CINCINNATI, Ohio (UCFKnights.com) – One pitch can make the difference. Up 6-5 with two outs in the bottom of the ninth in the second game of the doubleheader at Cincinnati, the UCF baseball team was one strike away from clinching its weekend road series, only for left fielder Joey Weimer to hit a two-run walk-off home run to steal the series for the Bearcats.
The Knights (22-14, 4-8) found themselves in their sixth rubber match of the year after falling to the Bearcats (16-19, 7-5) in the opening game of the doubleheader, 8-3.
GAME 1
In the opener, the Black and Gold saw an early lead quickly erased by a six-run third inning. UCF tallied four hits to Cincinnati’s 11.
Matthew Mika gave the Knights a perfect start with a solo shot to left on a 2-0 offering in the first. The homer was the only hit the visitors had until the fifth inning.
In the meantime, starter Chris Williams kept the Bearcats off the board through the first two innings, but the hosts took the lead in the third. Cincinnati drove in six runs on five hits in that frame.
UCF cut into the deficit in the fifth. Dalton Wingo drew a leadoff walk and made his way to third on a double by Brandon Hernandez. Two batters later, Anthony George rolled a grounder over to short, giving Wingo plenty of time to trot home.
The Knights scored another run in the eighth, when Chandler Robertson came home on a fielding error with two outs, but the Bearcats bookended that with a run in the sixth and the bottom of the eighth.
Williams went six innings with five strikeouts, allowing seven runs on nine hits with a trio of walks. Jack Sinclair came in for the final two frames
UCF – 3, Cincinnati – 8
Winning pitcher: Evan, Shawver (2-4)
Losing pitcher: Chris Williams (3-3)
Top hitters: Matthew Mika (1-4, 1 RBI, 1 R), Anthony George (1-3, 1 RBI)
Top pitchers: Jack Sinclair (2 IP, 1 K, 2 H, 2 R)
GAME 2
The Black and Gold jumped out to an early two-run lead in the top of the second. Dallas Beaver came in to score on a throwing error to third. Ben McCabe dropped a perfect sacrifice bunt down the first base line, and Dalton Wingo broke for home.
Cincinnati responded with a pair of runs in the second and the fourth to take a 4-2 advantage.
The Knights bounced back with a four spot in the top of the fifth. Wingo drove in Beaver from first with his first career triple to cut the deficit down to one. The sophomore later scored on a wild pitch. Four batters later with runners in scoring position, Chandler Robertson ripped a bases-clearing double off the top of the wall in left center for a 6-4 lead.
The Bearcats scored the final three runs of the game, starting with a run on a wild pitch in the fifth.
After starter Jaylyn Whitehead made his exit after 2 1/3 innings, Garrett Westberg dealt 1 2/3 frames of hitless action with four punchouts. Jeffrey Hakanson struck out four in two innings of work, surrendering one run on two hits.
Zack Hunsicker came in for the seventh inning and finished the game on the mound. The rookie went a career-long 2 2/3 innings and struck out one. After walking the leadoff batter, the only hit the hulking righty gave up was the one that ended the game.
UCF – 6, Cincinnati – 7
Winning pitcher: Clayton Colvin (1-1)
Losing pitcher: Zack Hunsicker (0-1)
Top hitters: Dalton Wingo (3-5, 1 RBI, 2 R), Chandler Robertson (1-3, 2 RBI, 2 BB), Dallas Beaver (1-2, 2 R, 3 BB)
Top pitchers: Garrett Westberg (1.2 IP, 4 K, 0 H, 0 R), Jeffrey Hakanson (2.0 IP, 4 K, 2 H, 1 R), Zack Hunsicker (2.2 IP, 1 K, 1 H, 2 R)
UP NEXT
The Knights will host FAU on Tuesday night at 6 PM at John Euliano Park. It will be Sandlot Knight, presented by OUC.
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