ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFKnights.com) – For the second time in four games, Tyler Osik drove in the game-winning run for the UCF baseball team. On Tuesday night in the bottom of the 13th inning, the reigning American Athletic Conference Player of the Week provided the walk-off hit for the No. 19 Knights to beat Bradley 6-5.
UCF (14-3) rallied from a five-run deficit with the bullpen keeping the Braves (9-4) off the board for the final 11 frames to extend the winning streak to 13 games, the longest active streak in the NCAA.
"I'm not going to give this one back, but I'm not sure how much we deserved to win it," head coach Greg Lovelady said. "It was very up and down. We did some really good things and some very bad things. I thought the bullpen did a great job. They really managed the game in some sticky situations with guys on. They all threw well, especially Hepple and Tucker. Nick McCoy, to put him in that situation, was pretty impressive to watch. Hakanson came in after a tough outing last time and was really good to see."
The UCF pitching staff had its best night of the year. The Black and Gold struck out 17 batters and walked four. Eight different arms toed the rubber for the Knights, a new season high. Freshman Jack Sinclair, making the first start of his career, could not get out of the second before allowing five runs.
Eric Hepple came on for the next 2 1/3 frames and fanned four, as the Knights pulled back with four runs across the second and third. Hepple made way for an inning from Luis Ferrer, before Garrett Westberg punched out four over two frames. Lovelady threw lefties Jaylyn Whitehead and Bryce Tucker for the next three innings. The duo combined for a trio of punchouts and just two hits against.
Nick McCoy, making just his second appearance in two years, carried the Knights through the 11th and 12th inning with three strikeouts and one hit against. Jeffrey Hakanson kept Bradley hitters off balance in the 13th, sending two batters down on strikes.
In the bottom of the 13th, Rylan Thomas hit a leadoff single through the left side. Matthew Mika dropped a nearly perfect sacrifice bunt down the third base line to move Thomas into scoring position. On the first pitch of his at-bat, Osik laced the delivery down the left field line past the outstretched arm of the third baseman. Thomas easily beat the throw home for the winning run.
KEY STATS
No. 19 UCF (14-3) – 6, Bradley (9-4) – 5
Winning pitcher: Jeffrey Hakanson (2-0)
Losing pitcher: Brooks Gosswein (0-1)
Top Performers: Rylan Thomas (3-5, 3 RBI, 1 HR), Dallas Beaver (1 HR, 2 RBI), Garrett Westberg (2 IP, 2 K), Nick McCoy (2 IP, 3 K), Jeffrey Hakanson (1 IP, 2 K)
THE LONG BALL
• UCF turned to the long ball to get back in the game.
• Dallas Beaver crushed a 1-0 offering in the second inning for a two-run home run.
• Thomas drilled his second homer of the year, a two-run shot, in the third to bring the Knights back within one.
• Tuesday was the fifth time this year the Knights hit multiple home runs in a game.
NOTABLES
• The Knights improved to 7-4 against the Braves all-time.
• Tuesday was the first extra-inning game of the year for UCF.
• The Knights are now 71-48-1 all-time in extra-inning contests and 3-2 in the Lovelady era.
• The Black and Gold tied the game with an RBI double from Thomas in the eighth.
• UCF pitchers forced Bradley to strand 13 runners on base.
• Thomas now has a team-leading 23 RBI on the year.
• The 17 strikeouts were the second most in a game in program history.
• Mika took over the team lead in stolen bases with one swipe on Tuesday, taking his season total to 12.
DON'T MISS THE ACTION
Season and single-game tickets for UCF Baseball are on sale. Featuring a 36-game home schedule, John Euliano Park is set to host some of the best collegiate baseball in the country. For more information on tickets call 407-823-1000 or log on to ticketmaster.com.
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