ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFKnights.com) - UCF outfielder Tyler Osik opened Tuesday night's game against No. 28 FAU at John Euliano Park with an RBI single in the first inning. Little did he know that he would be called upon to deliver a walk-off RBI single in the bottom of the 10th to lift the Knights to a 2-1 victory over the Owls.
Despite not scoring for eight innings, the UCF pitching staff kept the FAU batters from doing any damage at the plate. The Black and Gold finished the night with 10 strikeouts, their 23rd game double-figure strikeout game this season. For the third time this season, the Knights did not issue a walk.
"It was another huge win," head coach Greg Lovelady said. "We played great defense, and we pitched unbelievably well. Luis Ferrer did a tremendous job on the mound in his first start for us. He gave us an inning more than we had planned, just because he was doing such a great job. The bullpen did a great job and executed in some big pressure situations. We have to be better offensively. You have to find ways to win these pitching duels. We did that, and it gave us a chance to win the game."
Luis Ferrer made the most of his first career start for UCF. The southpaw rolled in four innings of action with four strikeouts. He retired the side in order in the first, second and fourth innings. The redshirt junior notched a career high in pitches, strikeout and innings pitched. Ferrer gave up his only hit and run in the third on an RBI single to tie the game at 1-1.
Lovelady entered a steady stream of relievers out of the bullpen. Jeff Hakanson fanned a pair in the fifth. Eric Hepple struck out one in his four-out appearance, before Bryce Tucker closed out the seventh for two outs. Garrett Westberg retired one batter on strikes in the eighth. JJ Montgomery came on for the final two innings and recorded two punchouts. The righty faced a pressure situation in the eighth with two runners in scoring position and one out, but the redshirt junior worked out of the jam to keep the game tied.
In the bottom of the 10th, the Knights were back to the top of the order. Dallas Beaver his a leadoff single up the middle, and Brandon Hernandez checked in to pinch run for the catcher. Following back-to-back walks to Ray Alejo and Rylan Thomas to load the bases with outs, Osik floated a 2-2 delivery over the right fielder's outstretched arm to post his third walk-off hit of the year.
KEY STATS
UCF (30-15) - 2, FAU (30-13-1) - 1
Winning pitcher: JJ Montgomery (4-4)
Losing pitcher: Drew Peden (6-1)
Top performers: Luis Ferrer (4 IP, 4 K, 1 H, 1 ER), JJ Montgomery (2 IP, 2 K, 2 H, 0 ER), Tyler Osik (3-5, 2 RBI), Ray Alejo (3 BB)
DEFENSE DOES WORK
* While the bats remained relatively quiet through the middle innings, the defense made up for it to help the pitchers.
* Max Wood robbed a would-be go-ahead home run at the right field wall in the fourth inning.
* Thomas got the Knights out of the sixth with runners on first and third by snagging a liner and tagging the first for the double play.
* First-year Knights Jackson Webb and Adams Torres played a clean game on the left side of the infield.
TAKE A WALK
* UCF drew eight walks on the night.
* Alejo strolled down to first a career-high three times.
* Making his second start of the year, Torres was calm at the plate and took two walks.
NOTABLES
* The Knights now lead the all-time series against FAU, 43-34.
* The win snapped a five-game losing skid to the Owls.
* With his walk in the 10th, Rylan Thomas broke the school record for single-season on-base streak at 45 games.
* The sophomore extended his active streak up to 53 games.
* The pitching staff only faced six three-ball counts, four of which led to outs.
* Max Wood picked up his third double of the season.
* The Knights went 5-1 in home midweek games in 2018.
* Ray Alejo stole his 22 base on Tuesday. He is two behind Matthew Mika for the team lead.
* Osik's two RBI took his season tally up to 50, one shy of Thomas' team-leading 51.
* The Knights tallied their 31st 30-win season.
* UCF now has two 50-RBI players for the second straight season.
* The Black and Gold is 8-5 against ranked opponents this year.
UP NEXT
The Knights will travel to No. 21 Houston this week for their final weekend road series of the year. The Cougars sit atop the American Athletic Conference standings.
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