March 8, 2011
| UCF vs. Mount St. Mary's March 8, 2011 |
| From Orlando, Fla. | |||||
| Team | R | H | E | ||
| Mount St. Mary's | 2 | 7 | 0 | ||
| UCF | 1 | 6 | 0 | ||
WP: Lamont (1-1), 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
LP: Bradford (1-1), 0.1 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
SV: Fields (1), 2.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
Game-Changing Moment
The UCF offense looked like it was about to break out in the fifth inning. With the score 0-0 and runners at second and third with one out, Austin Johnston struck out and Travis Shreve flew out in a span of four pitches. That helped Mount St. Mary's gain all of the confidence it needed en route to its victory.
Three Stars
First Star: MSM SP Max Brittenham, 6.2 scoreless innings
Second Star: MSM PH Nick Walker, go-ahead RBI in 8th
Third Star: UCF SP Ray Hanson, 7.0 scoreless innings
Wednesday Preview vs. BC in PDF Format
By Brian Ormiston
UCFAthletics.com
Orlando, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - UCF starting pitcher Ray Hanson tossed 7.0 scoreless innings however he did not get any support from an offense that entered Tuesday night hitting .342 as the Knights fell to Mount St. Mary's, 2-1. The Black and Gold's record dropped to 9-3 on the year while the Mount improved to 2-3.
Hanson was almost unhittable Tuesday, collecting four strikeouts and limiting Mount St. Mary's to three hits and one walk. He left with the score tied at 0-0 in the eighth but the bullpen surrendered two runs and that was all the visitors needed.
For Mount St. Mary's, Max Brittenham went 6.2 shutout innings in his start, striking out four in the pitcher's duel.
UCF redshirt sophomore D.J. Hicks kept his hitting streak alive, extending it to 10 games by going 2-for-2 with a walk, and also pitched a perfect ninth inning from the pen.
Brittenham retired the first seven Knights to open up the game. Through the first four innings, UCF was the only team to get a runner into scoring position when Hicks and Austin Johnston singled with one out however the Knights were unable to convert.
Two innings later, UCF was poised to light up the scoreboard in the fifth, picking up a leadoff single from Chris Taladay and following a fielder's choice, a double by Hicks. Now with just one out and runners at second and third, Johnston struck out on three pitches and Travis Shreve flied out to right on the first pitch he saw.
With the score still knotted at 0-0, UCF placed two more on base with two outs in the seventh. Pinch-hitter Derek Luciano stepped in to make it a lefty vs. righty situation only to have the Mount bring in southpaw reliever Karl Lamont who promptly sat down Luciano on three pitches.
While the Knights were having a hard time figuring out Brittenham and the bullpen, Hanson was rolling through the Mountaineers as well, highlighted by sitting down the final seven batters he faced leading up to the eighth inning.
When UCF went to the pen in the eighth for Chase Bradford, Mount St. Mary's took advantage with a pair of one-out singles to put runners at the corners. In stepped lefty Joe Rogers to face left-handed hitting Tommy Flynn, who in turn went to the bench for righty Nick Walker. After a stolen base by Brandon Scott to avoid the double play, Walker delivered a RBI single with the infield in. Michael Foster followed suit with a RBI single of his own to make it 2-0.
UCF was able to escape any further damage in the inning due to the arm of catcher Beau Taylor, who threw out a pair of runners for the final two outs in the frame. But the two runs held up as UCF could only muster one run in the bottom of the ninth on a RBI groundout from Taladay.
The Knights' five-game week continues Wednesday when they face Boston College for the first time since 1985 at 6:30 p.m.
Game Notes
Mount St. Mary's - 2-3 Overall
UCF - 9-3 Overall
-UCF had scored at least six runs in 10 of 11 games prior to Tuesday's loss.
-The Knights also scored at least one run in the eighth inning in nine of 11 games, but were held scoreless in the eighth vs. Mount St. Mary's.
-Ronnie Richardson's 10-game hitting streak came to an end.
-UCF's fielding percentage is up to .981 after another mistake-free game.
-Catcher Beau Taylor threw out 3-of-4 would-be basestealers in the contest, and also had a double.