ORLANDO – Freshman pitcher Mike Billek tossed 6.0 innings in his first career start to lead UCF to a 4-3 win over Toledo Tuesday at Jay Bergman Field. The Golden Knights improved to 12-5 overall in front of 1,007 fans, the 15th largest crowd in UCF history. Toledo dropped to 2-4 with the loss.
Billek (1-0) was dominant on the mound for UCF, as he allowed just two runs on seven hits with five strikeouts to register his first career win. Fellow freshman Kyle Bono came in to pitch the final 1.2 innings to earn his first career save.
UCF led 4-0 after three innings of play in large part to a two-run double off the bat of Jon Cooper in the second inning. Toledo finally scored two runs in the sixth off Billek to snap UCF’s streak of 28 consecutive scoreless innings.
The Golden Knights looked to take a 6-2 lead in the bottom of the seventh when P.J. Lehmann stroked a two-run single to center field. The hit was taken off the board however as it was ruled that UCF hit out of order. The decision came after an 11-minute delay as the umpires tried to sort out the situation.
With the score still at 4-2, Toledo scored one run in the eighth before Bono came in and slammed the door shut. Bono did not allow a hit in his 1.2 innings of work for the save.
David Mann and Ryan Bear each had two hits for the victors on the night. Toledo’s Taylor Eckel finished 3-for-4 for the Rockets.
UCF will look to extend its winning streak Thursday when Pace visits for a doubleheader, starting at 6 p.m. The two teams will play two, seven-inning contests.
Game Note: Dee Brown went 1-for-4 with a run scored to extend his hitting streak to eight games.
Baseball Holds Off Toledo, 4-3
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