Feb. 17, 2011
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By Brian Ormiston
UCFAthletics.com
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - The 39th season of UCF baseball is here and the Black and Gold will welcome Siena to town for Opening Weekend Friday-Sunday. Former Knights Chris Duffy and Shane Brown will make their return to Orlando and be honored prior to Friday's contest at 6:30 p.m.
Schedule:
Friday - Orlando, Fla. - 6:30 p.m.
Saturday - Orlando, Fla. - 4 p.m.
Sunday - Orlando, Fla. - 1 p.m.
Records:
Siena - 0-0 Overall, 0-0 MAAC
UCF - 0-0 Overall, 0-0 C-USA
Stadium:
Jay Bergman Field (2,230)
Series:
UCF leads, 31-3
Live Coverage:
UCFAthletics.com
Friday: 740-AM with Scott Adams on the Call
Opening Day History
-The Knights hold a 22-16 overall record in season-openers, including victories in the previous three Opening Day games.
-Last year, UCF got past Savannah State, 7-2, with Brown, Derek Luciano, Beau Taylor and Austin Johnston each posting two hits, and Owen Dew tossing 5.0 scoreless innings.
Upcoming Opponent
-Siena closed out 2010 with an even 27-27 record and a 13-11 mark in the MAAC.
-One of the most dangerous players in the nation, junior second baseman Dan Paolini led the NCAA last year in home runs per game, crushing 26 in only 53 contests. He led an offensive attack that hit .305.
-All four of the Saints' primary starting pitchers are back, including Kyle Sumple who went 7.0 innings against the Knights last year in game two (UCF won, 6-5 in 12 innings).
The Series
-This will be the fifth time in the last seven years UCF has hosted Siena in a three-game series, and the Knights lead all-time 31-3.
-In last year's series, the Knights topped the Saints in game one, 8-3, before squeaking by in 12 innings in game two, 6-5, and then earning the sweep with a 10-8 win in the finale.
-That series witnessed eventual Freshman All-American Chris Taladay earn a permanent spot in the order. Serving as the DH as well as catching game two, he hit his first collegiate homer in the first contest, went 2-for-4 in the second game and banged out three doubles in the game-three win.
Previous Opening Day Starting Pitchers
Since 2001:
2001: Justin Pope (L), 5.1 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 9 K
FIU def. UCF, 6-2 - Orlando, Fla.
2002: Lincoln Mincks (ND), 5.2 IP, 8 H, 4 ER, 6 K
UCF def. FIU, 5-4 - Miami, Fla.
2003: Von Stertzbach (ND), 5.0 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 10 K
FIU def. UCF, 8-7 - Orlando, Fla.
2004: Matt Fox (W), 5.0 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 10 K
UCF def. FIU, 6-2 - Miami, Fla.
2005: Mike Billek (ND), 6.0 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 5 K
UCF def. FIU, 3-2 - Orlando, Fla.
2006: Tim Bascom (L), 4.1 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 2 K
FIU def. UCF, 4-3 - Miami, Fla.
2007: Kyle Sweat (L), 5.1 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 1 K
FIU def. UCF, 5-3 - Orlando, Fla.
2008: Jaager Good (W), 5.2 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 8 K
UCF def. Florida A&M, 17-1 - Orlando, Fla.
2009: Kyle Sweat (W), 5.0 IP, 5 H, 0 ER, 7 K
UCF def. VCU, 10-2 - Orlando, Fla.
2010: Owen Dew (W), 5.0 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 6 K
UCF def. SVSU, 7-2 - Orlando, Fla.
What is Returning
The top returning players for 2011:
-C Beau Taylor - .354, 70 H, 45 R, 7 HR
-1B Jonathan Griffin - .299, 44 RBI, 13 HR
-2B/3B Austin Johnston - .266, 12 2B, 12 SAC
-SS Darnell Sweeney - .358, 51 R, 17 SB
-3B/C Chris Taladay - .352, 19 2B, 8 HR, 47 RBI
-CF Ronnie Richardson - .297, 12 SB, 34 BB
-DH/OF/C Ryan Breen - .348, 46 R, 11 SB
-3B Derek Luciano - .342 in 21 games
-OF Alex Friedrich - .295 in 23 games
-DH/1B/RHP D.J. Hicks - Medical Redshirt in `10
-LHP Joe Rogers - 4.50, 4-2, 8 SV
-RHP Bryan Brown - 4.81, 2-2
-RHP Brennan Dobbins - 5.13, 3-0, 1 SV
-RHP Chase Bradford - 5.59, 4-3, 1 SV
-LHP Nick Cicio - 5.64, 4-3, 56 K
-LHP Brian Adkins - 5.80, 4-3
-LHP Johnny Sedlock - 5.95, 3-4, 1 SV
What is Lost
Key losses from the 2010 roster:
-LF Chris Duffy - .447, 18 2B, 21 HR, 81 RBI
-RF Shane Brown - .428, 25 2B, 10 HR, 58 R
-RHP Owen Dew - 5.89, 5-3, 48 K
-RHP Matt Manning - 5.92, 1-0, 4 SV
What is New for 2010
-What's new has certainly given UCF a lot of national attention. Rooney and his staff witnessed their recruiting class be ranked in the top 20 in the country for the second-straight season by Collegiate Baseball Newspaper.
-Among that class was Parkland College product Danny Winkler. The junior right-hander is slated to get the Opening Day start on the mound for the Knights after guiding his school to the NJCAA national title as a freshman.
-In the field, junior college transfer Travis Shreve is in line to start at second base, while fellow junior Erik Hempe should get the start in right field.
Preseason Polls
-UCF is receiving votes in three of the major national preseason polls (see page four).
-The Knights were picked to finish fourth in Conference USA by the league's coaches, including earning one first-place vote. Rice, Southern Miss and East Carolina, respectively, were ahead of UCF in the poll.
Order of Pegasus
-Senior pitcher Brennan Dobbins was honored with the Order of Pegasus in February, which recognizes exemplary performance by UCF undergraduate students in the areas of academics, university involvement, leadership and community service.
-The Order of Pegasus is the most prestigious and significant student award that can be attained at UCF.
-Dobbins became the fourth student-athlete since 2001 to receive the lofty recognition.
UCF in the Draft
UCF has a total of 11 MLB Draft picks on its roster this season.
RHP/1B D.J. Hicks - 2008 49th Round
RHP Alex Besaw - 2009 32nd Round
RHP J.M. Blake - 2008 32nd Round
RHP Ray Hanson - 2010 47th Round
RHP Ben Lively - 2010 26th Round
LHP Chris Matulis - 2008 47th Round
RHP Danny Winkler - 2010 43rd Round
2B/SS Spencer Haynes - 2010 43rd Round
1B Jonathan Griffin - 2007 41st Round, 2008 45th Round
SS Darnell Sweeney - 2009 41st Round
CF Ronnie Richardson - 2009 11th Round