March 11, 2006
ORLANDO - Junior pitcher Tim Bascom threw seven shutout innings and totaled a season-high 12 strikeouts as UCF blanked Wagner 15-0 Saturday evening at Jay Bergman Field. Bascom recorded his fifth career game of 10-plus strikeouts as the Golden Knights cruised to a 15-run victory to open the three-game series.
"Everyone hit the ball well tonight and Bascom pitched well," said UCF head coach Jay Bergman. "It was a good way to open the three-game series. I see our hitters playing with more confidence and as a team we are getting better."
The Golden Knights (8-9) registered 15 hits on the night, including three hits and three runs scored by freshman right fielder Shane Ynclan.
UCF scored seven runs in the first to take control of the game early. The Golden Knights took advantage of two Wagner (0-4) errors in the opening frame to score six unearned runs in the first.
The Golden Knights scored three runs on one swing in the fourth when freshman catcher Steve Stropp drilled his first career home run to left field to extend the lead to 10-0.
The 10-run cushion was more than enough for Bascom (2-1). The Dunedin native limited the Seahawks to five hits as he lowered his season ERA to 1.17.
Four Golden Knights finished with multi-hit games, including two hits each from junior Matt Ray, freshman Ryan Williams and junior Matt Horwath.
The series continues Sunday with game two of the series from Jay Bergman Field. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.
Game Notes: Jay Bergman announced Saturday that freshman third baseman Vinny Cucci has been suspended indefinitely due to a violation of team policy. Cucci played in 11 games this season for the Golden Knights, including eight starts. The Winter Springs native was batting .208 with two RBI.
UCF has scored 12 runs in the first inning in Tim Bascom's last two starts ... Freshman first baseman Kiko Vazquez tied a school record after getting hit by a pitch three times. Vazquez equaled the mark set by current UCF volunteer assistant coach Rich Wallace, who was hit by a pitch three times vs. Temple in 2002 ... As a team, UCF was hit by a pitch six times on the night ... Eight of UCF's 15 hits were for extra bases, including five two-baggers.