Daytona, Fla. (UCFKnights.com) – Down three late in the game, the UCF Baseball team rallied to defeat Bethune-Cookman in extra innings at Jackie Robinson Ballpark Tuesday. It was a solo home run in the 11th by catcher Logan Heiser that was ultimately the difference.
After tying the game 4-4 with a three-run rally in the eighth, Heiser faced an 0-2 count with two outs in the top half of the 11th. He turned on the next pitch and sent a bomb well over the 317-foot fence in left field, giving his team a 5-4 advantage.
"It felt good to be able to step up for my team," Heiser said. "I got a pitch out over the plate and was able to put the barrel on it."
He came up big again in the bottom of the inning. As reliever Thaddeus Ward recorded out number two with a strike out, the ball skipped past Heiser to the backstop. The BCU runner took second easily and dug for third, attempting to set up the tying run. Heiser quickly collected the ball and threw a strike to third baseman Brooks Morgan who applied the tag for the game's final out.
"It was a slider in the dirt that shouldn't have gotten by me," Heiser recalled. "When I picked up the ball, the guys were saying three, so I turned quick and just let it go to third."
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After falling behind 1-0 early in the first, the Knights were able to tie the game in the third. Center fielder Josh Moser led off with a single and stole second base. He moved to third on an infield single by right fielder Eli Putnam and then scored on a sacrifice line drive to right field by left fielder Luke Hamblin. Putnam was stealing on the play and was doubled up at first before the inning ended on a ground ball to second.
BCU came right back in the bottom half of the third, posting three runs on three hits and an error. After a lead-off strikeout, the Wildcats put together a double and an RBI single to take the lead 2-1. After a fly ball and a walk, a ground ball to third with runners on first and second could have ended the inning, but a rushed throw sent the ball bounding into foul territory behind first and two more runs scored.
UCF pitching then took over after the third inning, putting up zero's the rest of the way. The Knights staff combined for 19 strikeouts and just one walk. Reliever Bryce Tucker recorded six strikeouts in three innings and earned his first win of the season in relief. Ward came on in the 11th and notched his first save of the season, striking out two.
The Knights improve to 18-4 with the win and are now 2-2 on the road. Next up, UCF hosts Dartmouth for a three-game series at the UCF Baseball Complex Mar. 24-26. Purchase tickets in advance by clicking here or calling 407-UCF-1000.
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