ORLANDO – Utah designated hitter John Welsh hit a solo home run in the 10th inning to lift the visiting Utes to a 3-2 victory over UCF in 10 innings Sunday at Jay Bergman Field. The victory was the first of the season for Utah (1-5) while UCF (6-3) saw its four-game winning streak come to an end.
Despite outhitting the Utes 10-5, the Golden Knights stranded 11 runners in the one-run loss. The Golden Knights are 1-2 in 2004 in extra inning games.
The Golden Knights scored first with a single run in the first inning. David Mann started the inning with a walk, stole second and then scored after stealing third as Utah’s catcher threw the ball into left field.
The Golden Knights added another run in the fourth on a sacrifice fly by Drew Butera.
The Utes tied the game at two in the fifth by scoring two runs on no hits. UCF starter Jaime Douglas sailed through the first four innings before running into trouble in the fifth. Douglas issued three walks on the innings and was pulled for reliever Darren Newlin. Newlin hit a batter to force in a run and surrendered a sacrifice fly to tie the game at two.
Douglas pitched a career-best 4.1 innings and totaled a career-high five strikeouts but he also issued five walks on the day.
Newlin was outstanding by tossing 4.1 innings of shutout baseball. The junior yielded just one hit and struck out three in relief.
The Utes finally broke the 2-2 tie in the 10th when Welsh hit a 3-2 pitch out to left field to give the Utes their first lead of the game, 3-2. Welsh hit the home run off Matt Rhodes (1-2), who was saddled with the loss.
Utah reliever Clay Westmoreland (1-1) evened his record on the year with two innings of shutout relief.
The Golden Knights return to action Friday, Feb. 27 vs. Monmouth at 6 p.m. The three-game series at Jay Bergman Field runs through Sunday, Feb. 29.
Utah Avoids Series Sweep With Extra Inning Win
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