Orlando, Fla. – The UCF baseball team won its second of four games against North Florida on Friday night by a score of 6-2. Colton Gordon dominated on the mound going seven innings with 10 strikeouts and only giving up one run. The10 K's matches a career-high for Gordon, his third time fanning 10 in Black and Gold.
The Knights bats jumped on UNF starting pitcher Max McKinley early when Jordan Rathbone took him deep in the first inning to give UCF a 1-0 lead. Rathbone would add a second RBI in the third with a sacrifice fly to plate Gephry Pena, doubling the lead 2-0.
Tom Josten added on to the lead with a two-run single in the fourth and Alex Freeland hit a homer to right field in the fifth making the score 5-0.
UNF scored their only run off Gordon in the sixth inning on a ground out. UCF tacked on their sixth and final run on a bases loaded walk in the sixth.
The Ospreys got a run back on a home run in the eighth inning, but that was all they would score as the Knights bullpen would close the door in the eighth and ninth.
UCF (5-8) – 6, UNF (4-10) – 2
Winning Pitcher: Colton Gordon (7.0 IP, 10 K, 3 BB)
Losing Pitcher: Max McKinley (5.0 IP, 5 K, 8 H, 4 ER)
Top Hitters: Alex Rathbone (2-5, 1 RBI, 1 R, HR), Jordan Rathbone (1-2, 3 RBI, 1 R, HR)
Top Pitchers: Colton Gordon (7.0 IP, 3 H, 10 K), Ben Vespi (1.0 IP, 2 K)
Key Stats:
- The win marks the first back-to-back victories in 2021
- UCF now leads the all-time series with UNF 13-11
- The Black and Gold improves to 3-4 against teams from the Sunshine State this season
- Colton Gordon fanned 10 batters in back-to-back outings for UCF
- Gephry Pena's on base streak is up to 17 straight games dating back to March 6th, 2020
- Eight of the nine Knights who had an at bat got a hit
- Four of the six outs that Knight relievers recorded were by strikeout
- Friday's victory is the Knights first with at home
ON DECK
The Knights travel to Jacksonville to face UNF again on Saturday for a 5:00 p.m. start. The series will conclude on Sunday at 2:00 p.m. with a return trip to John Euliano Park.
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