CHARLESTON, S.C. – UCF (27-20) sent 12 batters to the plate in the ninth inning and scored six runs on five hits to win a thrilling 7-5 contest over Charleston Southern (16-29) Tuesday in Charleston, S.C. UCF had trailed 5-1 entering the ninth inning before pulling off the critical come-from-behind win to snap a two-game losing streak.
Taylor Cobb (4-2) pitched a scoreless eighth inning while Kyle Bono earned his second save of the season by striking out the side in the ninth.
The six runs and five hits tied two school records for runs and hits in a ninth inning for the Golden Knights.
The victory marked the second time this season that UCF rallied from a four-run deficit in the ninth inning to win a game.
UCF scored first with one run in the first inning. Freshman designated hitter Dave Lambert drove in a run with a sacrifice fly, giving the Golden Knights a 1-0 lead. The earned run off Charleston Southern starter R.J. Swindle snapped a streak of 33 consecutive innings without allowing an earned run for the CSU ace.
In the CSU second, the Bucs evened the contest at one with a RBI-single off the bat of William Dalton.
The Buccaneers took the lead in the fourth via the long ball. Jeff Kolhagen drilled a solo home run to left field and Scott Thacker hit a towering two-run homer down the left field line to increase the CSU lead to 4-1. The two home runs also forced UCF starting pitcher Lincoln Mincks from the contest as he yielded four runs on seven hits in 3.0 innings of work.
Jordan Haar hit the Bucs’ third homer of the game to lead off the Charleston Southern seventh to extend the lead to 5-1
The Golden Knights made a remarkable comeback in the ninth with five runs on five hits. After P.J. Lehmann started the inning by reaching base on an error, pinch hitter Brian Steenson walked to put the first two runners on base. After a passed ball advanced the two into scoring position, Clay Timpner singled through the ride side to plate Lehmann, cutting the lead to 5-2. Ryan Bono kept the rally alive with a single to center, scoring Steenson and slicing the CSU advantage to 5-3. Ryan Bear followed with UCF’s third straight RBI-single to score Timpner and bring UCF to within one at 5-4. Pinch hitter Bryan Granino came up next and executed a perfect sacrifice bunt, advancing the runners to second and third base with only one out.
The ninth inning magic continued as David Mann singled down the left field line to tie the contest at five. The RBI-single spree continued in the next at-bat as Drew Butera laced a single into right field scoring Bear to pull UCF ahead 6-5. Steenson added a bases loaded walk to force in another run to pad the lead to 7-5.
UCF returns to action Saturday, May 3 at Troy State. The two teams will start the series with two, seven-inning games starting at 5 p.m. EST. The three-game series finishes Sunday, May 4 at 2 p.m. EST in Troy Ala.
Schedule Note: The doubleheader starting the Troy State series was originally scheduled for Sunday, but was moved to Saturday after both coaches agreed on the change.