ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFKnights.com) – After clinching its first weekend road series in the American Athletic Conference, the UCF baseball team is set for a two-game midweek schedule, before a bye weekend will see the Knights have some much-needed time off without a series.
The Knights will start the week against Bethune-Cookman at John Euliano Park with a 6 p.m. first pitch. On Wednesday, the Black and Gold travel to No. 18 Miami on Wednesday to take on the Hurricanes at 7 p.m. on ACC Network Extra.
UCF took two of three at Tulane over the weekend to improve to 9-12 in The American. The pitching staff produced one of its best series of the year against the Green Wave. Tulane entered the weekend with an average of 8.5 runs per game, good for eighth in the country. The arms held them to just 10 runs total, their lowest weekend output all year. Starters Chris Williams and Jordan Spicer both gave the Knights quality starts with five and nine strikeouts, respectively.
The Black and Gold enters the final stretch of games, with four remaining at John Euliano Park. The Knights moved up to 54 in the NCAA Division I RPI. Five of the final six games of the year will come against teams in the top 50, including Wednesday night against No. 11 Miami.
ON THE MOUND
Jaylyn Whitehead will return to the starting role against the Wildcats on Tuesday. The lefty has a 2-2 record this season as a starter with 12 strikeouts over 19 2/3 innings of work. He also has a trio of wins through his 11 appearances out of the bullpen.
Wednesday’s starting pitcher is still to be determined.
SCOUTING BETHUNE-COOKMAN
• The Wildcats dropped to 16-35 on the year after being swept by Miami over the weekend.
• Alec Mendez will get the ball for the second straight time against the Knights. He has a 5.47 ERA and an 0-4 record this season.
• Joseph Fernando is the lone Wildcat hitting above .300 with a clip of .323 and 25 RBI on the year.
SCOUTING MIAMI
• The Hurricanes are now 34-14 after their fifth sweep of the year.
• Alejandro Toral is 10th in the nation with 17 home runs, while two players are hitting above .300.
• Miami is third in the ACC with a 3.78 staff ERA, which is good for 37th nationally.
UCF vs. Bethune-Cookman – Tuesday, May 7, 6 PM
Jaylyn Whitehead, LHP (5-2, 4.78 ERA) vs. Alec Mendez (0-4, 5.47 ERA)
UCF at Miami – Wednesday, May 8, 7 PM
TBA vs. TBA
WEEK 12 NOTEBOOK
OVERALL: 29-19
THE AMERICAN: 9-12
NON-CONFERENCE: 20-7
THIS WEEK: 3-1
STREAK: W2
LAST WEEK'S GAMES
Tuesday at North Florida – Win, 9-7 (11) | Recap
Friday at Tulane – Loss, 6-2 | Recap
Saturday at Tulane – Win, 4-2 | Recap
Sunday at Tulane – Win, 5-2 | Recap
THIS WEEK'S GAMES
Tuesday, May 7, 6 PM – vs. Bethune-Cookman | Live Stats | UCFKnights.TV
Wednesday, May 8, 7 PM – at No. 18 Miami | Live Stats | ACC Network Extra | FM96.9/AM740 The Game
A QUICK RECAP
* UCF started the week with a late rally to tie the game in the ninth against North Florida, before a four-run 11th sealed the win.
* The Knights’ fast start was outdone by one of the most potent offenses in the nation.
* UCF evened the series behind a stellar outing by Chris Williams, followed by Kyle Kemp shutting the door in the eighth and ninth.
* On Sunday, UCF threw a four spot in the eighth inning to rally from behind and clinch the series on the road.
PITCHER OF THE WEEK
Jordan Spicer, rSr., RHP
1 App, 1 GS, 6 IP, 9 K, 4 H, 2 BB, 1 R, 1 ER
• Set a career-high with nine strikeouts.
• Recorded his second straight quality start and third of the year.
• He took a no-decision for the sixth straight start.
• Earned a spot on The American Weekly Honor Roll
HITTER OF THE WEEK
Dallas Beaver, Jr., INF/C
4 GS, .333/.368/.722, 5 RBI, 2 HR, 1 BB
• Launched a pair of home runs on the weekend to take team-leading tally to 10.
• Saw team-long on-base streak come to an end at 15 games.
• Tallied a pair of multi hit games, including a three-hit, three-RBI outing at North Florida.
• Scored a run in three of the four contests.
TEAM NOTES
• The Knights are on the verge of their third straight 30-win season, which would make Greg Lovelady the only coach to hit that plateau in each of his first three campaigns.
• Matthew Mika took sole control of third place in program history with 82 career stolen bases.
• Dallas Beaver continued his hot streak with a .379 clip with 11 RBI over the last 15 games.
• David Litchfield and Zack Hunsicker both earned their first career wins last week.
• Beaver’s 10th homer sealed the sixth straight season that the Knights have a player with double-figure dingers.
• UCF went 5-for-6 last week when stealing, giving the team 82 swipes on the year, the most in The American.
• Chris Williams is still in the top 10 in strikeout-to-walk ratio and walks allowed per nine innings at 8.29 and 1.07, respectively.
• All nine position players who featured in the starting lineup at least once last week drove in a run.
• The bullpen posted a 1.50 ERA with five strikeouts against Tulane.
• Garrett Westberg and Kyle Kemp both recorded saves last week for their second and third of the season, respectively.
• UCF is 3-5 against ranked opponents this year.
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