ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFKnights.com) – It’s more than a game. It’s a brotherhood.
On Friday, the UCF baseball team hosted its annual Skinner Strong Knight to honor Joe Skinner, a UCF signee who passed away in 2016. Dallas Beaver, Skinner’s best friend growing up, poured everything he had into the Knights’ 12-11 win.
“Tonight meant so much to me personally,” Beaver said. “Rounding the bases, I was thinking of Joe the whole time. I stepped on home and pointed up to him. It was a very emotional moment for me.”
The junior notched a career night with a pair of homers and five RBI to help the Black and Gold outlast the Tigers, who clawed back from a nine-run gap and nearly tied the game in the top of the ninth.
“I’m incredibly proud of Dallas tonight,” head coach Greg Lovelady said. “Crossing the plate was a really emotional moment. It was big for us to hold on and win. We competed like crazy. I
The Knights responded to a solo home run by Memphis in the first by scoring a trio of runs in the bottom of the first.
Dallas Beaver, wearing No. 38 in honor of Skinner, launched a towering two-run homer over the scoreboard in right to give the Black and Gold the lead. Four batters later, the Knights pounced on a pair of errors by the Tigers. Jay Lyons reached on a two-out error, and Brandon Hernandez flew home from second as the throw missed its mark at the plate.
UCF broke it open in the bottom of the third with a seven spot to make it 10-1. Dalton Wingo started things off with a two-RBI triple to right center that brought in Beaver and Matthew Mika. Hernandez, Lyons and Anthony George drove in runs on back-to-back-to-back base knocks.
UCF put eight straight runners on base to start the third. Ray Alejo nearly made it nine in a row, but he was a step short of an RBI infield single to third. Beaver tacked on another run during the next at-bat with an RBI groundout to second.
From that point, the Tigers chipped away at UCF’s nine-run advantage. Memphis scored three in the fourth, one in the fifth and four in the sixth to trim the gap down to one at 10-9.
Starting pitcher Grant Schuermann shook off the early home run to strike out seven over five innings of work. The southpaw scattered six hits and allowed five runs to earn the win.
After Zack Hunsicker’s sixth inning was extended by an error that led to three unearned runs, Garrett Westberg righted the ship for the Knights. The northpaw worked through 2 1/3 scoreless frames with one strikeout and one walk.
After the Knights were held off the board for three innings, Beaver gave the Black and Gold some much-needed insurance. The sophomore belted his second homer of the night, a two-run shot to right on a 1-2 delivery. It was fitting that when Beaver touched home, that proved to be the game-winning run.
The Tigers pulled two runs back in the top of the ninth, aided by a bases-loaded walk and a wild pitch. Jeffrey Hakanson closed the game out with the go-ahead run on second, inducing two fly outs.
UCF (25-17, 6-10) – 12, Memphis (20-19, 5-7) – 11
Winning pitcher: Grant Schuermann (5-4)
Losing pitcher: Hunter Smith (4-5)
Save: Jeffrey Hakanson (6)
Top hitters: Dallas Beaver (2-4, 5 RBI, 2 HR, 3 R, 1 BB), Dalton Wingo (1-5, 2 RBI, 1 R, 1 3B), Jay Lyons (3-5, 1 RBI, 1 R)
Top pitchers: Garrett Westberg (2.1 IP, 1 K, 0 H, 0 R), Jeffrey Hakanson (0.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R)
BIG TIME BEAVER
• Beaver also posted a career high in runs scored with three.
• It was the second time he launched two home runs in a game this season.
• The five RBI are the most by a Knight in 2019 and the most since Tyler Osik’s six last year against Siena.
• Beaver wears number 38 to honor Skinner.
THIS IS FOR JOE
• Friday was the third iteration of Skinner Strong Knight.
• UCF capped a month-long fundraising drive with the Skinner Strong Foundation by giving a check for $20,500 to Advent Health for Children.
• The Knights are now 3-0 on Skinner Strong Knights.
• Joe’s mom Judy threw out the ceremonial first pitch to Beaver.
• For more information on the impactful life of Joe Skinner and how you can contribute to the end of pediatric cancer, visit skinnerstrong.org.
“I’m really grateful to the administration and everyone who helped us raise money to fight pediatric cancer and continue to honor Joe’s name,” Lovelady added. “For everyone to raise over $20,000, it’s just a really big deal. Joe’s supposed to be in our dugout tonight. It means a lot to the guys who knew him growing up.”
NOTES
• Beaver’s home run was UCF’s ninth in a first inning this season.
• The Knights topped 10 runs for the seventh time in 2019. UCF is 29-0 when scoring at least 10 runs in the Greg Lovelady era.
• Friday was also the first time in the Lovelady era that the Black and Gold has won a game when allowing at least 10 runs. The Knights are 1-9 in such contests.
• Hakanson earned his sixth save of the year, a team high.
• Dalton Wingo posted his second triple of the year.
• Ray Alejo stole a pair of bases to take his season tally to 14.
• Jay Lyons posted the first three-hit game of the year by a freshman.
• Head coach Greg Lovelady became the fastest coach in program history to amass 100 wins with a win on Friday night against Memphis.
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