ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFKnights.com) – After having its final midweek game of the year cancelled on Tuesday, the UCF baseball team will turn its focus to the final weekend series of the regular season. The Knights will host Tulane for three games at John Euliano Park starting on Thursday.
Due to the American Athletic Conference Tournament starting next week, the series will open with a 6:30 p.m. first pitch on Thursday. Friday will start at 6:30 p.m., and the series finale will begin at 1 p.m. on Saturday. With rain in the forecast, all game times are subject to change.
Marc Daniels will have the call on 96.9 FM/740 AM The Game, as well as UCFKnights.tv.
On Saturday, the Knights will honor the five senior members of the 2018 squad. David Phrathep, Eric Hepple, Logan Heiser, Max Wood and Nick McCoy in a pregame ceremony for their dedication to the program.
The Knights (33-19, 11-10) enter the final weekend of the regular season in a tie for fifth in The American ledger, two games out of second. During conference action, Tyler Osik and Ray Alejo have led the charge at the plate with clips of .333 and .330, respectively. Osik and Rylan Thomas have combined for 41 of UCF's 100 RBI in league play.
UCF has been one of the fastest teams in the nation with 104 stolen bases this year. The Knights are one of nine teams nationally to hit the century mark in steals in 2018. The Black and Gold have also gone 33-for-45 when stealing against league opponents. Ray Alejo continues to lead The American with 32 steals. He ranks third in the country and sits six behind Jacob Hurtubise from Army West Point.
While speed on the paths has been a major factor to UCF's success this season, the Black and Gold have also relied upon dominant pitching out of the bullpen. The relievers have a 2.87 ERA on the year. Luis Ferrer and JJ Montgomery both have sub-1.00 ERAs in 14 2/3 and 19 innings of relief work, respectively. Thad Ward received conference honors in back-to-back weeks after extending his scoreless streak to 13 innings. The junior has fanned 15 over his last two appearances spanning 10 innings.
Tulane (24-29, 9-12) fell in its final midweek game of the year, a 7-6 decision at Louisiana on Tuesday night. The Green Wave are two spots and two games back from the Knights in the league standings. Tulane has a team slugging percentage of .405, led by Grant Witherspoon's league-leading 19 doubles. The junior also tops the Tulane charts in batting average, hits, home runs, RBI, total bases, walks and on-base percentage.
GAME INFO
GAME 53 | UCF vs. Tulane
Thursday, May 17 | 6:30 p.m.
Watch: UCFKnights.tv | Listen: 96.9 FM/740 AM The Game
Cre Finfrock (RHP, 5-0, 3.27 ERA) vs. Kaleb Roper (RHP, 5-4, 4.73 ERA)
GAME 54 | UCF vs. Tulane
Friday, May 18 | 6:30 p.m.
Watch: UCFKnights.tv | Listen: 96.9 FM/740 AM The Game
Chris Williams (RHP, 4-2, 2.61 ERA) vs. Trent Johnson (RHP, 4-2, 4.50 ERA)
GAME 55 | UCF vs. Tulane
Saturday, May 19 | 1 p.m.
Watch: UCFKnights.tv | Listen: 96.9 FM/740 AM The Game
TBA vs. Josh Bates (RHP, 2-2, 4.50 ERA)
NOTES TO KNOW
• Tulane leads the all-time series 23-20, but the Knights have won three of the last four.
• In its history, the Black and Gold has won 19 series to end the regular season, including seven sweeps.
• The Knights notched their 16th season with at least 100 stolen bases.
• Rylan Thomas is one of four players in the nation with at least 70 hits, 50 RBI, 10 home runs and 30 walks.
• Dallas Beaver is hitting a team-high .317 with 11 RBI and two home runs over the last 15 games.
• The Knights are six strikeouts from totaling the most bullpen punchouts in the last 20 years.
• The pitching staff has struck out at least 15 batters in four games this season, including a season-high 18 against Oklahoma in the series opener last weekend.
• UCF has outscored opponents 37-14 from the ninth inning on in games.
• Tyler Osik is hitting .714 in ninth innings with six RBI, bested only by Thomas' seven RBI.
• Thad Ward has inherited 14 runners this season, only two of them have scored.
• Ray Alejo holds the team's longest active on-base streak at 16 games.
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