March 9, 2010
| UCF vs. Miami March 9, 2010 |
| From Orlando, Fla. | |||||
| Team | R | H | E | ||
| Miami | 19 | 18 | 1 | ||
| UCF | 2 | 5 | 6 | ||
WP: Steve Ewing (2-0), 6.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 1 K
LP: Brian Adkins (0-2), 3.2 IP, 7 H, 8 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 0 K
SV: None
Game-Changing Moment
UCF did trail 5-0 but it was early as the two teams played three innings. Earlier this year the Knights scored six unanswered on Florida, however on Tuesday, UCF booted two balls in the fourth and Frankie Ratcliff capitalized with a two-run double, ultimately sealing the UM victory.
Three Stars
First Star: The UCF Fans. Even though it was Spring Break, 2,546 ventured through the gates to make up the second-largest crowd in UCF history.
Second Star: UM SS Stephen Perez, 4-for-6, 6 RBI, 3 R
Third Star: UM 2B Frankie Ratcliff, 2-for-4, 3 RBI, 4 R
By Brian Ormiston
UCFAthletics.com
Orlando, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - In the first meeting between UCF and Miami in Orlando since 1990, the Knights committed early defensive miscues that helped the Hurricanes jump on top and they would move on 19-2 in front of 2,546 fans. The loss sent UCF's record to 7-6 while UM jumped to 8-3 on the year.
The attendance of 2,546 was the second-largest crowd in UCF baseball history, and it occurred while the student population of over 50,000 was away on Spring Break.
Orlando's University High School was represented on the mound by both squads as UCF freshman lefty Brian Adkins faced off with UM freshman southpaw Steven Ewing. Adkins would surrender eight runs but only two of them were earned as he was forced to pitch around five Knight errors during his 3.2 innings. Meanwhile, Ewing earned the win in 6.0 innings of work.
Senior Chris Duffy continued to tear apart opposing hitters, hammering out his sixth homer of the year. That already equals his total from 2009, while it was his 28th career dinger. One more long ball and Duffy will move into a tie with Kiko Vazquez for sixth on the UCF all-time chart.
Miami executed right away in the first inning when Zeke DeVoss doubled to lead off the game, traveled to third on a fly out and scored on a ground out. UM struck again in the second by way of a solo homer from Harold Martinez. The Hurricanes then broke it open in the third thanks to two crucial errors that led to three unearned runs. The same thing happened in the fourth as UM plated three more unearned runs on two errors.
Following Duffy's solo shot deep over the right-field wall in the bottom of the fourth, Miami scored three more times, two of the unearned variety, to make it 11-1. UCF freshman Darnell Sweeney hoped to answer by banging out a one-out double to the left-center gap. He would move to third on a sacrifice bunt and sprinted across home plate when Ewing tossed in a wild pitch.
The Hurricanes, though, would not let the Knights get any closer as they were on their way to the victory.
The weekend now awaits UCF as it will host Hartford in a three-game set beginning Friday at 6:30 p.m.
Season tickets for the 2010 campaign are currently on sale. To purchase tickets, call 407-823-1000 or visit UCFAthletics.com. And for the latest news on the Knights, log on to UCFAthletics.com - the official site for UCF varsity sports. The site, which also contains Golden Knights Club donor information, is also the home of UCF's new online apparel store. Also visit UCFPhotos.com and become a follower of the Knights on Twitter and Facebook.
Game Notes
No. 13 Miami - 8-3 Overall
UCF - 7-6 Overall
-Tuesday marked the first time that UCF and Miami met on the diamond since 1995. But the last time they clashed on the UCF campus was Feb. 11, 1990.
-The Knights and Hurricanes will close out their home-and-home series later this month when UCF travels to Coral Gables March 23.
-The crowd of 2,546 marked the second-largest at UCF, falling shy of the 2,758 fans that witnessed the Knights battle Florida March 18, 2009, and that game did not take place during Spring Break.
-Freshman Ryan Breen saw time in his second game this year and recorded his first-collegiate hit, a double in the eighth inning.
-Freshman Jack Sterritt made his first-career appearance on the mound, pitching a scoreless ninth with a strikeout.
-Freshman Ronnie Richardson paced all UCF hitters with a pair of hits including a double.