Feb. 24, 2016
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFKnights.com) - With the score tied four-all in the eighth inning and a runner at first base, junior Anthony Griffin delivered an RBI double to center field to lift UCF to a 5-4 victory over North Florida on Wednesday. A three-run homer by junior Ryan Crile sparked the Knights' offense in the second inning after being down 3-0.
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"What a game. It was an incredible game and I am proud of these guys," head coach Terry Rooney said. "What a team win in every essence right there. It starts on the mound with Trent Thompson going out there and throwing up zeroes the whole way. It gives us a chance and an opportunity to win."
Junior Trent Thompson logged 5 1/3 innings of relief for UCF (5-0) and struck out four, holding the Ospreys' (3-2) offense to a single run over the stretch. The final five outs were registered by senior lefty Harrison Hukari, who notched his first victory of the season.
"We had some big hits right there [in the eighth inning]," Rooney said. "At the end, we lost the lead, got the lead and held on. The boys showed good composure. It was a tremendous job against a very good UNF team."
Following a one-out single in the eighth inning, junior Logan Heiser ran around the bases to score the game-winning run on the Griffin double. The response by the Knights was immediately after the Ospreys knotted the contest after a pair of hits in the top half of the frame.
The Knights head to the Kleberg Classic in Corpus Christi, Texas, on Friday and take on host Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Friday at 7 p.m. Eastern. UCF takes on Texas State Saturday at 3 p.m. and Michigan State on Sunday at noon.
UCF returns home on Tuesday to battle No. 1 Florida at 6:30 p.m. Fans are encouraged to purchase advanced tickets by clicking here because a capacity crowd is expected at the UCF Baseball Complex.
Croc-O-Crile
- After UNF took a 3-0 lead in the second, Ryan Crile capped a four-run frame by delivering a three-run shot off the scoreboard in right to put the Knights up 4-3.
- A double by Sam Tolleson to left scored Brennan Bozeman, who registered a one-out single.
- Crile's first round tripper as a Knight came following Kam Gellinger being plunked by a pitch.
"It felt great. I got behind in the count. He threw one up and in and I put a good swing on it. Luckily, there were runners on base and I got a couple RBI out of it."
-2B Ryan Crile
Thompson Tremendous
- Trent Thompson registered 5 1/3 innings of relief and struck out four, while yielding just a single run.
- The victory was notched by Harrison Hukari (1-0) with two strikeouts in 1 2/3 innings of work.
- The starter Eric Hepple tossed the first two frames and struck out one.
"I felt really good out there tonight. I would not be able to do any of that without the defense behind me. Kam Gellinger made some awesome plays at third base. The outfielders made some good reads on balls. The defense played tremendous behind me.
"That [confidence] is something that Coach Rooney preaches -- Look the part, act the part and be the part. I try to do that every time I am out on that mound."
-RHP Trent Thompson
Twin Killing
- The Knights registered a pair of double plays in the contest and doubled their season total.
- A 6-4-3 double play ended the fourth frame, which was turned by Ryan Crile at second base.
- In the sixth inning, Trent Thompson fielded a grounder and tossed to shortstop Brennan Bozeman, who finished the double play with a throw to first baseman Sam Tolleson.
"Coach always preaches that defense is important. We practice those double plays all the time, especially the big PFP by Trent [Thompson] late in the game. It is definitely awesome to execute those plays in tough situations like they were."
-2B Ryan Crile