DAYTONA BEACH - UCF third baseman Rich Wallace drilled two doubles and drove in three runs to lead the Golden Knights past Bethune-Cookman 10-0 Tuesday night in Daytona Beach. UCF totaled season-highs in runs (10), hits (15) and doubles (7) to improve to 3-3 overall while B-CC dropped to 0-8.
Lincoln Mincks (2-0) pitched 5.1 innings for the Golden Knights to earn the win. Mincks allowed no runs on six hits with six strikeouts. In two starts this season vs. the Wildcats, Mincks recorded 16 strikeouts in 11.1 innings.
In two games this season vs. B-CC, the UCF pitching staff has not allowed a run while totaling 23 strikeouts.
The Golden Knights jumped all over Bethune-Cookman starter Michael Turchon in the first inning. Turchon walked the bases loaded before Wallace brought home all three runners with a bases clearing double down the left field line to give UCF a 3-0 advantage.
UCF added to its lead in the second as David Mann scored on a passed ball to make the score 4-0. Mann started things with a two-out single up the middle and advanced to third base on a wild pitch before scoring on the passed ball.
UCF scored three more times in the top of the fourth to extend the lead to 7-0. Taylor Cobb led off the inning with his first career home run to left-center field. Later in the inning, Matt Fox doubled to right field scoring Ryan Bear and Mann delivered a sacrifice fly to center field scoring Fox.
The Golden Knights added two more runs in the seventh inning and one in the eighth to close out the scoring at 10-0.
Mann led an efficient attack for the victors by finishing the game 2-for-3 with two runs and two RBI. Dee Brown and Fox also ended the night with two hits apiece for UCF.
UCF returns to the diamond this weekend with a three-game series with East Carolina. The three-game set starts Friday at 6 p.m. at Jay Bergman Field.
Game Notes: Bethune-Cookman head coach Mervyl Melendez was ejected from the game prior to the start of the bottom of the sixth inning … UCF has hit one home run in each of the last three games.
