ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFKnights.com) – Continuing its stretch of eight games against 2018 NCAA Regional opponents, the UCF baseball team will head to Gainesville on Wednesday night to face No. 5 Florida. First pitch is slated for 6 p.m. and will be streamed on SEC Network Plus.
Ken Landis will have the UCF call of the game through UCFKnights.com, starting at 5:55 p.m.
UCF is 5-2 on the year after going dropping a three-game set against No. 15 Auburn over the weekend. The Knights held their own against the SEC foe, allowing just five hits in each of the first two games. Starter Trevor Holloway went five strong innings and fanned five to pick up his first win at UCF. On Sunday, both clubs broke out the bats with 26 combined hits. Despite four home runs, the Knights could not keep pace in the rubber match, falling 13-9.
Dalton Wingo continued his hot start to the 2019 season, with a team-high .423 clip at the plate. The sophomore has a pair of extra base hits to go along with seven RBI. Wingo, along with fellow second-year Griffin Bernardo, are the only Knights to reach base in all seven games this season.
Jeffrey Hakanson has made a trio of appearances through the opening seven games. The righty has fanned a bullpen-high 10 batters this season in just 3 1/3 innings of work, while opponents are hitting just .167. Kyle Kemp and Luis Ferrer have also rolled with 14 combined strikeouts over 9 2/3 scoreless frames.
UCF will face the Gators in a one-off game for the first time since 2014. Over the last five seasons, the two clubs have split eight games, with the Knights winning the last three. The Black and Gold swept the then-No. 1 Gators on back-to-back nights in 2018, led by Tyler Osik’s 4-for-5, four-RBI night at the plate. Garrett Westberg recorded a save in both games.
ON THE MOUND
Jaylyn Whitehead will get the ball for the second straight midweek start. The lefty earned his first career win after tossing four innings against Stetson last Tuesday. Head coach Greg Lovelady will turn to the bullpen for much of the work on Wednesday, after Whitehead threw 2 1/3 against Auburn on Sunday.
UCF vs. #5 Florida – Wednesday, 6 PM | SEC Network Plus | Listen | Live Stats
Jaylyn Whitehead, LHP (1-0, 5.68 ERA) vs. TBA
NOTES
• Florida leads the all-time series 28-19, with an 18-10 edge in Gainesville.
• Tyler Osik had the hot bat last weekend with a .417 clip at the plate, two RBI and three extra base hits.
• Wednesday’s game will be the only road trip for the Knights in the opening 20 games of the season.
• Ray Alejo, Dallas Beaver and Osik have formed a stellar top of the order. The trio combined to hit .309 with 17 RBI and five home runs.
• UCF is 13-for-13 on stolen bases this season, good for the best mark in The American.
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