March 2, 2011
| UCF vs. Maine March 2, 2011 |
| From Orlando, Fla. | |||||
| Team | R | H | E | ||
| Maine | 3 | 8 | 4 | ||
| UCF | 6 | 6 | 3 | ||
WP: Adkins (2-0), 6.0 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 5 K
LP: Benoit (0-1), 0.1 IP, 1 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 0 K
SV: Rogers (1), 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
Game-Changing Moment
Ahead by just a 5-3 margin in the fifth, Ronnie Richardson helped put the game away by lining a two-out, 2-1 offering from Jonathan Balentina into left field to drive in Austin Johnston.
Three Stars
First Star: UCF SP Brian Adkins, WP, 6.0 IP, 2 ER, 0 BB, 5 K
Second Star: UCF CF Ronnie Richardson, 1-for-2, 1 RBI, 2 R, 3 BB
Third Star: MAINE DH Ian Leisenheimer, 3-for-4, 2 R
By Brian Ormiston
UCFAthletics.com
Orlando, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - Starting pitcher Brian Adkins (2-0) along with relievers Chase Bradford and Joe Rogers did not issue a walk compared to 11 free passes by Maine's pitching staff in the Knights' 6-3 win against the Black Bears (1-7) Wednesday. Adkins, a graduate of University High School, went 6.0 innings, striking out five and giving up just two earned runs to lift UCF's record to 7-1 on the year.
"I thought Brian did a solid job. The role of the starting pitcher is to give your team a chance to win, and Brian did just that," said head coach Terry Rooney. "Anytime you can get five-plus innings out of your starting pitcher is a solid effort. The most important thing that he did was that he didn't walk a batter."
Following Adkins' stint on the hill, Bradford entered and surrendered only one hit while striking out two in the seventh and eighth innings, and Rogers sat down all three hitters he faced in the ninth for his first save of 2011. It also was the sophomore's ninth save of his career, moving him into a tie for sixth on UCF's all-time list.
Facing righty Kyle Benoit, UCF immediately opened with a 3-0 lead on three walks, two wild pitches, a balk, a passed ball, a stolen base and an error. During that span, Ronnie Richardson demonstrated his wheels by traveling from first to third on a wild pitch. After Jonathan Griffin doubled to right for the Knights' first hit, Shaun Coughlin came out of the pen and promptly held the Knights to the 3-0 cushion.
Maine had the quick answer by plating a pair of runs in the second, and both teams later traded unearned runs before UCF grabbed a 5-3 advantage on a sac fly off the bat of Griffin, driving in Richardson in the bottom of the fourth. As soon as the Knights stepped in the box in the fifth, it put two runners aboard for Richardson who sent a two-out RBI single into left field to make it 6-3.
The Black and Gold had several opportunities to stretch its lead, including having the bases loaded with one out in the sixth only to have Stephen Perakslis strike out two-straight Knights to keep Maine's deficit at 6-3. But the Black Bears could not solve Adkins and the bullpen as UCF easily held on the rest of the way.
Up next for the Knights is defending Ivy League champion Dartmouth with game one set for Friday at 6:30 p.m. Following game two Saturday at 4 p.m., the series will conclude Sunday at 12 p.m. (originally scheduled for 1 p.m.).
Game Notes
Maine - 1-7 Overall
UCF - 7-1 Overall
-Ronnie Richardson and Darnell Sweeney each drew three walks, and Richardson finished 1-for-2 with a RBI and two runs.
-Jonathan Griffin led the Knights with two hits and also had a sac fly.
-Winning pitcher Brian Adkins threw 64 of 88 pitches for strikes.
-Maine finished with an 8-6 advantage in the hits department, marking UCF's fewest hits since it had five at Marshall April 23, 2010, a span of 21 games.