April 6, 2012
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By Jenna Marina
UCFAthletics.com
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - The No. 14 UCF baseball team saw its five-game win streak end Friday night in an 11-4 loss to UAB in Orlando. The Knights fell to 24-7 overall and 5-2 in Conference USA, while the Blazers jumped to 19-12 on the year and 3-4 in league play.
Five UCF errors helped UAB score nine unearned runs in the fourth inning to take a commanding 9-2 lead, and the deficit was simply too great to overcome.
UCF first baseman D.J. Hicks was the most productive Knight at the plate, going 2-for-5 with a home run, two runs and two RBI to remain the nation's leader in RBI.
Hicks got things started for the Knights in the bottom of the first when he singled down the right side with two outs on the board. Chris Taladay came up and matched the single to advance Hicks into scoring position.
Continuing the two-out hitting spree, Alex Friedrich sent a ball hopping past the third baseman to bring in Hicks for the Knights' first run before Ryan Breen hammered a ball to the warning track. It took one bounce and sailed over the right-center wall for a ground-rule double to plate Taladay.
The Knights held the Blazers scoreless through three innings, but things took a turn when UAB loaded the bases and proceeded to score nine runs in the fourth. The Blazers added to their advantage in the top of the fifth, 10-2, when Ivan De Jesus belted the first triple UCF has allowed all year to score Keith DePew.
UCF showed some life in the bottom of the seventh when Hicks ripped a two-run homer over the right-center wall for his ninth home run of the year. Jacob German would give UAB the last say when he scored in the top of the ninth as John Frost reached on a fielding error to send German home.
UCF and UAB head back out on the field Saturday at 4 p.m. An hour before first pitch, children ages 3-12 can participate in an Easter egg hunt and will receive a free ticket to the game.