NEW ORLEANS, La. (UCFKnights.com) – Aided by a stellar start on the mound by Jordan Spicer and an four-run eighth inning, the UCF baseball team clinched its first road series win in The American on Sunday afternoon at Tulane with a 5-2 victory.
“I’m incredibly proud of how the guys competed their tails off today,” head coach Greg Lovelady said. “Jordan Spicer was unbelievable on the mound today. It was the best I’ve seen him pitch in his career. David Litchfield did a great job to get his first win. Garrett Westberg gave me a heart attack there late, but he came up big for us at the end. We played great defense. We did a great job putting some hits and quality at-bats together in the eighth to take the lead for good. Now, we just have to do a good job of riding this momentum.”
Jordan Spicer came out dealing for the Black and Gold. The righty spun seven innings with a career-high nine strikeouts. He worked around fourhits and twowalks to allow just one run. The Hialeah, Fla. native held one of the most potent offenses off the board for the first 5 2/3 innings of play.
Spicer faced several pressure situations during his outing. Starting in the first, the senior recorded his first strikeout of the game to end the inning with the bases loaded. In the fourth, Tulane put a runner in scoring position, only for Spicer to finish the frame with back-to-back strikeouts.
The Knights opened the scoring in the second inning. After Chandler Robertson reached on a single through the left side, Ben McCabe roped an RBI double down the line in left.
The Green Wave scored a run in the sixth and seventh innings to take the lead. Reliever David Litchfield came in with no outs and a runner in scoring position in the seventh and did not allow the runner to score.
The Black and Gold took the game over in the top of the eighth. The Knights scored four runs on three hits. Dalton Wingo singled through the right side to drive in Matthew Mika from third to tie the game. Three batters later, Anthony George put the Knights ahead with a bases loaded walk.
Brandon Hernandez then gave UCF some breathing space in the next at-bat. The senior floated a single to left center that plated two more runs to open a three-score cushion.
Garrett Westberg came in and shut the door over the final two frames. The senior worked around a triple in the eighth and another runner in scoring position in the ninth. Westberg picked up his second save on the year.
UCF (29-19, 9-12) – 5, Tulane (28-19, 10-7) – 2
Winning pitcher: David Litchfield (1-0)
Save: Garrett Westberg (2)
Losing pitcher: Brendan Cellucci (2-3)
Top hitters: Matthew Mika (3-4, 1 R, 1 BB), Dalton Wingo (2-5, 1 RBI, 1 R), Chandler Robertson (2-5, 1 R), Ben McCabe (1-3, 1 RBI, 1 R, 1 BB), Brandon Hernandez (1-4, 2 RBI)
Top pitchers: Jordan Spicer (6 IP, 9 K, 4 H, 1 ER), David Litchfield (1 IP, 0 H, 0 R), Garrett Westberg (2 IP, 2 K, 2 H, 0 R)
THE SPICE IS RIGHT
• Spicer eclipsed his previous career high of five punchouts, last done against Siena on Opening Weekend.
• Despite the solid start, Spicer took a no decision. He last win came back on Mark 31 against UNF, six starts ago.
• Spicer’s nine strikeouts are the most by a Knight this season.
TOP NOTCH PITCHING
• Tulane entered the weekend ranked eighth in the nation in runs per game with 8.5 and never scored more than six against the Black and Gold.
• UCF held the Green Wave to a season-low 10 runs over the weekend.
• American Athletic Conference Player of the Year contender Kody Hoese was held to just a pair of RBI on a 3-for-9 weekend.
NOTES
• The all-time series is now 24-24.
• Matthew Mika swiped his team-leading 25th and 26th bases of the year, when he stole third in the third.
• Mika is now in sole control of third in program history with 82 steals.
• McCabe’s RBI was his ninth of the year, the most by a first-year Knight this season.
• The victory was the Knights second this season when trailing after seven innings.
• UCF is now 4-5 in rubber matches this season.
• Litchfield recorded his first career win.
UP NEXT
UCF will head into a two-game midweek. The Knights will be at home for Dollar Dog Knight against Bethune-Cookman at 6 p.m. WWE star Matt Riddle will throw out the first pitch. The Black and Gold will then hit the road on Wednesday for a 7 p.m. start against Miami.
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