March 5, 2005
ORLANDO - Siena (2-4) junior right-handed pitcher Ken Grant tossed a two-hit, complete-game shutout to lead the visiting Saints past No. 26 UCF (13-3) 6-0 Saturday afternoon at Jay Bergman Field. Siena snapped a 20-game losing streak vs. the Golden Knights, capturing its first win vs. UCF since 1997.
Grant (1-1) was in control all day long, limiting UCF to just two hits in the sixth inning. The junior struck out three and walked three for the Saints. Grant became the first pitcher to throw a complete-game shutout vs. UCF since Randy Beam of Florida Atlantic in 2003.
Siena out-hit the Golden Knights 10-2, including three hits by Jacob Willis.
UCF starter Mike Billek (1-1) set a career-high with 12 strikeouts in a losing effort. Billek allowed four runs on seven hits including two walks on the day.
The Saints scored one run in the second and fourth before putting the game out of reach with four runs over the final three innings of play.
The three-run Siena seventh proved to be too much for UCF. Ryan King delivered a two-run single with two outs and Gabe Perez added a RBI-double to propel the Saints to the win.
The two teams return to action Saturday at 6 p.m. UCF is scheduled to start Tim Bascom while Siena will counter with Joshua Burnett.
Game Notes: UCF dropped to 20-2 all-time vs. Siena ... Billek's 12 strikeouts were the most by a UCF pitcher since Matt Fox struck out 12 batters at Georgia State in 2004 ... the last time UCF was shutout was by No. 6 Notre Dame, 4-0, on May 18, 2004 ... Siena has hit three home runs in the first two games of the series, including two by Rick Seltzer.