March 8, 2005
ORLANDO - UCF set a school record with 13 runs in the fourth inning to power past Saint Joseph's 22-3 Tuesday evening at Jay Bergman Field. The 13-run explosion in the fourth sent 19 batters to the plate and totaled eight hits in the frame. With the win, UCF improved to 16-3 on the season while St. Joe's dropped to 2-11.
With its 16-3 record, UCF is off to its best start since 1977, when the Golden Knights also began the season 16-3.
UCF set season-highs in runs (22) scored and hits (16) in the 19-run victory.
"We have not had a game like that all year, but I think we needed to have a night like tonight and get the offense going," stated UCF head coach Jay Bergman.
Eight of UCF's nine starters recorded hits, including two hits by Matt Ray, John-Michael Howell, Drew Butera and Kevin Richmond.
The Golden Knights scored two runs in the first, four in the second, 13 in the fourth, two in the fifth and one in the sixth to round out the scoring.
UCF starting pitcher Ray Rodriguez raised his record to 4-0 on the season with five innings of work. The New York native limited the Hawks to one run on two hits with three strikeouts.
UCF's 13-run outburst in the fourth sent 19 batters to the plate. Howell ripped two doubles in the frame and finished the game with a career-high four RBI. Ray also drove in three runs while Richmond and Marshall Bernhard also drove in two runs apiece.
UCF returns to action Friday at home vs. Campbell in Atlantic Sun action. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. at Jay Bergman Field.
Game Notes: UCF improved to 9-2 all-time vs. St. Joseph's ... the last time UCF scored 20+ runs in a game was March 17, 2004 vs. Wagner (20-6) ... UCF broke a 15-year-old school record with 13 runs in the fourth inning ... the previous single-game record for runs in the fourth inning was 11 at Bethune-Cookman on February 20, 1990 ... the Golden Knights also established a new school record for hits in the fourth inning with eight ... the previous high was seven at Georgia State on May 11, 2002 ... the 22 runs scored were the most for UCF since the Golden Knights defeated Lehigh 23-3 in 2000 ... UCF's five doubles tied a season-high ... Senior Tim Ford recorded his first hit of the season ... Freshman Danny Kash tallied his first collegiate hit while freshman Kyler Bender made his first collegiate appearance on the mound in the eighth inning.