ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFKnights.com) – Following a walk-off win to clinch its weekend series, the UCF baseball team will hit the road for four games this week, starting on Tuesday night against North Florida. First pitch is scheduled for 6:05 p.m.
The Knights enter the week after taking two of three against Memphis over the weekend. Dallas Beaver homered twice on Friday night on the third annual Skinner Strong Knight, before the Tigers were able to even the series on Saturday. Jordan Spicer gave the Black and Gold six solid innings in the series finale to help set up rookie Jay Lyons’ walk-off RBI single in the bottom of the ninth to seal the win.
The walk-off capped a solid week in the starting lineup for Lyons. The rookie hit .412 over four games with a quartet of RBI. The Tampa native twice posted three-hit games, the first rookie to do that this season. Lyons also drew a pair of walks and a hit by pitch for a .500 on-base percentage.
UCF at North Florida - Tuesday, April 30, 6:05 p.m. | Live Stats | ESPN+
TBA vs. TBA
WEEK 11 NOTEBOOK
OVERALL: 26-18
THE AMERICAN: 7-11
NON-CONFERENCE: 19-7
THIS WEEK: 3-1
STREAK: W1
LAST WEEK'S GAMES
Tuesday, vs. Bethune-Cookman | Win, 5-4 (10) | Recap
Friday, vs. Memphis | Win, 12-11 | Recap
Saturday, vs. Memphis | Loss, 12-7 | Recap
Sunday, vs. Memphis | Win, 7-6 | Recap
THIS WEEK'S GAMES
Tuesday, April 30, 6:05 p.m. – at North Florida | Live Stats | ESPN+
Friday, May 3, 7:30 p.m. – at Tulane | Live Stats | Watch | FM96.9/AM740 The Game
Saturday, May 4, 3 p.m. – at Tulane | Live Stats | Watch | FM96.9/AM740 The Game
Sunday, May 5, 1 p.m. – at Tulane | Live Stats | Watch | FM96.9/AM740 The Game
A QUICK RECAP
* UCF rebounded after a tough weekend at Wichita State by posting a 3-1 record at home.
* Matthew Mika started and ended Tuesday’s contest against Bethune-Cookman with a leadoff home run in the first, before a walk-off single in the 10th.
* Wearing No. 38 to honor his best friend Joe Skinner, Dallas Beaver homered twice to lift the Knights to a 12-11 win over Memphis on Skinner Strong Knight.
* Chris Williams dealt six solid innings on Saturday, before Memphis scored 10 runs over the seventh and eighth frames to even the series.
* Making his second start of the week, Jordan Spicer spun six inning for the Black and Gold, before Lyons clinched the series with a two-out walk-off in the ninth.
PITCHER OF THE WEEK
Jordan Spicer, rSr., RHP
2 App, 2 GS, 3.27 ERA, 11 IP, 9 H, 7 R, 4 ER, 5 BB, 6 K
• Made two starts on the week but took two no-decisions.
• Went five innings with one earned run allowed and two strikeouts against Bethune-Cookman.
• Posted second quality start of the year with a six-inning, four-strikeout performance against Memphis.
• Retired the final 14 batters he faced against the Tigers.
HITTER OF THE WEEK
Matthew Mika, Sr., INF
4 GS, .538/.667/.846, 3 RBI, 1 HR, 2 XB, 6 BB, 4-4 SB
• Earned a spot on The American Weekly Honor Roll.
• Started the week with a 3-for-5, three-RBI outing against Bethune-Cookman, including a walk-off single.
• Closed the week with three hits and three runs scored against Memphis on Sunday.
• Went 4-for-4 on stolen bases to take season tally to 24, which ranks 21st in the nation.
TEAM NOTES
• UCF will play six of the final 10 games of the regular season on the road.
• Chris Williams moved up to seventh in the nation with a 8.83 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
• Dallas Beaver moved into second on the team with a .322 clip on the year after hitting .418 over the last 15 games.
• Chris William retook the team lead in strikeouts with 53 on the year, one more than Jeffrey Hakanson.
• Hakanson is still on pace to crush the single-season strikeout per nine innings mark with a point of 17.8.
• Brandon Hernandez picked up his first career triple over the weekend.
• With three home runs on the weekend, UCF now has 40 on the year, marking the third straight season with at least 40 dingers.
• UCF went 10-for-12 on stolen bases to retake the lead in The American with 76 swipes.
• Kyle Kemp continues to be the low ERA in the bullpen with a 1.99 mark this season.
• The Knights moved up to seventh in The American after the series win.
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