March 5, 2009
ORLANDO (UCFAthletics.com) - With its four-game road trip completed, the UCF baseball team returns home to face Monmouth in a three-game showdown beginning Friday at 6:30 p.m. Knight fans are encouraged to come early Saturday and park in the free lots by Bright House Networks Stadium to avoid any traffic issues due to an all-day event in The Venue.
Saturday Parking Map in PDF Format
Schedule:
Friday - 6:30 p.m.
Saturday - 4 p.m.
Sunday - 1 p.m.
Records:
Monmouth - 0-3 Overall, 0-0 NEC
UCF - 2-6 Overall, 0-0 C-USA
Stadium:
Jay Bergman Field (2,230)
Series:
UCF leads, 18-3
Radio:
UCFAthletics.com
Video:
UCFAthletics.com
Live Stats:
UCFAthletics.com
This Weekend's Festivities
The home series with Monmouth Friday-Sunday will feature several exciting promotions. On Saturday, fans can show their ticket stub at the baseball ticket office before it closes to purchase a $5 men's basketball ticket that night. They also can present their baseball stub at the UCF Arena. The Knights are slated to take on East Carolina on the hardwood at 7 p.m. Meanwhile, baseball patrons who dress up in their best spring break outfits could be the winner of a baseball prize pack during games one and two. And Sunday is Kids Day at the Park, where kids are allowed to come down on the field to run the bases and get autographs.
UCF at FIU Recap
FIU took a 4-1 lead through three innings March 4 and held off scoring chances by the Knights in an 8-3 Golden Panther victory in Miami. Kiko Vazquez, Evan Stobbs and Jake Huxtable racked up two hits apiece, while Cory Weech tossed 3.1 scoreless innings of relief, allowing only one hit.
Upcoming Opponent
Monmouth stands at 0-3 after a sweep at East Carolina to open the season. The Hawks gave up double-digit hits in all three games, as they currently hold a team ERA of 8.62 and a batting average of .187. Chris Collazo finished with a 4-for-10 performance on the weekend to pace the offense.
The Series
Meeting for the eighth-straight year, UCF is 18-3 all-time against Monmouth, dropping two games in 2007 and another in 2006. In last year's sweep for the Knights, the series finale went 16 innings with Eric Kallstrom driving in Shane Brown on a two-out infield single for the 5-4 win.
Back in the High Life Again
The Knights are opening up a stretch where they will play 31 games from March 6-April 15, a span of 41 days. During that time, they will play at least five games a week five-straight weeks.
Sledgehammer
Junior reliever Cory Weech came through with his best game in a UCF uniform at FIU March 4. The righty took over with two outs in the fifth inning, and promptly gave up just one hit and no walks in 3.1 scoreless innings of work. Weech also struck out three in the process.
Smooth Operator
Chris Duffy got the 2009 season underway by posting a base hit in the first seven games. The left fielder connected for two hits in each of his first two contests vs. VCU and also crushed a three-run homer in game three of the series. Eventually at No. 1 LSU, Duffy notched a double in all three games vs. the Tigers. Entering the Monmouth matchup, the junior carries a .323 average with a .516 slugging percentage.
Sultan of Swing
Kiko Vazquez was anxiously waiting the 2009 season to start after a 2008 campaign that witnessed the first baseman miss 40 games due to an injury. His numbers are proving that. Vazquez has put four balls over the fence this year and has a .647 slugging percentage. He homered twice vs. VCU Feb. 21 and at LSU Feb. 27, giving him 20 career home runs in a Black and Gold uniform.
Rock this Town
The Knights crushed six balls over the fence in their first three games this year, which may have been helped by UCF bringing in its fences at Jay Bergman Field by 10 feet. Conversely, it took 10 games last season for the Black and Gold to collect six homers. UCF went on to post at least one home run in its first six outings this season.