April 17, 2016
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFKnights.com) - With the bases loaded and one out in the ninth inning, UCF senior righty Trent Thompson induced a pair of pop outs to help the Knights clinch the series with a 6-5 win on Sunday against conference-rival USF. The eventual game-winning run was driven in by freshman Matthew Mika to cap a two-run eighth frame at the UCF Baseball Complex.
"We won the series, it was a great game and a total team win," head coach Terry Rooney said. "We talk all the time about Championship Sunday being about toughness and winning the last three innings. The guys did that and the manner in which they did it - coming back, two-out RBIs and holding on to the lead late - was awesome."
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Thompson (3-3) logged three innings of relief and yielded just one unearned run to earn the victory. The Tampa, Fla., native was forced to load the bases with a walk after USF started the ninth frame with two singles and a sac bunt.
"The composure of this team is phenomenal," said Thompson. "It doesn't matter -- up or down, early, late or what the score is -- this team is going to play the same way. They are going to be hard-nosed and compete till the last out."
UCF (20-18, 5-4 The American) broke a 4-4 tie in the eighth inning on an RBI single up the middle by junior right fielder Eugene Vazquez after a leadoff walk. Mika followed it up with an important insurance run with a base knock up the middle to cap a 3-for-4 afternoon against USF (17-19, 3-6 The American).
Two runs were driven in by junior designated hitter Matt Diorio to pace the Knights, while a pair of base knocks were also picked up by junior shortstop Kam Gellinger.
Bouncing Back
- After giving up three runs in the first inning, junior righty Juan Pimentel provided the Knights with four-straight zeroes on the scoreboard.
- The Miami, Fla., native struck out a pair and yielded nine hits, while stranding five runners over six innings of work.
- Two more zeroes were put up on the board in three innings of relief by Thompson.
"When you give up a couple of runs early, there are two choices as a pitcher and as a team. You can say, oh well, today is not our day and kind of mentally check out, but we don't do that. These guys don't do that, because they compete all the way to the very end."
"Trent was pitching a little bit on fumes [after throwing last night], but to his credit he is tough. He makes big pitches and has great poise out on the mound."
HC Terry Rooney
Two Pair Three Times
- The Knights scored two runs in the third, fifth and eighth frames.
- A single through the right side by Luke Hamblin brought around Antony George in the third frame to put UCF on the board, 3-1.
- Matt Diorio drew a bases loaded walk to cut the deficit to 3-2 three batters later.
- Tying the game at three was Matt Diorio with a two-out double to left center after Eli Putnam reached on a bunt single in the fifth frame.
- UCF took the lead on a single down the right field line by Kam Gellinger with two outs, 4-3.
- The Knights used RBI base hits from Eugene Vazquez and Matthew Mika to take a 6-4 advantage in the eighth inning.
"We came out with a lot of energy. With the wind blowing in, we had to make an adjustment and hit flat line drives and hard ground balls. We figured out a way to come out on top."
3B Matthew Mika
Noting the Bulls
- Back-to-back singles by Joe Genord and Jonah Garrison opened the ninth inning. A sac bunt by Garrett Zech moved the runners into scoring position with one out.
- USF struck first with three runs on three hits in the first inning, which included a two-run double by David Villar.
- Luke Borders, who registered two hits and two RBI, knotted the game at four-all with a solo homer in the sixth inning.
- Tommy Eveld (0-3) suffered the loss, while starter Joe Cavallaro went five innings and struckout three.
The Knights head to Jacksonville on Tuesday to take on North Florida at 6 p.m. UCF is back home on Friday at 6:30 p.m. to start a three-game set against Tulane.