ORLANDO, Fla. – The UCF baseball team completed the four-game series sweep of Siena on Sunday at John Euliano Park with a 10-2 victory in game four. Three Knights pitchers teamed up to collect 18 strikeouts while only allowing a single earned run.
Nothing but good things to say about the pitching staff this afternoon ?? pic.twitter.com/Pqq13ncTcy
— UCF Baseball (@UCF_Baseball) February 16, 2020
Joe Sheridan made his return to the mound for the first time since the end of the 2018 campaign, tossing 4.0 innings and allowed just two hits. Siena tagged him for two runs, one earned, before Sheridan settled in to put up back-to-back scoreless frames in the third and fourth innings.
Entering the game in the fifth inning, Jack Sinclair wasted no time leaving his mark on the game. He struck out the side in three straight innings, allowing just a single hit during that time. Sinclair finished the game with 10 strikeouts over 4.0 innings and gave up the lone hit.
Gephry Pena got the Knights offense rolling with a solo shot in the third inning, and the Black and Gold never looked back. Following a two-bagger by Jordan Rathbone, Nick Romano drove in his first RBI as a Knight on a single to center field. Andrew Brait got in on the action, driving in two more runs to cap off a sixth run inning which ultimately sealed the victory for UCF.
Winning Pitcher: Jack Sinclair (1-0)
Losing Pitcher: Jordan Walden (0-1)
Top Pitchers: Joe Sheridan (4.0 IP, 5 K, 1 ER), Jack Sinclair (4.0 IP, 10 K, 0 ER)
Top Hitters: Gephry Pena (2-5, 1 HR, 1 RBI), Nick Romano (2-2, 1 RBI), Ben McCabe (2-4, 1 RBI, 2 R)
KEY STATS
- Gephry Pena's third-inning home run was the first of his collegiate career. Last season he tallied a single hit and one RBI on the year.
- Eight Knights got in on the hit parade, collecting 12 hits as a team.
- None of the three pitchers to take the mound for UCF issued a walk in today's matchup.
- Joe Sheridan's 2020 debut was the first time he's taken the mound since he was diagnosed with a torn labrum late in the 2018 season.
NOTES TO KNOW
- The Knights now have 23 straight victories against Siena, and sit 59-4 in the all-time series.
- UCF has now scored 32 runs in the first four games of the 2020 season, the most since 2016 when the Knights started the season with six straight victories.
- The Opening Weekend sweep is the 19th opening series sweep for the Knights.
ON DECK
The Knights return to John Euliano Park on Tuesday, Feb. 18 to host the Stetson Hatters. The Hatters are currently 3-0 after opening thier season in Deland, Fla. this past weekend. The contest can be streamed on twitch.tv/ucfknightstv1.
DON'T MISS OUT
The UCF baseball team is set for its fourth season under head coach Greg Lovelady and will welcome seven teams from the 2019 NCAA Tournament to John Euliano Park in 2020. Click here or call (407) 823-1000 for ticket information.
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