Oct. 26, 2011
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By Eric DeSalvo
UCFAthletics.com
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - After three-consecutive scoreless innings to begin Game 1 of the Black and Gold World Series, freshman third baseman Chase Darhower sent a Harrison Hukari 2-0 pitch over the left field wall to aid the Black team in a 6-3 win over the Gold Wednesday afternoon from the baseball complex. Game 2 takes place Thursday at 3:30 p.m.
Each contest in the series is six innings, with the game starting in the top of the fourth.
On the afternoon, the Black team totaled five hits, including two by center fielder Ronnie Richardson. The speedy leadoff man drove in two runs and also swiped two bases, including a theft of home plate in the eighth inning.
Junior Brian Adkins recorded the win for the Black squad, going three innings allowing only a hit and a walk. The southpaw was lifted for senior Matt Collins who recorded the next seven outs. Freshman Garrett Nuss relieved Collins and notched the final two outs for the save.
After Darhower's two-run blast in the top of the seventh, the Gold team pulled within one run on a JoMarcus Woods RBI fielder's choice that scored Jeramy Matos. The Black squad would once again extend its lead in the top of the eighth as redshirt junior D.J. Hicks hit a sacrifice fly to the warning track with the bases loaded.
After a scoreless bottom-half by Collins, the Black struck again in the top of the ninth when Richardson plated two more on a single up the middle with the defense drawn in to extend the lead to 6-1.
The Gold team would not go away quietly as freshman first baseman James Vasquez led off the bottom of the ninth with a single. Two batters later, freshman outfielder Erik Barber connected on a Collins pitch and sent it over the left field wall for his first home run of the fall. Nuss would relieve Collins and close the door by striking out Chris Adams and inducing a Travis Shreve popup.
Senior RHP Ray Hanson led the Gold pitching staff with three scoreless innings, allowing only two hits in his time on the mound.