May 15, 2009
Notes for the May 16 Game in PDF Format
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - Senior righty Jaager Good worked 5.2 innings with six strikeouts in his final home start at UCF, but Houston scored five unearned runs in a 6-3 victory against the Knights Friday in Orlando. The Black and Gold (21-33, 8-15 Conference USA) will now try to lock up a spot in the C-USA Championship when it concludes the series with the Cougars (25-28, 13-10) in the regular-season finale Saturday at 1:15 p.m.
From individual accolades to attendance figures to grade-point averages, several school records have been set this season. And one more was added to that list when freshman Jake Huxtable hit UCF's 66th home run of the season in the fifth inning. That moved the 2009 squad into a tie for first place with the 1998 club, which hit 66 long balls in 62 games.
Houston jumped on the Knights for a pair of unearned runs in the first against Good, and it was all accomplished without a base hit. The righty did cruise through the third and fourth by retiring the side in order, but a leadoff walk in the fifth hurt as Jake Runte came around to score on a two-out base hit from Zak Prelsey.
Now trailing 3-0 and with just one hit through 4.2 innings against southpaw Wes Musick, the Knights appeared to be reeling. But it was the bottom of the order that ignited the aluminum with two away in the fifth. Junior Chris Duffy found a good-looking first pitch to take advantage of, singling through the right side. That was when Huxtable finally gave the Knights their 66th homer, sending a line shot over the left-field wall on a 1-1 offering, enabling his team to inch closer at 3-2.
However the Cougars struck back in the sixth, where a two-out fielding error led to three crucial runs and a 6-2 advantage.
Musick began to labor even more in the home half of the sixth and hit the bench after freshman D.J. Hicks smashed a two-out RBI double off the wall in right. The Knights, though, left two in scoring position when Chase Dempsay entered and picked up the final out.
That would be the last opportunity UCF would get, as the Houston bullpen pitched the final 3.1 innings without giving up a hit. For the Knights' pen, Hicks completed the last 3.1 frames, not allowing a run and striking out two.
Along with Saturday being the final regular season game for the Knights, UCF will acknowledge all of its seniors before the contest at approximately 12:50 p.m.
For the latest news on the Knights, log on to UCFAthletics.com - the official site for UCF varsity sports. The site, which also contains ticket and Golden Knights Club donor information, is also the home of UCF's new online apparel store. Also visit UCFPhotos.com, the exclusive fan source for UCF action sports pictures.
Game Notes
Houston - 25-28 Overall, 13-10 Conference USA
UCF - 21-33 Overall, 8-15 Conference USA
WP: Wes Musick (5-7), 5.2 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 2 K
LP: Jaager Good (1-7), 5.2 IP, 4 H, 5 R, 1 ER, 5 BB, 6 K
- Throwing out yet another runner on the bases, freshman catcher Beau Taylor recorded his league-leading 22nd runner caught stealing when he got rid of Zak Presley in the fifth.
- Junior Cory Weech made his 27th appearance of the season from the bullpen, which is tied for the fifth-most in UCF single-season history.
- UCF pitchers held Houston's 3-6 batters hitless in 13 at-bats.
- Jaager Good's 5.2-inning performance was the Knights' 12th-consecutive outing that their starting pitcher went at least 5.0 innings in a Conference USA game.