CLEARWATER, Fla. (UCFKnights.com) - Despite taking a 3-0 lead in the opening game of the 2018 American Athletic Conference Tournament, presented by Visit St. Pete/Clearwater, the UCF baseball team could not maintain its advantage against ECU. The Knights fell 8-4 on Tuesday morning at Spectrum Field.
The Knights opened the scoring with a trio of runs in the first. Dallas Beaver hit a leadoff double, before Ray Alejo and Rylan Thomas loaded the bases with back-to-back free passes. Tyler Osik drove a two-run single through the left side. Three batters later, Thomas gave the Knights a 3-0 lead when he bolted home on a wild pitch.
After ECU pulled one run back in the bottom of the first, Thad Ward was called out of the bullpen to face a bases-loaded situation with one out. The junior needed just one pitch to induce an inning-ending double play.
The Pirates then used back-toback two-run innings to take a 5-3 lead after three innings of play. Ray Alejo halved the deficit in the top of the fourth with an RBI single to center field, but that was as close as the Knights would get. ECU added three insurance runs in the bottom of the seventh.
UCF relievers Eric Hepple and Bryce Tucker cooled off the ECU hitters for the next three innings. Both pitchers fanned one without allowing a walk.
KEY STATS
#5 UCF (35-20) - 4, (No. 15) #4 ECU (40-15) - 8
Winning pitcher: Ryan Ross (2-4)
Losing pitcher: Thad Ward (5-4)
Top Performers: Bryce Tucker (1 IP, 1 K, 0 H, 0 R), Dallas Beaver (2-4, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 2B), Tyler Osik (2-4, 2 RBI), Ray Alejo (1-4, 1 RBI, 1 R, 1 BB)
NOTABLES
* ECU now leads the all-time series 34-14.
* The Knights are 11-9 against ranked opponents this season.
* Tyler Osik took over the team lead for RBI. He has 56 on the year.
* UCF turned a pair of double plays on the afternoon.
* Dallas Beaver notched his 10th two-hit game of the year.
* Tyler Osik recorded his 17th multi-hit game and 13th multi-RBI outing in 2018.
* UCF hit 3-for-17 with runners on base and held ECU to 6-for-17 in the category,
UP NEXT
UCF will return to action on Wednesday morning at 9 a.m. on Robin Roberts Field, which is located next to Spectrum Field. The Knights will face the No. 1 seed Houston in the first elimination game of the week. Due to inclement weather in the area, the game was moved up from its original time of 7 p.m.
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