ORLANDO – Western Kentucky used a three-run first inning to propel the Hilltoppers to a 4-2 victory over No. 26 UCF 4-2 Friday evening at Jay Bergman Field in Orlando. The Golden Knights out hit the Hilltoppers 6-5 but left a season-high nine runners on base. With the win, the Hilltoppers improved to 1-0 while the Golden Knights dropped to 1-2.
J.C. Faircloth (1-0) pitched a gem for the Hilltoppers as he tossed 5.0 innings and allowed one run on four hits with three strikeouts.
The Hilltoppers jumped on UCF starter Von David Stertzbach (0-1) in the first inning for three hits and three runs to take a 3-0 lead. After Matt Johnston lined out to start the game, Matt Gunning singled through the right side and Antone Towns collected an infield single under the glove of Stertzbach. After a strikeout, Tim Grogan walked to load the bases. Stertzbach hit David Lower to force in the game’s first run and Kevin Bearden sliced a two-run single to right to give WKU a 3-0 lead.
The Golden Knights got one run back in the home half of the first when Dee Brown drove in David Mann on a sacrifice fly to cut the deficit to 3-1.
Both teams failed to score until the sixth inning when both teams tallied a run. In the Western Kentucky sixth, Brent Miller drove in a run on a sacrifice fly to give the Hilltoppers a 4-1 lead.
UCF got another run back in the bottom of the inning when P.J.Lehmann delivered a RBI-groundout to score Clay Timpner and cut the WKU lead to 4-2.
The Golden Knights failed to get any closer, as WKU’s Matt Wilhite pitched the final 4.0 innings of the game for his first save of the year.
Stertzbach threw 91 pitches in 6.0 innings of work for UCF. Stertzbach surrendered four runs, all earned, on five hits with five strikeouts. UCF freshman reliever Rob Braleski pitched a perfect 3.0 innings of relief for the Golden Knights with three strikeouts in his first collegiate appearance.
The three-game series continues Saturday at 1 p.m. Mark Michael takes the hill for the Golden Knights while Andy Baldwin gets the start for Western Kentucky.
Western Kentucky Slips Past No. 26 Baseball, 4-2
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