Oct. 20, 2008
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - Sophomore Evan Stobbs produced in a big way both at the plate and on the mound Monday morning as Gold defeated Black, 3-1, in game two of the UCF baseball Black & Gold World Series at Jay Bergman Field. The Myakka City native notched two RBI and hurled 2.0 shutout innings to help his squad split the first two games of the event, which features three five-inning contests.
"I was just trying to get ahead early and work down when I was pitching. I wanted to go out and have confidence in all my pitches," said Stobbs. "I'm also trying to get in the lineup when I'm not pitching, but when I do step on the mound I want to give it all I have."
Stobbs wrapped up the morning by going 1-for-2 with the aluminum, and did not allow a hit or a walk, striking out one as a reliever. Also at the dish, senior Chadd Hartman had a game-high two hits, while senior hurler Jaager Good started for Gold and surrendered one run in 3.0 innings, sitting down two on strikes.
For Black, which took the first game 5-2 Sunday night, it collected three hits in five innings, with all of them recorded in the top of the second inning.
Gold served as the home team Monday, and although Good allowed a four-pitch walk to senior Colin Arnold, freshman catcher Beau Taylor cleared the bases by nabbing Arnold trying to steal second. Good then picked up a strikeout and a fly out to end the top of the first.
Black was not as successful at getting past a leadoff walk in the bottom half. Facing freshman Anthony Figliolia, classmate Austin Smith received the free pass and senior Josh Siebenaler followed with a double to right. Two batters later, freshman D.J. Hicks earned a walk to load them up and fellow freshman B.J. Zimmerman drove in Smith by way of a ground out to first. Now with two in scoring position, Stobbs drove a two-run single through the right side to complete the scoring with Gold ahead, 3-0.
After connecting for a pair of doubles in game one Sunday, junior Chris Duffy hoped to answer for Black, ripping the first pitch he faced just inside the right-field line for another two-bagger. On a 2-2 count, senior Brandon Romans provided Black with its first run on a ground ball to first that took a nasty hop over Hicks and into right field. Eventually Good faced runners at first and second with no outs, but was able to escape without anymore damage.
Figliolia settled down in the second, but put two aboard with one away in the third. Potential walk-on Travis Hanes came in from the pen for a lefty-lefty situation against Zimmerman and immediately picked up the second out. Hanes kept it 3-1 by forcing Stobbs to fly out to center.
Junior righty Cory Weech relieved Hanes in the bottom of the fourth and helped Black keep it close by retiring the final two outs of the frame. But Stobbs' stuff was too much to enable Black to muster a late rally.
The third and decisive game of the series will get underway Tuesday morning at 9 a.m. That contest also will be a five-inning affair.
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Game Notes
UCF Black - 1 R, 3 H, 1 E
UCF Gold - 3 R, 5 H, 1 E
WP: Jaager Good - 3.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
LP: Anthony Figliolia - 2.1 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 1 K
SV: Evan Stobbs - 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
Also pitched for Black: Travis Hanes - 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
Also pitched for Black: Cory Weech - 0.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
- Stephen Branca left the game in the first inning for Black after fouling off a pitch near his ankle. Jake Huxtable, who originally was on the bench for the Gold squad, took his place at third base.
- D.J. Hicks was issued two walks in both plate appearances Monday, and he came around to score once.
- Along with Hartman's two hits, Stobbs, Kiko Vazquez and Josh Siebenaler also had base hits for Gold.
- Chris Duffy, Brandon Romans and Eric Kallstrom posted Black's hits.
- In all, the two teams' bullpens combined to go 3.2 shutout innings with only one hit allowed.