March 3, 2006
ORLANDO - UCF exploded for a season-high 23 runs, including a school record 10 in the second inning as the Golden Knights crushed Monmouth 23-2 Friday evening at Jay Bergman Field. Freshman first baseman Kiko Vazquez drilled a two-run home run and a two-run double in the second inning as UCF (5-7) set a new school record for second-inning hits (nine).
Freshman right fielder Dave DiNatale tied a school record with four doubles (4-for-6, 3 runs, 2 RBI) and sophomore center fielder Tyson Auer just missed hitting for the cycle, going 3-for-5 with two runs and five RBI. Auer, who tied a career-high with five RBI, needed just a double for the cycle in his final at-bat, but was robbed of a double on a diving catch by Monmouth (0-4) center fielder Patrick Sullivan.
"We put the ball in play and it was a great night offensively for us," stated UCF head coach Jay Bergman. "I think we always start hitting the ball better in March and we have been preaching that to the kids."
Vazquez nearly hit for the cycle also, going 4-for-4 with four RBI and four runs scored. Vazquez hit a home run, two doubles and a single on the night as he set career-highs in hits, runs and RBI.
UCF hit a school-record 10 doubles on the night and totaled 13 extra-base hits.
UCF recorded 24 hits, its first 20-hit game since posting 20 hits vs. Campbell in 2005. The 23 runs scored were the most by a Golden Knight club since scoring 23 vs. Lehigh in a 23-3 victory in 2000.
The 15-run cushion after two innings was more than enough for Preseason Conference USA Pitcher of the Year Tim Bascom (1-1). In Bascom's three previous starts in 2006, UCF only scored four total runs before Friday's 23-run outburst. The Dunedin native pitched six innings and finished with six strikeouts for his first win of the season. The victory was also the first for a UCF starting pitcher in 2006.
UCF jumped out to a 5-0 lead after the first inning before the 10-run second sealed the contest. In the first, senior catcher Ryan Bono started the scoring with a RBI-single to put the Golden Knights in the lead 1-0. DiNatale added a RBI-double and freshman designated hitter Steve Stropp drilled a three-run double to the gap in left-center to extend the lead to 5-0.
The 10-run, nine-hit second inning featured six extra-base hits, including four doubles, one triple and a home run.
The series continues Saturday at Jay Bergman Field. First pitch is set for 1 p.m.
Game Notes: UCF set school records for the most runs (10) and hits (9) in a second inning of a game ... The 10 doubles established a new school record, breaking the old mark of eight set against Louisiana-Lafayette on March 18, 1996 ... Dave DiNatale extended his hitting streak to seven games with a double in the first inning ... DiNatale tied the school record for doubles in a game with four. He joined Dustin Brisson in the record books after Brisson belted four doubles vs. Mercer in 2000 ... Steve Stropp ripped a three-run double in the first inning, the first extra-base hit and RBIs of his career ... Ryan Bono was hit by a pitch for the 42nd time in his career in the second inning.