April 28, 2008
ORLANDO - UCF will play its first non-conference game in two weeks when it travels to Tampa to battle USF Tuesday at 7 p.m. The two programs have already split a pair of meetings in Orlando, and this week's clash will be the third of four games between the Bulls and Knights in 2008.
Schedule:
Tuesday - at USF - 7 p.m.
Records:
USF - 24-20 Overall, 10-11 Big East
UCF - 27-18 Overall, 5-13 Conference USA
Stadium:
Red McEwen Field (1,500)
Series:
USF leads, 50-48
Live Stats:
www.UCFAthletics.com
Upcoming Opponent
The Bulls are coming off a 2-1 series win over Villanova at Red McEwen Field in Tampa, which included a 20-4 smothering of the Wildcats in game two, to hold a 24-20 overall record. USF is 15-12 at home, and are led by outfielder Ryan Lockwood's .400 batting average. The pitching staff claims a 4.64 team ERA with 334 strikeouts in 397.2 innings.
The Series
Trailing in the series 50-48, UCF will need to win the final two games against USF this year to even the match-up. USF defeated the Knights, 17-4, April 1, but witnessed Cody Allen toss 8.0 solid innings to lift UCF to a 6-3 victory in game two April 8.
UCF vs. Rice Series Recap
Kyle Sweat escaped a first-inning jam vs. Rice April 25, allowing just one run with the bases loaded en route to a 7.1-inning performance and a 4-2 win. Kiko Vazquez went 3-for-4 with a homer and the defense made plenty of defense plays to back Sweat on the mound.
It was a battle of the bullpens in game two, but Rice came out on top, 4-3, by scoring a two-out run in the ninth. Neither team touched home from the sixth through the eighth innings, as UCF's Evan Stobbs went 4.0 scoreless frames with five strikeouts and Rice's Cole St. Clair tossed 3.1 innings while allowing just one hit.
Another close affair broke out in the rubber match, but two runs by Rice in the seventh sealed its victory as it went on to a 7-6 decision. Dwayne Bailey and Colin Arnold each had a pair of hits, Chadd Hartman collected a two-run triple and Ryan Richardson and Kiko Vazquez both homered.
Hanging with One of the Top Teams in the Country
Although UCF lost the series to No. 4 Rice, 2-1, April 25-27, the Knights proved to be one of the toughest tests the Owls faced all year long. Rice entered the weekend with a 12-game winning streak, including a victory over No. 8 Texas A&M and three triumphs vs. No. 24 East Carolina. But the Black and Gold earned a 4-2 win in game one to end that streak. Meanwhile, it was the first time this season that all three Rice starting pitchers failed to post a victory in a C-USA series.
For the weekend, UCF matched Rice with 13 runs in the three-game set, and the Owls posted just three more hits than the Knights. On the mound, Rice edged UCF in strikeouts by a 29-26 margin, but issued more walks than the Knights' staff, 11-10.
A Positive Sign
In 2006, No. 1 Rice outscored UCF 10-4 in a three-game sweep in Orlando. One year later, the No. 6 Owls swept the Knights by a 22-3 margin in Houston, then earned a 16-6 decision in the C-USA Championship. However, things would change this year, as UCF and No. 4 Rice tied in the runs department, 13-13, and the Knights claimed their first win over the Owls since 1998.
Stobbs Loves the Rice
Even though UCF ultimately lost to No. 4 Rice April 26, 4-3, it witnessed freshman Evan Stobbs shine in his biggest relief outing of the year. The righty came on with the bases loaded and no outs in a 3-2 game in the fifth, and proceeded to escape the jam without giving up a run. After UCF tied it in the bottom half, Stobbs went on to toss 4.0 scoreless innings with five strikeouts, including retiring nine-straight at one point to enable the Knights to reach the ninth inning in a 3-3 tie.
Triple Threat Leads UCF Past the No. 4 Owls
UCF used it all to upset No. 4 Rice, 4-2, April 25. Kyle Sweat went 7.1 innings and surrendered just two runs for the win, which was the first time since April 9 that a starter gave up two runs or less. With the stick, the Knights outhit the Owls, 9-6, left just three runners on base, and witnessed Kiko Vazquez fall a triple short of hitting for the cycle. Colin Arnold and Tyson Auer also led the offense with two hits apiece. And with the glove, Auer made the defensive play of the year in the second inning with Owls on first and second and one out. The center fielder laid out to take extra-bases away from Jared Gayhart, and it also started an 8-6-3 double play to end the inning. Vazquez and Sweat made impressive defensive plays as well to allow UCF to post the victory.
Knight Wins vs. Ranked Programs
This year marks the first season since 2000 that UCF has defeated two different teams that were ranked in the top 10. That season, the Black and Gold toppled No. 5 Alabama and No. 7 Florida State, both on the road.