March 1, 2010
By Brian Ormiston
UCFAthletics.com
Orlando, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - UCF gets set for its first five-game week when it hosts Duquesne Tuesday at 4 p.m. and North Florida Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. The Knights also will welcome Central Michigan to town for a three-game series this weekend.
Schedule:
Tuesday vs. Duquesne - Orlando, Fla. - 4 p.m.
Wednesday vs. North Florida - Orlando, Fla. - 6:30 p.m.
Records:
Duquesne - 0-5 Overall, 0-0 Atlantic 10
North Florida - 1-5 Overall, 0-0 Atlantic Sun
UCF - 6-1 Overall, 0-0 C-USA
Stadium:
Jay Bergman Field (2,230)
Series:
First Meeting with Duquesne
UNF leads, 6-5
Live Stats:
UCFAthletics.com
Live Video:
UCFAthletics.com
Radio
Tuesday - UCFAthletics.com
Wednesday - 740-AM and UCFAthletics.com
Ballpark Festivities
-Tuesday marks eighties night at the ballpark, with the first 150 fans set to receive a free UCF slap bracelet.
-Meanwhile, both Tuesday and Wednesday will feature free admission to little league players.
UCF vs. Siena Series Recap
-The Black and Gold banged out a total of 38 hits in its sweep over Siena Feb. 26-28, but the Saints pushed the Knights in the final two games.
-After an 8-3 win Friday, UCF had to tie it up in the bottom of the ninth Saturday before Beau Taylor's walk-off single in the 12th. Then on Sunday, Taylor had the game-winning RBI yet again with his two-run homer in the sixth en route to a 10-8 triumph.
-Chris Taladay hit .583 vs. Siena, while several members of the bullpen stepped up in clutch situations.
Upcoming Opponent
-Duquesne stands at 0-5 on the year, including three losses at No. 10 South Carolina, and will take on Villanova Monday in Winter Haven.
-Catcher/right fielder Rick Devereaux is hitting .478 on the year, while the Dukes own a .257 team average with four homers and eight steals.
-On the mound, Grant Gillespie is scheduled to make the start, and the junior righty went 3.0 innings at South Carolina Feb. 20, receiving the loss by giving up six runs.
Updated notes for the North Florida game will be available on the UCF baseball webpage.
The Series
-Tuesday marks the first time UCF and Duquesne will have met on the diamond.
We Were Only Freshmen
A look at UCF's instrumental freshmen so far in 2010:
-Not at the top of the depth chart when the season opened, Windermere's Chris Taladay has taken over the designated hitter position, going .500 at the plate with six RBI and six runs.
-Winter Haven's Austin Johnston (2B/3B) filled in Opening Day due to an injury, and since then has proceeded to hit .417 with six doubles and eight runs.
-Eagle Lake's Ronnie Richardson holds down the leadoff spot, hitting .320 with 11 walks and four steals.
-Shortstop Darnell Sweeney out of Miramar also has four stolen bases along with four runs.
-Out of the pen, Winter Haven's Joe Rogers has struck out eight in 4.0 scoreless innings with one save as the UCF closer.
Beau Knows Clutch Hitting
-On a 10-game hitting streak dating back to 2009, Beau Taylor continues to step up. The catcher notched the game-winning RBI in the final two games of the Siena series, posting a walk-off single in the 12th inning Feb. 27 and a two-run homer Feb. 28.
-The sophomore already has three homers, which is just one shy of his season total from 2009.
Making Pitchers Work
-Leadoff hitter Ronnie Richardson is pushing opposing pitchers deep into their pitch counts this year. The switch-hitter has racked up 11 walks while going 8-for-25.
-On the bases, he's also forcing pitchers to turn their focus away from hitters, stealing four bases and scoring seven runs.
Turn it Loose
-Through seven contests, the UCF aluminum holds a .367 team batting average with 10 homers. Freshman Chris Taladay paces the Knights with a .500 average, followed by Beau Taylor, Chris Duffy and Austin Johnston who are each hitting over .400.
-UCF has finished with at least 11 hits in each of those contests, highlighted by the 8-3 win over Siena Feb. 26 where every hitter added at least one hit apiece.
Offense Notes from the Florida Game
-With 15, UCF recorded its most hits vs. Florida dating back to May 11, 1999, when the Knights also had 15 hits in an 8-7 win in Gainesville.
-It was the first time since May 6 last year (a span of 18 games) that the Gators surrendered at least 15 hits. UF allowed 15 hits or more in a game only six times in 2009.
-UCF hitters 4-7, Beau Taylor, Jonathan Griffin, Chris Duffy and Austin Johnston, posted at least two hits.