ORLANDO – UCF shortstop Matt Fox finished 2-for-4 with a home run to lead No. 26 UCF past Western Kentucky 6-5 Saturday at Jay Bergman Field. The Golden Knights erased a 4-0 lead by Western Kentucky to come from behind for the win. With the victory, UCF improved to 2-2 overall while the Hilltoppers dropped to 1-1.
Western Kentucky came out strong for the second straight day as the Hilltoppers scored all four of their runs in the first inning. After three straight singles, Tim Grogan launched a grand slam to right field to give WKU a 4-0 advantage.
UCF began to chip away at the lead in the home half of the first inning as Dee Brown drove in his second run in two games with a sacrifice fly, scoring David Mann.
In the second, freshman catcher Ryan Bono skied a double to left field to score Ryan Bear and cut the lead to 4-2.
The Golden Knights tied the game at four in the third inning with a pair of runs. Freshman Dave Lambert, who made his first career start Saturday, stroked a two-run single with two outs to score Brown and Clay Timpner.
UCF took the lead for good at 5-4 in the fourth as P.J. Lehmann delivered a RBI-groundout to score Bono.
The Golden Knights added to their lead in the sixth when Fox launched his first home run of the season to left field. The home run was the first by a UCF player this season.
The Hilltoppers added one run in the eighth, but they would not get any closer as Mike Billek nailed down his first collegiate save for the Golden Knights.
WKU did threaten in the ninth with two singles, but Matt Johnston was gunned down by Timpner to end the game as he tried to advance to third base.
UCF starter Mark Michael (1-0) pitched effectively after allowing the first inning runs. Michael lasted 6.2 innings while allowing six hits, four runs and three strikeouts.
WKU starter Andy Baldwin pitched just 3.1 innings as he surrendered five runs on seven hits.
UCF totaled nine hits as a team including a 2-for-5 effort by Lehmann. The Miami native also drove in a run and scored a run for the victors. Mann also tallied two hits and two stolen bases for UCF.
The two teams will play the rubber game of the three-game series Sunday at noon. UCF will send sophomore Taylor Cobb to the mound while WKU is scheduled to counter with Kenny Hughes.
No. 26 Baseball Tops Western Kentucky, 6-5
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