to UCF’s one run. With the game tied at three Siena took a one run lead in the fifth with a solo home run to left field by Jim Buckley. UCF would open things up in the bottom of the fifth with a two out rally that plated four runs and drove the starter out of the game.
Siena tacked on one more run in the ninth to make it an 8-5 final in favor of the home team. Things got scary in the last inning for the Knights when Siena would load the bases after already striking for one. Mark Whidden came in to replace Jason Graham, who contributed a solid 2.2 innings of work before getting into trouble. It was no light task for Whidden as he would face Siena’s 2001 Conference (MAAC) Player of the Year in Ryan Flinn. UCF pitching kept the Siena star hitless on the day with Whidden Striking him out looking on a 2-2 pitch to end the game.
Burt Clark threw the first pitch of game two approximately 45 minutes after the conclusion of game one. Clark gave the Knights a gutsy performance going seven innings, while only giving up one run and fanning four. Both teams were held scoreless until the fourth inning when UCF put three on the board.
The Inning started with a Dee Brown double to left field that hit two feet from the top of the wall. Brown would eventually come home, scoring the games first run on a beautifully placed bunt by Wayne Summers, which was good enough to earn him a single. George Cox would be the last UCF batter the Siena starter would see as he was removed from the game after Cox laced a single through the left side of the infield. The Inning ended four pitches later on a ground ball to short, but the damage was done.
UCF put one on the board in the fifth when Clay Timpner singled in his ninth RBI of the season with a shot between the third baseman and the short stop. UCF scored their last two runs of the day in the sixth when Myers singled up the middle knocking in Jeremy Frost and Matt Fox.
Also having a good day for the Knights was Rich Wallace, who played first base in game one and two, while going 2-4 with 2 RBI’s and a run scored on the day. Brown had a good day at the plate, going 2-4 with two runs scored, one RBI and two walks.
UCF will finish up its weekend play on Sunday, March 10 when they take on the Temple Owls at Jay Bergman Field. Game time is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. The Knights will be throwing right hander Brad Busbin for the first time this year as a starter.
