March 29, 2010
By Brian Ormiston
UCFAthletics.com
Orlando, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - UCF gets ready for a home-and-home when it hosts Bethune-Cookman Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. before heading to Daytona Beach for a Wednesday showdown. On Tuesday, new men's basketball coach Donnie Jones will be inside the Tradition Room at 5:30 p.m. for a meet-and-greet with fans, and he also will throw out the first pitch.
Schedule:
Tuesday vs. Bethune-Cookman - Orlando, Fla. - 6:30 p.m.
Wednesday at Bethune-Cookman - Daytona Beach, Fla. - 6 p.m.
Records:
Bethune-Cookman - 15-11 Overall, 3-0 MEAC
UCF - 15-10 Overall, 1-2 C-USA
Stadium:
Jay Bergman Field (2,230)
Jackie Robinson Ballpark (4,800)
Series:
UCF leads, 63-14
Live Stats and Audio:
UCFAthletics.com
Live Video
UCFAthletics.com (Tuesday only)
Welcome Back
-A member of the UCF Athletics Hall of Fame, Jason Arnold returns to campus, this time as an assistant coach with Bethune-Cookman.
-Arnold played for the Knights from 1998-01 and had a 30-11 ERA with a 2.38 career ERA. He holds the UCF all-time record for saves and strikeouts per nine innings.
UCF vs. Houston Series Recap
-UCF was able to capture game one at Houston, its first win on the Cougars' home field since 1998, but could not earn the series win.
-Shane Brown hit .545 over the weekend while Austin Johnston went 5-for-10 with a double.
Upcoming Opponent
-Victorious in 11 of its last 13 outings, Bethune-Cookman stands at 15-11 on the year including an upset over No. 22 Ohio State last week.
-The Wildcats are hitting .327 and are led by Peter O'Brien, who has 12 homers and a .382 average.
The Series
-UCF and Bethune-Cookman last battled it out on the diamond in 2006 with the Knights going 3-1 that year over the Wildcats. That enabled the Black and Gold to take a 63-14 lead in the all-time series.
Staying Consistent
-Once again Shane Brown is proving he is one of the best hitters in the country in 2010.
-The senior is on an eight-game hitting streak, marking his fifth streak of at least eight games in his career. That includes a 22-game spurt last year, the second longest in UCF history.
-Brown has at least two hits in 17 of UCF's 25 games.
-For the year, the right fielder boasts a .453 average with four homers, 23 RBI and 24 runs. He also has been issued 12 walks and hit 15 times, all while having just six strikeouts.
Talk About Streaking
-After starting the year on an eight-game hitting streak, Chris Duffy continues to pound away. The senior is currently riding a 16-game streak, the longest of his career.
-During the streak, Duffy has amassed 31 hits with eight homers and 29 RBI.
Finding the Perfect Position in the Lineup
-Since moving up the leadoff spot in the order, Shane Brown has posted a .500 average (19-for-38) with two homers and 14 runs in 11 games.
-Meanwhile, Darnell Sweeney has come to life at the No. 9 position in the lineup, batting .357 (25-for-70) in 19 contests. Sweeney has 15 RBI and 12 runs as well.
All it Takes is a Freshman
-The first batter of an inning can really set the stage for the sticks. And for UCF, four of its top five hitters when it comes to leading off an inning are freshmen.
-Austin Johnston (.667, 8-for-12) and Chris Taladay (.625, 5-for-8) each own batting averages over .600, while Darnell Sweeney (.438, 7-for-16) and Ryan Breen (.385, 5-for-13) also rank in the top five in those situations.