May 25, 2007
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GREENVILLE, N.C. (www.ucfathletics.com) - Playing its third game in as many days, the UCF baseball team fell 12-6 to Memphis in an elimination contest on Friday at the Conference USA Championship at Clark-LeClair Stadium. The fifth-seeded Tigers (35-24) scored a total of nine runs in the first two innings.
Sophomore Kyle Sweat (Apopka, Fla./Apopka) started on the mound for the No. 8 Knights (27-32) and quickly got into trouble in the first. With one run already on the scoreboard, Memphis tacked on four runs with two outs. Josh Irvin drove home a pair of runs with a double off of the wall and one batter later, Joey Lieberman drilled a two-run home run to left field.
In the second inning, the Tigers added four runs - all unearned - to race out to a 9-0 advantage. With senior Brian Brooks (Oviedo, Fla./Oviedo) on the hill in relief of Sweat, the Knights committed three errors.
"Kyle really struggled out there today. He is battling an injury and just didn't have it," said UCF head coach Jay Bergman. "There is no doubt that when you make four errors, it hinders your pitching."
UCF scored three runs in the fourth. Sophomore Eric Kallstrom (South West Ranches, Fla./Cypress Bay) singled up the middle to score sophomore Kiko Vazquez (Sebring, Fla./Sebring) and junior Ryan Richardson (Lake Mary, Fla./Lake Mary). Following Kallstrom's at-bat, junior Dwayne Bailey (Tampa, Fla./Riverview) tripled to right center to plate Kallstrom.
Ben Grisham went the distance for Memphis, allowing 11 hits and four earned runs while striking out five.
Junior Tyson Auer (Longwood, Fla/Lake Mary) and Vazquez both drove in a run for the Knights in the seventh inning. Auer scored in the ninth when senior Matt Horwath (Lake Mary, Fla./Lake Mary) singled through the left side.
Memphis scored two runs in the fifth and one run in the seventh off of UCF freshman Austin Hudson (Orlando, Fla./Boone).
Auer, Horwath, Kallstrom and Vazquez all recorded two hits in the losing effort.
For the latest news and information on the Knights, tickets or apparel log on to www.ucfathletics.com - the official site for UCF varsity sports.
Game Notes
WP: Ben Grisham (4-3), 9.0 IP, 11 H, 6 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 5 K
LP: Kyle Sweat (4-5), 1.0 IP, 4 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 2 BB, 0 K
- UCF and Memphis were meeting at a neutral site for the first time. The squads met for the first time last year, playing three contests in Orlando. This season, the Knights visited Memphis for a three-game series.
- Brian Brooks made his 82nd career relief appearance. Last weekend, he established the school's career relief appearance record (80).
- With his triple in the fourth inning, Dwayne Bailey finished tied for first on the team with three triples in 2007 (Chadd Hartman).
- Justin Weiss made his 25th relief appearance of the year, giving him sole possession of eighth on UCF's single-season register.