Feb. 24, 2011
="" alt="Knight Head" border="0" class="imported"> Read John Denton's Knights Insider | ="" alt="Twitter Logo" border="0" class="imported">Follow us on Twitter | ="" alt="Facebook Logo" border="0" class="imported">Get social with the Knights on Facebook
By Brian Ormiston
UCFAthletics.com
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - UCF will participate in its first regular-season tournament since 2001 when it travels to Mobile for the South Alabama Classic. The Knights will take on host South Alabama Friday at 7 p.m. before clashing with Southeastern Louisiana Saturday at 5:30 p.m. and No. 29 Alabama Sunday at 12 p.m.
Schedule:
Friday - at South Alabama - Mobile, Ala. - 7 p.m. ET
Saturday - vs. Southeastern Louisiana - Mobile, Ala. - 5:30 p.m. ET
Sunday - vs. No. 29 Alabama - Mobile, Ala. - 12 p.m. ET
Records:
UCF - 4-0 Overall, 0-0 C-USA
South Alabama - 4-0 Overall, 0-0 Sun Belt
Southeastern Louisiana - 3-1 Overall, 0-0 Southland
Alabama - 4-0 Overall, 0-0 SEC
Stadium:
Stanky Field (3,775)
Series:
UCF leads USA, 5-3
UCF leads SLU, 6-0
UCF leads ALA, 5-4
Live Coverage:
UCFAthletics.com and Twitter.com/UCF_Baseball
Upcoming Opponent
-Thanks to a sweep of UT-Martin and a midweek extra-inning win at Jackson State, South Alabama owns a 4-0 record as the Jaguars have outscored opponents 27-17 and committed only four errors.
-Logan Kirkland is 6-for-12 with three doubles so far this year.
-Friday starting pitcher Garrett Harris limited UT-Martin to just three hits in his 7.0-inning win last weekend.
The Series
-UCF is 5-3 all-time against South Alabama, including a 3-3 record during the Knights' lone season in the Sun Belt in 1992.
-The Knights also defeated the Jaguars in the 1995 NCAA Regionals and in the 1999 Olive Garden Classic in Kissimmee.
Saturday and Sunday Opponents
-UCF is 6-0 against Southeastern Louisiana, with all six games taking place when the two clubs were members of the Atlantic Sun from 1993-97. The Lions have hit six homers this year, while Saturday starter Joseph Koon gave up five earned runs in a loss at FIU Feb. 19.
-The Black and Gold will meet the Crimson Tide Sunday for the first time since 2001, when UCF swept then-No. 11 Alabama during the inaugural year for Jay Bergman Field (UCF is 5-4 all-time vs. Alabama). In 2011, the Tide are 4-0 with only two errors and a 2.00 team ERA.
UCF in Tournament Play
-The 2001 campaign was the last time UCF competed in a regular-season tournament (Rice Coca-Cola Classic).
-This weekend also marks the first in-season tournament for UCF in the state of Alabama dating back to the 1997 Blue/Gray Classic in Montgomery.
All-Around Dominance vs. B-CU
-Facing defending MEAC champion and routine NCAA Tournament team Bethune-Cookman Feb. 22, UCF was unstoppable in the 13-0 win.
-The Knights pounded out 19 hits while seven-different pitchers combined to two-hit the Wildcats. It was UCF's first shutout since 2009 and the first time since 2008 that the staff tossed a two-hitter.
Logging Some Innings
-Early in 2011, head coach Terry Rooney wanted to get as many bodies on the mound as he could. And so far 14 pitchers have taken the hill including seven different arms in the 13-0 win at Bethune-Cookman.
-As a team, the Knights have a 1.50 ERA with just four walks compared to 41 strikeouts.
How Deep Is This Offense?
-Hitting a school-record .343 as a team last year, the Knights are not letting up in 2011.
-Through four games, UCF's average stands at .367 with 16 doubles, a .558 slugging percentage and a .462 on-base percentage.
-The Black and Gold has seven starters batting .333 or better. That does not include infielder Austin Johnston who is 2-for-4 with two doubles, as well as infielder Chris Taladay who was the 2010 C-USA Freshman of the Year and has been medically cleared to play beginning this weekend.
Beau Knows Streaks
-His sophomore season may have ended in 2010, but Rockledge native Beau Taylor has kept a major hitting streak alive.
-The junior catcher currently rides a 25-game hitting streak, which is the second-longest in UCF history.
-Taylor ended 2010 on a 21-game hitting streak, and stretched it to 25 with a hit in all four games this season.
-The UCF record belongs to Mike Myers at 26 games in 2001.
Keepin' It Going
-Last year UCF completed the season by winning 14-straight non-conference games, and with four victories so far this year, the streak has extended to 18 games (the record is 28 set in 1986).