ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFKnights.com) – The UCF baseball team could not find its rhythm after a lengthy rain delay against Jacksonville on Friday night at John Euliano Park, falling to the Dolphins 8-5.
The Knights held a 3-1 advantage before the storm hit, but the combination of just one hit over the final seven innings and several defensive miscues allowed the visitors to come back and take the series opener.
Jacksonville broke the deadlock in the top of the first, scoring on an unearned run. The deficit did not last long, before the Knights struck for three runs in the bottom of the first. Back-to-back singles by Dallas Beaver and Ray Alejo set the stage for back-to-back RBI sacrifice flies from Griffin Bernardo and Dalton Wingo. Matthew Mika then drove a two-out single through the left side to bring in Tyler Osik.
UCF starter Grant Schuermann settled in for the next three innings, keeping Jacksonville off the board. The southpaw induced three double plays, two of which ended innings. The graduate transfer chipped in a pair of strikeouts and only allowed one runner to reach scoring position through his opening four innings of work.
It would take nearly two hours before Schuermann would throw his next pitch. Out of the break, Jacksonville notched three runs in the fifth, all unearned. Schuermann was saddled with the loss, despite not allowing an earned run.
Down 5-3 after the Dolphins scored in the seventh, the Knights loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the eighth. Dalton Wingo cut the deficit to one with a bases loaded walk, but Jacksonville added a trio of runs in the top of the ninth.
Brandon Hernandez singled with one out in the bottom of the ninth, before stealing second and advancing to third on a wild pitch. The senior later scored on a wild pitch, but the gap was too much for the Knights to overcome.
UCF (6-3) – 5, Jacksonville (4-4) – 8
Winning pitcher: Nick Love (1-0)
Losing pitcher: Grant Schuermann (0-2)
Top hitters: Matthew Mika (1-3, 1 RBI), Dalton Wingo (0-2, 2 RBI), Griffin Bernardo (0-3, 1 RBI)
Top pitchers: Grant Schuermann (5 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 0 ER, 2 K), Kyle Kemp (2 IP, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 K)
NOTES
• UCF now leads the all-time series 43-39.
• Dalton Wingo extended his on-base streak to a career-long nine games.
• Wingo also took sole possession of the team lead for RBI with 10.
• Kyle Kemp maintained his perfect ERA, allowing just his first unearned run of the season.
• UCF was 3-for-4 when stealing, including Chandler Robertson’s second career swipe.
UP NEXT
UCF will look to even the series on Saturday night at 6 p.m. Chris Williams will make his much-anticipated 2019 debut after missing the first nine games of the season.
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