ORLANDO - Matt Ray was 2-for-2 with three runs scored and a career-high three stolen bases to lead No. 19 UCF to a 12-1 victory over Mercer Friday evening at Jay Bergman Field. The Golden Knights won their 10th consecutive game over Mercer and improved to 38-11 overall and 20-5 in the A-Sun. Mercer dropped to 18-31 overall and 7-18 in the conference.
The Golden Knights put the game out of reach early with 10 runs over the first three innings to take a commanding 10-0 lead. UCF took advantage of a Mercer error in the first to score two unearned runs. Clay Timpner reached base via error, stole second and scored on a sacrifice fly by Ryan Bono to give the Golden Knights a 1-0 lead. Drake Wade followed with a RBI single through the right side to score Matt Ray, giving UCF a 2-0 advantage.
In the second, UCF put four runs on the board including a RBI-double by Jon Cooper and a RBI-single off the bat of Ray.
The Golden Knights added another four runs in the third and single runs in the fourth and fifth to total 12 runs on the night. Mercer avoided the shutout with one run in the eighth and two in the ninth.
The 10-run lead was more than enough for UCF starter Matt Fox. The junior right-hander improved to 11-2 on the season with five shutout innings. Fox allowed just one hit with two strikeouts and threw just 63 pitches on the night.
Drake Wade, Ray and Cooper each had two hits to lead the victors.
UCF closes out its 2004 home schedule with a doubleheader Saturday beginning at 1 p.m. Both games of the twin bill will air live on the UCF ISP Sports Network. The pregame show airs at 12:45 p.m.
Game Notes: Matt Fox moved into a tie for fourth place on UCF's single-season wins list with No. 11 Friday evening ... Fox is tied with Tommy Novak, who won 11 games in 1986 ... Clay Timpner’s three stolen bases move him into fifth place in UCF history with 68 career stolen bases … With two runs in the first inning, UCF has now outscored the opposition 53-20 in the first inning in 2004 … Matt Ray stole a career-high three bases … UCF set a season-high with eight stolen bases … Matt Fox struck two batters to give him 100 for the season, seventh in UCF single-season history … The Golden Knights are 33-2 when they outhit the opposition … David Mann walked for the 108th time in his career which moved him into a tie for seventh place in school history.
No. 19 Baseball Rolls Past Mercer 12-3
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