ORLANDO, Fla. – Heading into the second weekend of the 2021 slate, the UCF baseball team will square off with No. 1 Ole Miss in Oxford, Miss. for a three-game set. First pitch is set for 5 p.m. on Friday, 2;30 p.m. on Saturday, and the final game is set for a 1 p.m. start on Sunday.
The Knights (1-3) will play the top-ranked team in the country for the first time since March 6-7, 2018 when UCF faced Florida for a home-and-home series. The Black & Gold took down the No. 1 team in the country in back-to-back nights on 9-7 and 4-2 victories.
Freshman, Alex Freeland leads the Knights with a .467 clip at the plate and is responsible for scoring the most runs on the UCF squad with six. Freeland has also shown off the power bat, hitting his first homer as a Knight in just his second game, at Florida Atlantic on Feb. 20.
Another first year freshman, Ben Vespi has collected 4.2 IP, the most on the UCF staff. Vespi has made two appearances out of the bullpen and struck out six without allowing an earned run.
The Weekend Rotation
GAME 1 – Friday, 5 p.m. ET | WATCH | LIVE STATS
Colton Gordon, LHP (0-0, 2.25 ERA) vs. Doug Nikhazy, LHP (0-0, 16.20 ERA)
GAME 2 – Saturday, 2:30 ET p.m. | WATCH | LIVE STATS
Hunter Patteson, LHP (1-0, 0.00 ERA) vs Gunnar Hoglund, RHP (1-0, 5.06 ERA)
GAME 3 – Sunday, 1 p.m. ET | WATCH | LIVE STATS
TBA vs. Derek Diamond, RHP (1-0, 1.50 ERA)
NOTES
- Ole Miss holds a 5-2 series lead. UCF is 2-1 in the last three contests with the Rebels. The Knights have never won a game in Oxford, Miss.
- UCF is 25-27 against ranked opponents under Head Coach Greg Lovelady and went a combined 8-6 against top-25 opponents in 2019 and 2020
- This is the Knights first meeting with a No. 1 ranked team since defeating Florida, 9-7 and 4-2 in back-to-back nights in 2018
- Seven Knights have combined for eight home runs through four games
DON'T MISS OUT
The UCF baseball team is set for its fifth season under head coach Greg Lovelady and will welcome two teams from the 2019 NCAA Tournament to John Euliano Park in 2021. Featuring a 26-game home schedule, John Euliano Park is set to host some of the best collegiate baseball in the country. They are set to have four doubleheaders throughout the season, so come spend the day at the ballpark. Click here or call (407) 823-1000 for ticket information.
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