ORLANDO, Fla. – After a slow start for the No. 17 Knights and trailing for the first three and a half innings of the ball game, the UCF baseball team rallied back to claim a dominant 12-5 win over Cal State Northridge on Friday Night. CSUN entered the contest at an undefeated 7-0, picking up its first lost of the season at the hands of the newly ranked UCF.
The Matadors pegged Colton Gordon for three runs on three hits in the first inning, putting the Knights in an early hole. UCF answered with two runs in their half of the first as Pena, Wingo, and Romano teamed up to put together three hits. The second inning saw each team put up a lone run, before the Knights tied the ball game in the fourth inning from a Gephry Pena RBI.
Proving why they've received national attention, the Knights put together a couple big innings in the sixth and seventh innings, scoring three and five runs respectively. The sixth inning saw Tom Josten drive in an RBI, followed up by Jordan Rathbone with a single to drive in two more. UCF blew it up in the seventh with four straight one-out singles with RBIs from Dalton Wingo and Gephry Pena. Jordan Rathbone and Nick Romano also picked up hits and drove in runs in the inning, putting the Knights up by eight runs and effectively sealing the victory.
UCF (9-1) – 12, CSUN (7-1) – 5
Winning Pitcher: David Litchfield (1-0)
Losing Pitcher: Blake Sodersten (2-1)
Top Hitters: Jordan Rathbone (3-5, 4 RBI, 1 R), Gephry Pena (3-4, 1 2B, 3 RBI, 3 R, 1 SB), Nick Romano (3-5, 1 2B, 2 RBI)
Top Pitchers: David Litchfield (W, 2.0 IP, 3 K, 0 ER), Billy McKay (1.0 IP, 0 H, 0ER)
Notes
- With the victory, the No. 17 Knights have extended their winning streak to five games.
- UCF is 9-1 for the first time since 2017, where the Knights started their season 11-1.
- Jordan Rathbone's four RBI performance gives him 11 on the season, which is the most in the American Athletic Conference to date.
- Going 3-for-5 at the plate, Nick Romano's .480 batting average is the best in The American and 40th nationwide.
- With the win, David Litchfield picked up his second career win as a Knight.
- UCF now leads the all-time series with CSUN 1-0.
ON DECK
UCF continues the campaign against CSUN with a doubleheader on Saturday, beginning at 2 p.m. with game two slated to start roughly 45 minutes after the conclusion of the first game. f
DON'T MISS OUT
The UCF baseball team is in 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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