March 4, 2005
ORLANDO - Junior Drew Butera was 2-for-4 including his first home run of the season to lead No. 26 UCF past visiting Siena 7-3 Friday night at Jay Bergman Field. The Golden Knights won their sixth consecutive game of the season in a swift two hours and 26 minutes. With the win, UCF raised its record to 13-2 on the season while Siena dropped to 1-4.
"It was a nice, quick game and Newlin pitched really well for us tonight," stated UCF head coach Jay Bergman. "I thought Matt Horwath also played an outstanding game for us, both offensively and defensively."
Senior right-hander Darren Newlin raised his record to 4-0 on the season with a career-high 8.0 innings of work. Newlin scattered seven hits and yielded three runs to go along with eight strikeouts on the night. For his career, Newlin is a perfect 9-0 for the Golden Knights.
Horwath, making his first start of the season at shortstop, made several stellar plays with the glove while also going 2-for-3 with two doubles and three RBI for the victors.
The Golden Knights totaled nine hits on the night, including two by Marshall Bernhard.
Siena took an early 1-0 lead in the second on a RBI-groundout by Eric Hildenbrand.
UCF answered with two runs in the third on a two-RBI double by Horwath.
Siena regained the lead in the fourth on a two-run home run by Rick Seltzer to right field to give the Saints a 3-2 advantage.
UCF ripped off four runs in the fifth and one in the sixth to close out the scoring, 7-3. Bernhard roped a two-run single to right to score a pair in the fifth and Butera added a two-run, home run to left field to give the Golden Knights a 6-3 lead.
Horwath added his third RBI of the night with his second double of the game to score John-Michael Howell. Howell started the rally with a double down the right field line.
UCF and Siena play a day-night doubleheader Saturday. The first game starts at 1 p.m. with the nightcap beginning at 6 p.m. Sunday's game time has been changed to noon to accommodate Siena's travel schedule.
Game Notes: With UCF's four runs in the fifth inning, the Golden Knights have not outscored the opposition 15-0 in the fifth inning in 2005 ... UCF is 20-1 all-time vs. Siena ... UCF has won 20 straight games over the Saints ... the Golden Knights have won a season-high six consecutive games ... the 8.0 innings pitched by Newlin are the most by a UCF pitcher in 2005 ... UCF is 7-1 when it out-hits the opposition.