April 10, 2008
ORLANDO - Coming off back-to-back midweek victories, the UCF baseball team hosts Memphis in a Conference USA weekend series beginning Friday at 6:30 p.m. A limited edition UCF Athletics Hall of Fame Weekend Collector's Pin will be given out to the first 350 fans on Friday and Saturday (Note: Saturday's start time is 6 p.m. while Sunday is set for noon).
Schedule:
Friday - 6:30 p.m.
Saturday - 6 p.m.
Sunday - 12 p.m.
Records:
Memphis - 12-19 Overall, 3-6 Conference USA
UCF - 24-11 Overall, 2-7 Conference USA
Stadium:
Jay Bergman Field (2,230)
Series:
Memphis leads, 6-1
Radio:
740-AM and www.UCFAthletics.com
Video:
www.UCFAthletics.com
Live Stats:
www.UCFAthletics.com
Check Out the UCF Spring Show Twice This Week
With a very eventful weekend on tap on the UCF campus, the Spring Show will be back on the air twice this weekend. Marc Daniels hosts the 45-minute program which is scheduled to air Friday at 5:30 p.m. and Saturday at 2 p.m. on 740-AM. Catcher Robert Lara will be a featured guest on the show Friday.
Upcoming Opponent
Sitting one game above UCF in the Conference USA standings, Memphis is 3-6 in league play and 12-19 overall. The Tigers were victims of nine in a row before defeating Mississippi State in 10 innings April 8, but four of those losses were against ranked teams including three to Rice. Memphis holds a team batting average of .247 with first baseman Trey Wiedman leading the way with a .304 mark. Ten pitchers, meanwhile, have ERAs below 5.00, as Scott McGregor (1-3, 4.11) will be making the game-one start Friday.
The Series
In the last two seasons UCF has faced off with Memphis, the Tigers have dominated the action and hold a 6-1 lead. They outscored the Knights 41-11 at Jay Bergman Field in a three-game sweep in 2006. UCF then defeated Memphis in game one last year in Tennessee before losing three-straight, including a 12-6 decision in an elimination game in the C-USA Championship.
UCF vs. Stetson Recap
The Mitch Herold show was on hand at Jay Bergman Field April 9, as the UCF lefty tossed a complete-game three-hitter to help the Knights defeat Stetson, 4-1. The victory ensured UCF of claiming the season series with the Hatters (2-0). Offensively, Chris Duffy homered while Colin Arnold and Brandon Romans each had a pair of hits.
Completely Herold
After last year witnessed no UCF starter toss a complete game, Mitch Herold broke that trend April 9 vs. Stetson. The junior southpaw hurled a three-hitter to defeat the Hatters, 4-1, matching a career-high with nine strikeouts while walking only one. He also set a personal best with his 9.0-inning performance, as his previous career-long outing was 7.0 innings. Herold finished his victory with just 101 pitches.
No. 200
Senior Tyson Auer became just the 15th player in UCF history to record 200 hits in a Black and Gold uniform when he posted a single against Stetson April 9. The center fielder needs just 16 hits to crack the top 10.
Timpner Takes a Trip - To the Majors
Former UCF Knight Clay Timpner (2002-04) got the call he has been waiting for since being drafted by San Francisco in the 2004 MLB Draft. The outfielder was called up from Triple-A to the Giants on April 8, and proceeded to board a plane and head to California to suit up with the major league club as it prepared to battle the Padres that night. After nine innings went by and the score knotted at 2-2, Timpner was sent in to left field as a defensive replacement, and even though he struck out in his first MLB plate appearance, the Giants won 3-2 in the bottom of the 11th. Timpner previously spent four years in the minors, including all of last season with the Triple-A Fresno Grizzlies.
Allen Wrangles the Bulls
Nerves could have gotten the better of freshman Cody Allen as he went out for his first collegiate start vs. USF April 8. But instead he put on a show, tossing 8.0 innings with six strikeouts, no walks and just three runs against him to pick up the victory. The righty scattered six hits on 110 pitches en route to becoming just the second Knight this year to last at least 8.0 innings in a start.
Granny Time
It can always be a bold move when coaches insert a new stick into the cleanup spot in the batting order. But Robert Lara immediately ensured that he would not let his team down when he batted fourth for the first time against USF April 8. Following two singles and a walk to start the first inning, Lara hammered the first pitch he saw over the left-field wall for his second grand slam of the year. The home run provided UCF with the 4-0 lead and the Knights had no trouble holding onto the lead in the 6-3 win.
Lara became the first UCF Knight since 2005 to hit at least two grand slams in the same season (Dee Brown had three).