March 1, 2012
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By Eric DeSalvo
UCFAthletics.com
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - After downing in-state rivals USF and Bethune-Cookman earlier in the week, the No. 19 UCF baseball team returns to action when it hosts Siena for a three-game series beginning Friday night at 6:30 p.m. The two squads will continue play Saturday at 4 p.m. and Sunday at 1.
The three-game set against the Saints (1-7) kicks off a loaded month of March that sees the Knights (7-2) host 15 games, including Florida State on the 6th and 7th and Miami on the 14th.
Winners in four of its last five games, UCF will toss out sophomore RHP Ben Lively (Gulf Breeze, Fla.) for his second-straight Friday-night start. Against Boston College last week, Lively was downright nasty, striking out a career-high 11 batters in just six innings of work. He'll go head-to-head with Siena's Justin Brantley (0-1) who has surrendered nine runs in 13 innings on the mound.
Junior Chris Matulis (Boynton Beach, Fla.) will move into the Saturday slot after pitching the previous two Sundays. The 6-foot-6 lefty owns a 2.61 ERA through 10.1 innings and will battle fellow southpaw Ryan Poplawski (0-2, 7.00 ERA) of the Saints.
UCF has strung together three-straight wins, including 20 combined runs in the two midweek victories over USF and Bethune-Cookman. The 12-1 trampling of the Bulls was the most runs scored by UCF in the rivalry since 2001. Wednesday's 8-4 victory in Daytona was the Knights' eighth-straight triumph over the Wildcats since 2006.
For ticket information for all of UCF's exciting home games, contact the UCF Ticket Office at (407) 823-1000 or visit UCFAthletics.com. Each and every home contest can be seen live on CBS All-Access.
Probable Pitching Matchups (UCF listed first)
Friday: RHP Ben Lively (1-0) vs. RHP Justin Brantley (0-1)
Saturday: LHP Chris Matulis (1-0) vs. LHP Ryan Poplawski (0-2)
Sunday: TBD vs. RHP Rick Morales (0-0)