March 5, 2011
| UCF vs. Dartmouth March 5, 2011 |
| From Orlando, Fla. | |||||
| Team | R | H | E | ||
| Dartmouth | 8 | 13 | 1 | ||
| UCF | 6 | 8 | 1 | ||
WP: Johnson (1-0), 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 K
LP: Rogers (0-1), 2.1 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
SV: None
Game-Changing Moment
With UCF ahead 6-5 with two outs in the ninth, Jeff Onstott delivered a RBI double to deep center field to tie it up, and Dartmouth held on to its momentum into the 10th inning where it plated two more two-out runs for the win.
Three Stars
First: DART 2B Jeff Onstott, game-tying RBI in the 9th
Second: DART SS Joe Sclafani, 2-for-5, GW RBI in the 10th
Third: UCF CF Ronnie Richardson, 3-for-5, 2 R, 3B, started the 8th inning rally with a single
By Brian Ormiston
UCFAthletics.com
Orlando, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - After tying it with two outs in the ninth, Dartmouth notched a pair of two-out, two-strike RBI hits in the top of the 10th inning to steal an 8-6 victory over UCF in game two of a doubleheader Saturday. The Knights still won the series, 2-1, but the defeat was the first at home in 2011 and it also dropped their record to 9-2.
Extending his hitting streak to 10 games, Ronnie Richardson went 3-for-5 with a triple and two runs against the Big Green (1-2), and Travis Shreve finished the evening by going 2-for-5 with two doubles and his ninth stolen base of the year.
Dartmouth righty Cole Sulser took the mound a year after going 8-0 with four saves for the Big Green, but UCF greeted him in his 2011 debut by loading the bases with no outs in the bottom of the first. One out later, Jonathan Griffin launched a sac fly to right, and even though Sulser got to two outs, Ryan Breen smacked a two-strike, two-run single through the left side to make it 3-0.
UCF starter Matt Collins lasted two scoreless innings and struck out one only to be relieved in the third by Bryan Brown. The Big Green then woke up as the first three hitters reached and the Knights' advantage was cut to 3-1. Now with runners and second and third and nobody out, Brown's breaking ball fooled the next three batters as the righty struck out three-straight to keep the lead at 3-1.
Unable to score from the second to the fourth innings, Shreve plated the Knights' fourth run of the game by doubling to left center, stealing third and touching home when the throw from catcher Brandon Parks was wild.
Now up 4-1, the bullpen could not keep the lead, issuing two walks in the sixth as both came around to score, and an error allowed two unearned runs to scamper across home, giving Dartmouth a 5-4 edge. It was the Big Green's first lead of the series.
And Dartmouth took that one-run lead into the eighth where Richardson led off with a single to right vs. reliever Ryan Smith and traveled to second on a groundout. With the tying run at second and one down, Beau Taylor flew out to center and pinch-hitter D.J. Hicks drew a walk. Now with two outs and runners at the corners, Taladay jumped on the first pitch and found the right-center gap. Richardson scored from third and Hicks motored all of the way around from first for the go-ahead run.
Closer Joe Rogers, who entered in the eighth inning, witnessed Sam Bean become the tying runner by getting the ninth started with an infield single. Bean eventually touched third, and with two down, Jeff Onstott would not let the game end by hammering a RBI double to center, evening things up at 6-6.
When the game reached the 10th inning, Dartmouth used an infield single, sac bunt, fly out and another infield single to retake the lead. Bean added to the Big Green's offense with a two-out RBI single to left that deflated UCF's chances for a victory.
UCF's 13-game homestand continues with five games next week. The Knights will host Mount St. Mary's Tuesday and Boston College Wednesday with both contests getting underway at 6:30 p.m., while they also welcome Wagner to town for a three-game series March 11-13.
Game Notes
Dartmouth - 1-2 Overall
UCF - 9-2 Overall
-D.J. Hicks' hitting streak stayed alive at nine games thanks to a single in the 10th inning.
-In the doubleheader, Travis Shreve was 6-for-10 with four stolen bases and four runs, while Ronnie Richardson was 5-for-9 and Hicks was 3-for-5.
-It was the first extra-inning game of the year for the Knights, and their first extra-inning loss since a 10-inning defeat to Memphis May 2, 2010. It also was their first extra-inning non-conference loss dating back to 2009 vs. Florida Gulf Coast (also 10 innings).