ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFKnights.com) - It took all nine innings for the UCF baseball team to win Sunday, but the 3-2 victory earned the Knights a three-game sweep of Stony Brook at the UCF Baseball Complex this weekend.
"Anytime you can hit a walk-off its always exciting," UCF head coach Greg Lovelady said. "We grinded today and made some really nice defensive plays that saved the game for us. The wind was tough and we have to be better offensively but I'm really proud of the way our defense picked us up today."
Short stop Kam Gellinger prevented the tying run from scoring in the third, making a bare-handed scoop-and-throw to first to end the inning. He came up big again in the top of the ninth, when he pump faked to first on an infield hit, goading the runner from second to head for home. He then fired a strike to the plate where catcher Anthony George applied the tag to end the inning.
The home half of the ninth began with second baseman Ryan Crile drawing a lead-off walk and advancing to second on a wild pitch. Designated hitter Bryce Peterson struck out, but then third baseman Matthew Mika snapped an infield hit down the third baseline.
As Maximillian Wood came on to pinch hit for George, Crile and Mika put the pressure on by stealing to put runners on second and third with one out. Wood then drew a walk, setting the stage for Gellinger to play the hero with the bases loaded.
Gellinger proved to be worthy of the moment, as he worked the count full before dropping a bloop-single between the short stop and the center fielder. Crile crossed the plate and the home team walked-off victorious.
Notable Knights
- UCF improves to 11-1 and have swept all three weekend home series to start the 2017 season
- 8 Knights have 10 hits or more on the season
- The Black and Gold have stolen 26-28 bases total, Mika leads the team with 6-6
- Pitching continues to impress, boasting a 2.02 team ERA with 112 strikeouts to just 30 walks
- Eli Putnam saw an 11-game hitting streak come to an end, going 0-for-3 with a walk and 1 run scored
Sunday's series finale started with another push from Stony Brook in the first inning. The Seawolves lead-off hitter doubled, moved to third on a single, and then scored on a ground ball out to give the visitors the early lead.
The Black and Gold responded immediately, as Putnam drew a lead-off walk in the home half of the first and promptly stole second before center fielder Luke Hamblin went down swinging for the innings first out. Next, freshman First baseman Rylan Thomas smacked a doubled to the gap in right-center field scoring Putnam and tying the game.
UCF took the lead in the second, when Peterson got aboard with a single, stole second, was advanced to third on a George single and scored on a sacrifice fly by Gellinger. The Seawolves managed to tie the game again in the sixth on a slow chopper to second with the bases loaded, but the Knights ultimately had the final say in the bottom of the ninth.
Next up the Knights host nationally-ranked Florida State for two games at the UCF Baseball Complex Mar. 7-8. Click here to purchase tickets in advance or call 407-UCF-1000.
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