Feb. 10, 2005
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ORLANDO - No. 24 UCF (3-0) continues its nine-game homestand to open the 2005 season Friday at Jay Bergman Field when Le Moyne College (0-0) visits Orlando for the first time in school history. The Dolphins of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference play their first three games of the season vs. UCF this weekend.
The series begins Friday with a day-night doubleheader. Game one of the series is set for Friday at 1 p.m. The nightcap Friday starts at 6 p.m. with the series finale slated to begin at noon Saturday.
The Golden Knights moved to 3-0 on the season after Tuesday's 7-1 victory over Bethune-Cookman at Jay Bergman Field. Courtney Propst led the charge with two RBI and two runs scored in the six-run win.
Both of Friday's games will air live on ucfathletics.com, the official athletics website of UCF.
The Century Mark
UCF is in its fifth season in Jay Bergman Field and the Golden Knights have played excellent baseball since the state-of-the-art facility has opened.
UCF is 100-35 (.740) all-time in the ballpark, after last season's 24-7 mark at home.
Best Start since `98
UCF's 3-0 record to begin the season is UCF's best start since the 1998 campaign when the Golden Knights also won three straight out of the gate.
The Golden Knights have not been 4-0 to open a season since 1996, when UCF started the season 7-0.
Inside The Le Moyne Series
UCF and Le Moyne are meeting for the first time ever on the baseball diamond this weekend.
UCF vs. the Empire State
The Golden Knights are 46-8 (.851) all-time vs. schools from the state of New York. UCF will play three New York schools in 2005 (Le Moyne, Columbia, Siena).
UCF vs. New York SchoolsBuffalo 1-1Colgate 1-0Columbia 5-2Cornell 8-1Ithaca 4-1Long Island 2-0Pace 4-0St. John's 2-1Siena 19-2Totals 46-8 (.851)
Scouting the Dolphins
The Dolphins of Le Moyne College play in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC). Le Moyne College, located in Syracuse, N.Y., was founded in 1946, the second youngest of the 28 Jesuit colleges and universities in the U.S and the first to open as a co-educational institution.
The Dolphins return 17 letterwinners from last season's squad that posted a program record for Division I wins and a league mark for wins in a season.
Le Moyne finished 2004 36-21 and lost two games in the Arkansas regional.
In 2005, Le Moyne is scheduled to play 54 contests, 34 on the road and 20 at home. The Dolphins hit the road for the first 20 contests of the season.
The Feb. 11 starting date for the Dolphins is the earliest Le Moyne has ever started a baseball season. The Dolphins did not begin play in 2004 until February 28.
Baseball America predicts Le Moyne to win the MAAC again in 2005. Baseball America named five Dolphins to its preseason MAAC team, including preseason player of the year Andre Enriquez. The junior third baseman, who will double as the team's closer, hit .299 with 14 home runs and 56 RBI in 2004. Enriquez did commit 24 errors at third base last season as well.
The Dolphins are scheduled to start Michael Falasca Friday in the first game of the series. The junior left-hander was 2-2 with a 6.00 ERA in 12 appearances in 2004. Falasca threw 33.0 innings and allowed 39 hits while opponents hit .289 against him. In game two of the series, Le Moyne will hand the ball to Bobby Blevins, the 2004 MAAC Freshman of the Year. Blevins was 6-4 with a 2.93 ERA in 89 innings of work a year ago. Blevins totaled 52 strikeouts and yielded just 78 hits while opponents hit .232 against him.
In the series finale, Le Moyne is scheduled to start Craig Soja. The junior right-hander was 1-2 with a 5.13 in 14 appearances (six starts) in 2004. Soja recorded 20 strikeouts and 32 walks in 2004.
UCF will not face senior right-hander Alan Drechsler this weekend. Drechsler also plays basketball for the Dolphins and will not join the baseball team until basketball season is over. In 2004, Drechsler was one of the team's top pitchers with an impressive 10-1 record and 3.24 ERA. In 72.1 innings, Drechsler allowed just 56 hits and opponents hit just .210 against him.
On the Hill for UCF ...
UCF will send three right-handers to the mound this weekend vs. Le Moyne. In game one of the series, junior Mike Billek (0-0) makes his second start of the season. In the season-opener vs. Florida International, Billek pitched 6.0 innings and totaled five strikeouts and two walks en route to a no-decision. Billek yielded two runs and four hits on the day.
In game two of the series, junior college transfer Ray Rodriguez (0-0) is slated to make his first career start for the Golden Knights. Rodriguez made his UCF debut out of the bullpen vs. FIU, and surrendered two runs on two hits with three walks and a pair of strikeouts.
In the series finale, sophomore Tim Bascom (1-0) takes to the mound. The Dunedin product was sensational in his first career start vs. Florida International. Bascom set career-highs in innings pitched (7.1) and strikeouts (5) as he held FIU scoreless on his way to the win.