Feb. 20, 2007
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Orlando, Fla. (www.ucfathletics.com) - It was time to break out the wood bats at Jay Bergman Field, as the UCF baseball team hosted the Hyundai Unicorns of the professional Korean Baseball Organization in an exhibition game Tuesday. The Golden Knights were able to use all of their position players and scored five runs in the final three innings only to fall one shy in a 6-5 loss.
In its first weekday game of 2007, UCF outhit its counterpart, 9-8, even though the Knights packed up their aluminum bats for the day. Kiko Vazquez collected two hits and drove in two runs, while Shane Brown came off the bench to add two more hits while also scoring two runs.
Taylor Meier got the start for UCF and worked his way into trouble in the first. After giving up one run, he loaded the bases and still needed two more outs. But the righty settled down, forcing Jeong Seong-Hoon to strike out and Yoo Han-Joon to end the frame with a ground out. Meier finished with 2.0 innings pitched and allowed just two hits.
The Unicorns posted two more runs in the fifth, but UCF tied it at 3-3 in the seventh. Following a leadoff walk, Dwayne Bailey stole second and Bryan Bennett then walked to put the first two on. A one-out single from Brown led to Vazquez plating the first two runs on a single. Matt Lambert gave UCF its third run on a ground out to second base.
Each team traded a run in the eighth inning, with the Knights scoring on a clutch, two-out RBI base hit from Bennett. But two leadoff walks and two errors helped the Unicorns take a 6-4 lead in the top of the ninth. UCF was able to cut it one on an RBI ground out by Matt Horwath, but that was as close as it could get to forcing extra innings.
In all, Meier, Brett Bordwine, Kyle Sweat, Kyle Maulbetsch, Matt Goodyear and Justin Weiss saw time on the mound for UCF.
The Unicorns head back to Bradenton, Fla., and the Pittsburgh Pirates camp, where they are wrapping up winter training to prepare for their season.
UCF will resume its regular-season schedule with its first road trip of 2007. The Golden Knights travel to LSU for a three-game series Friday-Sunday. For the latest news and information on the Golden Knights, tickets or apparel log on to www.ucfathletics.com - the official site for UCF athletics.