Feb. 24, 2008
ORLANDO, Fla. (www.ucfathletics.com) - The UCF baseball team set a school record for most runs in a three-game series after defeating Florida A&M, 17-2, Sunday at Jay Bergman Field. In all, the Knights (3-0) racked up 50 runs over the weekend vs. the Rattlers (0-3), and will now host No. 6 Missouri Monday at 3 p.m.
A total of 3,208 attended the three-game series vs. FAMU, marking the third-largest series in stadium history.
Junior southpaw Mitch Herold (1-0) collected the win by going 5.0 innings with six strikeouts and five hits allowed, including not surrendering a hit until the fourth inning. On the basepaths, UCF swiped 10 bases, highlighted by junior Josh Siebenaler's three steals.
UCF posted 16 hits on the day, led by sophomore Chris Duffy who went 3-for-5 with two RBI. Junior Chadd Hartman delivered with the Knights' first home run of the season with a three-run shot in the seventh. Sunday marked the second-straight game that all nine Knight starters scored a run.
"We approached these games in the right way and did what we had to do," said head coach Jay Bergman. "I don't think last year's team could have understood the significance of this game and being able to put a dagger in a series. Tomorrow will be an interesting game and a nice challenge for everybody."
Florida A&M immediately threatened the Knights by loading the bases with one down in the top of the first. But an apparent missed signal helped Herold pick up the second out, as Steve Cunningham broke for home on a pitch and Corey McFadden did not square up for a squeeze bunt or put the ball in play, which enabled catcher Rob Lara to easily tag out Cunningham. Herold kept the Rattlers scoreless by striking out McFadden to end the frame.
When UCF came to the plate in its half vs. Drew Cook (0-1), it picked up a clutch two-out RBI from junior Colin Arnold, driving in Siebenaler from third for an early 1-0 lead. In the second, a pair of passed balls helped sophomore Shane Brown touch home after he led off with a single, and senior Tim Russell scored on a Lara single for the 3-0 cushion.
The Knights pushed their fourth and fifth runs across in the fourth, picking up a sacrifice fly from senior Tyson Auer and an RBI infield single off the by of Duffy. However, FAMU tried to chip into the UCF advantage in the fifth, getting RBI singles from Adam Gordon and Tim Schalch to make it 5-2. The Black and Gold recovered one of those runs on a Lara sacrifice fly in the bottom half, and notched another in the sixth thanks to a RBI base hit from Duffy. Later in the inning, reliever Eddie Thomas hit two batters and walked Hartman with the bases jammed to make it 8-2.
Arnold continued the scoring in the seventh, belting a two-out RBI single to right, and senior Ryan Richardson followed with an infield single to score Duffy. The Knights added two more unearned runs before Hartman sent the first pitch he saw over the right-field fence for a two-run homer. It was Hartman's third of his career. To complete the outburst, sophomore Kyle Mills tallied a RBI single in the eighth and senior Matt Lambert drove in two with a single to left field.
With the opening series concluded, UCF wastes little time getting back to work. The Knights welcome No. 6 Missouri to Jay Bergman Field Monday with first pitch slated for 3 p.m. The Tigers will be the third-highest ranked team to visit the stadium since it was constructed in 2001.
Season tickets as well as single-game tickets to check out UCF baseball this year are currently available by contacting the UCF Ticket Office at 407-823-1000, or by going online at www.ucfathletics.com, the official site for UCF varsity sports. Also check out UCFPhotos.com, the exclusive fan source for UCF action sports pictures.
Game Notes
Florida A&M - 0-3 Overall, 0-0 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference
UCF - 3-0 Overall, 0-0 Conference USA
WP: Mitch Herold (1-0), 5.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 6 K
LP: Drew Cook (0-1), 5.0 IP, 7 H, 6 R, 4 ER, 5 BB, 2 K
- The 1979 UCF baseball team was honored before the game started. The 1979 Knights were the first baseball team in school history to reach a NCAA Tournament.
- UCF is off to a 3-0 start for the first time since the 2005 season when the Knights went 5-0.
- The Knights improved their all-time record vs. FAMU to 14-2-1.
- Senior Brian Griggs, a transfer from Alabama, made his first appearance in a UCF uniform and did not allow a base hit while striking out four in 3.0 innings, including striking out four-straight at one point.
- Freshman Evan Stobbs hurled his first collegiate inning, pitching a scoreless ninth to close the door.
- Josh Siebenaler, Dwayne Bailey, Colin Arnold and Shane Brown each posted two hits.
- Arnold and Brown, meanwhile, scored three runs apiece.
- Tim Russell served as the designated hitter and walked three times.