ORLANDO - UCF (31-23, 14-14) sent 12 batters to the plate in the first inning and scored eight runs on nine hits to propel the Golden Knights to a 12-6 win over Jacksonville (26-27, 15-16) Friday evening at Jay Bergman Field. The Golden Knights registered a school record nine hits in first inning and totaled 19 for the game in the six-run win over the Dolphins.
With the win, UCF needs to sweep Jacksonville tomorrow and have Campbell win just one game at Troy State to secure a spot in the Atlantic Sun Tournament. UCF could also still qualify for the A-Sun Tournament with one win Saturday depending on the outcome of several series in the conference.
JU started the game by loading the bases after UCF starting pitcher Taylor Cobb walked the first three batters of the game. Von David Stertzbach relieved Cobb and got out of the inning allowing just three runs, with two coming on a two-out single up the middle off the bat of Orlando Diaz.
Trailing 3-0, UCF stormed back with its biggest first inning of the season. UCF started the frame with three straight singles before Dave Lambert drilled a two-run double to cut the lead to 3-2. Dee Brown and Drew Butera followed with RBI-singles to give UCF the lead at 4-3. The Golden Knights pounded out three more hits in the inning and scored four more runs to take command of the game at 8-3. David Mann (3-for-5, three runs scored) collected two hits in the inning and a RBI.
UCF added a run in the second before both teams each scored a pair of runs in the third. Stertzbach (4-5) was in control from that point on, as he limited the Dolphins to one run over the final six innings of the contest. The senior right-hander fanned eight batters in 8.0 innings of work to earn the win.
Nathan Kragt established a new career-high by finishing 4-for-4 while P.J. Lehmann (3-for-5), Dee Brown (3-for-5), Clay Timpner (2-for-5) and Ryan Bear (2-for-5) recorded multi-hit games for the victors.
The Golden Knights hammered JU starter Dennis Robinson (4-7), totaling eight runs on nine hits in one inning of work.
UCF closes out the regular season Saturday at 1 p.m. with a doubleheader vs. the Dolphins. Mark Michael will start game one for the Golden Knights while Matt Fox will get the nod in the series finale. Both games will be carried live on the UCF ISP Sports Network (740 AM The Team).