May 8, 2013
UCF Athletics Social Media Directory
By Eric DeSalvo
UCFAthletics.com
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - The UCF baseball team kicked off its final homestand in style Wednesday night, blanking Bethune-Cookman, 4-0, to claim the season series and 73rd all-time victory between the two schools.
The Knights (27-22) earned their fourth shutout of the season by utilizing six pitchers on the evening. Rookie RHP Zac Favre notched his third win of the year after he tossed 1 1/3 frames of hitless ball. Overall, UCF's arms scattered just five Wildcats' (30-23) base-knocks while stranding runners in seven-of-nine frames, including five of the eight in scoring position.
"A lot of guys contributed, which was great to see," head coach Terry Rooney said. "That's what it is about, just playing as well as we can at the end of the season.
"When I throw a lot of guys, we are trying to win the game. I do it to because I think it gives guys different looks. The positive is that it keeps guys sharp for the weekend."
UCF got its timely hits late in the ballgame, scoring one run in four straight frames to end the contest. Sophomore JoMarcos Woods (2-for-4, 1 R) led the team in base-knocks while Chris Taladay, James Vasquez and Tommy Williams each notched an RBI.
Next up in the final homestand of 2013 for the Knights will be the second-to-last Conference USA series of the year when Tulane comes to Orlando for a three-game set beginning Friday night at 6:30 p.m. In the Sunday finale, 12 members of the 2013 squad will be honored on Senior Day prior to first pitch at 1 p.m.
Making his ninth start of the season, LHP Eric Skoglund began the game by working himself out of a bases-loaded jam in the first, and went on to toss two more innings in the game. He would give way to rookie RHP Tyler Martin (1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 1 K) and sophomore LHP Harrison Hukari (0.2 IP, 1 BB) prior to Favre taking over with two outs in the fifth.
With just two hits through the first four innings, UCF got a timely double from Williams after Austin Johnston was plunked for the 11th time this year. The sophomore shortstop laced an 0-1 pitch into the right-center gap for his seventh two-bagger of the season to score Johnston and the first run of the game.
The Knights were able to extend their lead to 2-0 by taking advantage of a passed ball with Taladay scoring after he worked his way around the bases following a 10-pitch at-bat that resulted in his second walk of the night. The Windermere native has now reach base safely in 30 straight games.
Taladay made the Wildcats pay again in the eighth, staying alive in his at-bat after a dropped foul ball allowed him to rip a double down the right-field line three pitches later that would score Woods all the way from first.
Off of B-CU closer Jordan Dailey, an NCBWA Stopper of the Year candidate, Vasquez turned on a 1-2 pitch and sent it out of the park into the home bullpen in right field for his sixth homer of 2013. It was the first dinger given up by Dailey in his last 46 appearances.
Working with the lead, RHPs Danny and Spencer Davis (no relation) closed out the game with Danny tossing two innings of one-hit ball while Spencer finished off the Wildcats by inducing a 6-4-3 double play.
Single-game tickets can be purchased by calling 407-UCF-1000 or visit the baseball tickets page. Stay up-to-date on all the latest news by visiting UCFAthletics.com and following the team on Twitter (@UCF_Baseball) and Facebook.