April 8, 2016
HOUSTON, Texas (UCFKnights.com) - Sophomore right-hander Cre Finfrock tossed a gem and the Knights held on in the ninth for a 2-1 win over No. 24 Houston at Schroeder Park Friday night. Junior Luke Hamblin scored both UCF runs and went 2-for-3 at the plate.
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Hamblin put the Knights on top 1-0 in the sixth inning. After a sacrifice and a groundout, Hamblin stood at third base with Eli Putnam at the plate. Putnam was able to leg out an RBI infield single to the shortstop breaking up a scoreless tie.
In the top of the eighth, Hamblin and Putnam were involved in the Knights' second run of the game. Once again Hamblin led off with a single and moved to second on a sacrifice. He scored when Putnam reached on an infield single and the throw to first got away. That run would prove to be important, as Houston pushed one across in the ninth.
Finfrocking
- Cre Finfrock improved to 3-2. He went 8 1/3 innings.
- The Jensen Beach, Fla., native registered five strikeouts, allowed just four hits and walked just one Cougar batter.
- He notched his fifth quality start of the season.
- It was the Knights sixth shutout on the campaign.
- Finfrock out-dueled Houston's Andrew Lantrip, who went 8 2/3 innings. Lantrip allowed just one earned run on six hits with eight strikeouts and no walks.
"That was a great college baseball game and two great pitchers. Those are, in my opinon, certainly two of the best pitchers in our league and that's Friday night in college baseball. Cre's been doing a great job for us all year. He's throwing stirkes. He's staying down in the zone. Tonight he made a few pitches in the clutch. He did a nice job against a very good Houston team."
HC Terry Rooney
Nailbiting Ninth
- The 24th-ranked Cougars didn't go down quietly. A leadoff single from Joe Davis followed by a walk to Corey Julks put the winning run at the plate.
- Finfrock recorded his final out of the evening on a sacrifice that put Davis and Julks into scoring position.
- Senior reliever Harrison Hukari recorded the second out of the inning, but it was a deep sacrifice fly, as Houston cut the lead to 2-1 with Julks at third.
- Trent Thompson came on to face Jacob Campbell. His popup in foul territory down the right-field line was caught over the shoulder on a nice defensive play by first baseman Brooks Morgan to end the threat and seal the Knights' victory.
- Thompson recorded the save -- his second of the season.
Noting The Cougars
- Three Cougars - Michael Pyeatt, Joe Davis, Justin Montemayor - registered hits for Houston.
- Davis had two of Houston's four hits.
- All four of Houston's hits were singles, as were all six of the Knights' base knocks.
UCF continues its three-game set at Houston on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. Eastern. The finale of the series begins at 1 p.m. Sunday.