ORLANDO, Fla. – The UCF baseball team picked up where they left off after Opening Knight, winning both games of Saturday's doubleheader against Siena at John Euliano Park. The bats came alive in games two and three of the series as the Knights scored a combined 20 runs in the two games.
Came out with a lot of energy to take back??back Ws today #ChargeOn?? pic.twitter.com/oCsZpsjkJO
— UCF Baseball (@UCF_Baseball) February 16, 2020
Game One
Wasting no time to jump out to a lead, the Black and Gold put three runs on the board in the bottom of the first when Josh Crouch drove a two-bagger down the right field line with the bases loaded. The Knights doubled their score in the next frame, scoring three more runs to extend the lead to six – highlighted by a 2 RBI single off the bat of Jordan Rathbone.
The run support didn't slow down, as UCF continued to pile it on with a run in the third, three more in the fourth, and the final run in the fifth innings.
Trevor Holloway made his return to John Euliano a special one, picking up the victory after tossing five full innings and sitting down nine batters on strikes.
Winning Pitcher: Trevor Holloway (1-0)
Losing Pitcher: John Lumpinski (0-1)
Top Pitchers: Trevor Holloway (5.0 IP, 9 K, 0 ER, 1 BB), Ryan Saltonstall (2.0 IP, 3 K, 0 ER)
Top Hitters: Josh Crouch (2-4, 3 RBI, 1 2B), Connor Allen (1-4, 1 3B, 2 RBI, 2 R), Jordan Rathbone (1-4, 2 RBI)
Key Stats
- Holloway's win was his first since March 17, 2019, against VCU. He is now 5-2 in his career with UCF.
- Josh Crouch's bases-loaded double brought in the first three RBI of his career at UCF
Game Two
Carrying the momentum from the first game, the UCF offense continued to plenty of run support for freshman Hunter Patteson in his collegiate debut. Earning the win, Patteson went 5.1 innings, striking out seven Siena hitters and only allowed a single run.
In the fourth inning, Ben Rushing earned his first collegiate hit with a big fly to the opposite field for a three-run home run. Rushing's homer also marked the first for the Knights in the young 2020 campaign. Tom Josten followed up the three-run shot with a solo homer of his own in the fifth to extend the Knights lead to six.
Jaylyn Whitehead, Nolan Lepkoske, and Billy McKay teamed up to silence the Siena offense in the last 3.2 innings of the game, securing the Knights second victory of the doubleheader.
Winning Pitcher: Hunter Patteson (1-0)
Losing Pitcher: Ben Seiler (0-1)
Top Pitchers: Hunter Patteson (5.1 IP, 7 K, 1 ER, 2 H), Jaylyn Whitehead (2.2 IP, 7 K, 0 ER)
Top Hitters: Tom Josten (3-4, 1 HR, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 2 R), Ben Rushing (1-3, 1 HR, 3 RBI)
Key Stats
- Both Tom Josten and Ben Rushing tallied their first home runs in UCF uniforms during game three of the series. Both homers were hit to the opposite field.
- Tom Josten now leads the team with a .444 average at the plate through three games.
- Hunter Patteson's win in game two of the doubleheader is the first time a freshman won a game on Opening Weekend since Cre Finfrock earned an Opening Weekend win against Siena in 2016.
DOUBLE HEADER NOTABLES
- The Knights have now won 22 straight against Siena and are now 58-4 all-time against the Saints. Orlando's Hometown Team is now 88-33-1 on Opening Weekends.
- UCF's 22 runs in the first three games of a season are the most since 2017 – when the Black and Gold put up 17 runs against Siena on Opening Knight. UCF went on to win the American Athletic Conference regular-season title.
ON DECK
The Knights return to John Euliano Park to close out the series with Siena on Sunday, Feb. 16 at 1 p.m. The conclusion of the series can be streamed on twitch.tv/ucfknightstv1. The Knights will welcome back Joe Sheridan to the mound at John Euliano Park.
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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