May 2, 2009
Notes for the May 3 Game in PDF Format
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - Tied at 4-4 in the top of the eighth, UCF watched as Marshall scored 14 runs in the final two innings to defeat the Knights, 18-8, Saturday at Jay Bergman Field. Senior Jaager Good registered his best outing of the year, lasting 7.1 innings with five strikeouts and left with the game knotted up. The righty tossed 67 of 109 pitches for strikes for the Black and Gold (16-29, 5-12 Conference USA).
Two more seniors stepped up at the dish against the Thundering Herd (19-26, 8-12), where Brandon Romans connected for his 13th home run of the year, moving him into a tie for 10th on the UCF single-season chart. Colin Arnold also went yard for his fifth of 2009 and he completed his day 2-for-4 with two RBI and two runs.
A pair of quick runs gave Marshall the early lead when Victor Gomez connected for a two-out, two-run blast in the first off Good. Romans then went yard as well to leadoff the second, sending a 1-1 pitch from Greg Williams the opposite way and over the right-center wall. However the Herd replied in the third with two more runs to spring out to a 4-1 advantage.
UCF once again cut the deficit in half in the home half of the third, and it all started up with a one-out single from Arnold. After the center fielder stole his seventh base of 2009, junior Shane Brown ripped a two-out double down the right-field line to make it 4-2.
Arnold delivered yet again in the fifth. Freshman D.J. Hicks worked a walk before giving way to Arnold, who with one away lined a two-run homer just over the top of the left-field fence.
It remained knotted at 4-4 until the eighth, when Marshall took advantage of a botched double play with one out. It would have allowed Good to complete eight full innings as well as continue to give the Knights' bats a chance to take the lead. But the seventh frame rolled along as Good gave way to the bullpen, and the Thundering Herd brought in six runs on three hits.
After Marshall posted an eight spot in the top of the ninth, the bottom half closed the game on a very weird note. Joe Church entered in relief and had trouble finding the strike zone. The righty walked all five batters he faced and also added three balks to allow UCF to score three runs without the benefit of a hit. Freshman Beau Taylor drove in the final run on a sacrifice fly.
The two programs will conclude their C-USA series Sunday with first pitch slated for 11 a.m.
Baseball flex pack voucher packages as well as single game tickets are on sale for the 2009 campaign. Call the UCF Ticket Office at (407) 823-1000 for more information. Fans may also visit UCFAthletics.com - the official site for UCF varsity sports. The site contains ticket and Golden Knights Club donor information, and is the home of UCF's online apparel store. Also visit UCFPhotos.com, the exclusive fan source for UCF action sports pictures.
Game Notes
Marshall - 19-26 Overall, 8-12 Conference USA
UCF - 16-29 Overall, 5-12 Conference USA
WP: Tyler Gatrell (2-2), 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 K
LP: Jaager Good (1-5), 7.1 IP, 7 H, 6 R, 5 ER, 3 BB, 5 K
- Shane Brown's hitting streak reached eight games in the loss. He already posted a 22-game hitting streak earlier this year.
- Meanwhile, Colin Arnold, who had a 20-game streak this season, moved his current streak to seven games.
- First baseman Kiko Vazquez made 16 putouts Saturday, which was just three shy of tying the single-game record.
- Jaager Good's 7.1 innings on the mound came within two outs of tying a career-high. The senior has thrown 8.0 innings four times in his tenure with the Knights.