March 25, 2006
FORT WORTH, Texas - UCF freshman left-hander Mitch Herold pitched seven strong innings and allowed just one run to lead the visiting Golden Knights to a 5-1 victory over TCU Saturday afternoon at Lupton Stadium. The outing was the longest of Herold's career as he yielded just four hits en route to the win.
Junior third baseman Matt Ray provided the offensive spark for the Golden Knights, going 3-for-4 with three RBI. The win moved UCF to 15-11 while the host Horned Frogs dropped to 12-13 on the season.
Three Golden Knight pitchers held TCU to just six hits on the afternoon.
Ray walked and later scored on a wild pitch in the first to give UCF a 1-0 lead.
TCU scored its only run of the game in the fourth on a RBI-double by left fielder Jerid Buttell.
The Golden Knights added two runs in both the fifth and sixth innings to push the lead to 5-1.
In the fifth, Ray doubled in a run and sophomore center fielder Tyson Auer plated a run on a RBI-groundout to put UCF back on top, 3-1.
Ray's two-out, two-run single in the sixth lifted the Golden Knights to a 5-1 advantage. The Tennessee native singled just over the glove of TCU second baseman Corey Steglich for the important two-out base hit.
The four-run cushion was more than enough for Herold (1-3), who finished the game by retiring the final four batters he faced. Despite only one strikeout, Herold issued just two walks and was in complete control all day long.
TCU starter Brad Furnish (1-4) allowed four runs in 5.1 innings of work in a losing effort.
UCF finished with 10 hits, including two hits each from senior catcher Ryan Bono (2-for-4), freshman left fielder Ryan Williams (2-for-3, R) and junior second baseman Matt Horwath (2-for-4, 2 R).
The Golden Knights look to capture the series victory Sunday vs. the Horned Frogs. First pitch is set for 2 p.m. ET.