March 11, 2007
Box Score in PDF Format
Download Free Acrobat Reader
Orlando, Fla. (www.ucfathletics.com) - The UCF baseball coaching staff must be pleased with the events this past week, as the Knights finished off a three-game sweep of Massachusetts Sunday, 7-1. The Black and Gold (11-9) saw all five of its starters last at least six innings in five-straight wins, with junior Jaager Good (2-1) completing the week with 7.0 shutout innings against the Minutemen.
In Good's longest career outing as a Golden Knight, the righty held the Minutemen (0-3) to just three hits and walked only one while striking out three. His performance allowed UCF to sweep its first series of the year, while also locking up its fifth-straight win for the first time since April 9-17, 2005, when the Knights won six in a row.
The UCF offense continued to get production from throughout its lineup. Freshman and Orlando native Chris Duffy recorded his first career home run, a solo shot to leadoff the second, and finished with two hits and two runs scored. Duffy, who was serving as the designated hitter in the series finale, extended his hitting streak to eight games, and during that stretch has posted at least two hits on six occasions.
"It felt really good to get that first one out of the way," said Duffy, whose homer gave UCF its first run of the game. "I was talking about it the other day with the coaches that I can't wait until I get the first jack."
Eric Kallstrom also notched two base hits and stole his first base of the season. The shortstop added a RBI and a run scored in his 2-for-4 affair. And a day after recording his first RBI of 2007, Dwayne Bailey collected two Sunday vs. UMass.
Both starters breezed through the first inning, but Duffy welcomed UMass starter Mike DiCato (0-1) to the second by blasting a 3-1 pitch over the fence, and the bullpen, in right field. His monster homer gave the Knights a 1-0 lead. An error later in the inning increased it to 2-0, as Ryan Richardson got aboard on a wild throw by third baseman Ryan Franczek. He traveled to second on a balk, and Bailey then placed a two-out, 3-2 pitch into center field for the RBI single.
Duffy once again got things going in the fourth, leading off with a walk. Shane Brown followed thanks to a single to center, and Richardson pushed the runners over on a successful sacrifice bunt. With two teammates in scoring position, Kallstrom ripped a single up the middle to plate Duffy, and an error permitted Brown to touch home, boosting the lead to 4-0. The Knights made it 5-0 in the fifth off reliever Rory McDonald when Richardson reached on a fielding error with the bases loaded, allowing Kiko Vazquez to score from third.
While the UCF bats were working hard, Good was dominating on the mound, scattering three hits in the seven innings he worked. The only trouble he got into was in the seventh when Bryan Adamski recorded an infield single and Andy Tuetken walked with two outs. Good easily escaped on a fly ball to right by Jim MacDonald.
The Black and Gold padded to its lead on a RBI groundout in the seventh off the bat of Bailey, which scored Brown who led off the inning on a walk. Tyson Auer then came through with a two-out base hit up the middle to plate Kallstrom, making it 7-0. Massachusetts finally got on the scoreboard in the top of the ninth, but UCF's lead was too much for the Minutemen to overcome.
The Golden Knights continue their 17-game home stand when they host Army Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. at Jay Bergman Field. 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.
Game Notes
WP: Jaager Good (2-1), 7.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 K
LP: Mike DiCato (0-1), 4.0 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 2 K
- Kiko Vazquez tied a career-high with three walks in the game.
- Reliever Matt McClung faced the minimum three batters in a scoreless eighth inning.
- Jaager Good became the first UCF pitcher to earn his second win of the season. Before Sunday, all 10 of the Knights' victories were recorded by different hurlers.
- Before the week began, UCF's starters were 1-9. At the end of the week, they improved to 6-9. In all, Carmine Giardina, Brett Bordwine, Austin Hudson, Mitch Houck and Jaager Good each notched a quality start to earn their respective victories.
- During Chris Duffy's eight-game hitting streak, he has gone 18-for-30 (.600) at the plate.
- The Knights out-hit the Minutemen, 10-6, while they did not commit an error in the field. UMass made four miscues Sunday.