March 28, 2005
ORLANDO - Sophomore Matt Horwath finished 2-for-4 with a two-run home run and two runs scored, but it was not enough as Jacksonville scored six runs in the seventh to squeeze past No. 18 UCF, 10-9, Monday night at Jay Bergman Field. UCF was 21-1 when leading after six innings of play before the Dolphins erased a 7-4 deficit in the seventh with six runs to avoid the series sweep.
With the win, JU evened its record at 14-14, 4-8 in the A-Sun while UCF dropped to 25-6 overall and 7-2 in league play. The loss snapped UCF's five-game winning streak over the Dolphins.
Jacksonville took an early 2-0 lead in the third before Horwath belted his second homer of the season, a two-run shot to left, to tie the game at two in the third.
Donald Brickle homered down the line in right in the fourth to give JU the lead again at 3-2.
UCF responded with a RBI-double to score Drew Butera, tying the game at three in the fourth.
The Golden Knights tacked on two runs in the fifth on a two-run home run by John-Michael Howell. The home run was Howell's team-leading seventh of the season.
JU got one run back in the sixth on a RBI-single by Sean McHugh, to cut the lead to 5-4.
UCF scored two more runs in the sixth as Matt Ray doubled in a run and Courtney Propst scored on a wild pitch to give the Golden Knights a 7-4 lead.
The seventh inning spelled trouble for the Golden Knights as UCF used three pitchers in the inning. Derek Abriola allowed the first three runners to reach base on two singles and a walk before giving way to Dominic Petracca. Petracca yielded three runs on two hits, including a bases loaded double to Matt Lopez to drive in three runs to give the Dolphins a 9-7 advantage. McHugh added a RBI-triple to close out the big inning to give JU a 10-7 lead.
The Golden Knights scored one unearned run in the seventh as Marshall Bernhard scored on a throwing error by JU third baseman Logan James to slice the deficit to 10-8.
UCF made things interesting in the ninth as Ryan Bono delivered a RBI-single to score Bernhard, but JU closer Hunter Davis got out of the jam for his sixth save of the season.
JU reliever Matt Davis (2-1) got the win with 2.0 innings of relief while Petracca (0-2) was saddled with the loss.
The Golden Knights totaled 11 hits on the night, including two by Horwath, Howell and Bono, but UCF issued seven walks and committed two costly errors in the one-run loss.
UCF returns to action this weekend at A-Sun rival Stetson. The three-game series begins Friday night at 7 p.m. at Melching Field in DeLand. First pitch is set for 7 p.m. All three games of the Stetson series will be broadcast on the UCF ISP Sports Network (740-AM The Team).