Orlando, Fla – The UCF baseball team split its doubleheader in American Athletic Conference play on Friday afternoon. The Knights jumped out to a game one victory Friday afternoon, with a 6-3 win, before falling in the night cap 11-1 in eight innings.
Game One | Wichita State (22-18, 10-10 AAC) – 3, UCF (23-22, 13-9 AAC) – 6
In their first trip back to John Euliano Park in two years, the Shockers jumped on starting pitcher Hunter Patteson to score twice in the first three innings for a 2-0 lead. UCF answered with a run in the fourth on a Pablo Ruiz single to plate Alex Freeland.
Patteson would settle down, to allow just one more run in the fifth before completing his 5.1 IP outing. He would strike out nine in the game – a season high.
The RBI leader for the Knights, Ben McCabe gave UCF a one run lead after a bases-clearing triple, driving in three to make the score 4-3 in the fifth. Jordan Rathbone and Pablo Ruiz each added a run in the sixth and seventh, respectively, pushing the game further out of reach for the Shockers.
Ben Vespi entered the game in the final frame to close the door on game one, earning his first save of his collegiate career.
Winning Pitcher: Hunter Patteson (W, 2-2)
Losing Pitcher: Preston Snavely (L, 3-5)
Top Pitcher: Hunter Patteson (5.1 IP, 3 ER, 9 K)
Top Hitters: Ben McCabe (2-3, 3 RBI, 3B), Pablo Ruiz (3-4, R, 2 RBI), Josh Crouch (2-4, 2B, R)
Game Two | Wichita State (23-18, 11-10 AAC) – 11, UCF (23-23, 13-9 AAC) – 1
It was all Wichita State in the nightcap of game two of the doubleheader, as the Shockers jumped out to the lead with a three-run homer and an RBI single in the first, followed by a run on five hits in the second.
UCF wasn't able to break into the runs column for most of the game, unable to combine for more than two hits in an inning, with the exception of the first with two knocks.
With the comfortable lead, Jace Kaminska of the Wichita State pitching staff held UCF scoreless, until Connor Allen led off the bottom of the seventh with a leadoff solo home run to left, off of the scoreboard.
Winning Pitcher: Jace Kaminska (W, 6-0)
Losing Pitcher: Kenny Serwa (L, 2-4)
Top Pitcher: Nick Vieira (1.0 IP, 2 K), Zack Bennett (1.1 IP, 1 K)
Top Hitters: Connor Allen (1-2, HR), John Montes (2-4)
Notables
- The Knights are now 4-4 with Wichita State after splitting the Friday doubleheader.
- Ben McCabe extended his RBI lead for the Knights, driving in 3 RBI on the day.
- Conor Allen has three home runs on six hits in 2021.
- Jordan Rathbone was hit by a pitch for the 20th time this season – he entered the contest third in the nation in HBP. He currently sits 4th on the UCF leaderboards for HBP in a single season.
Next Up
The Knights will continue the four-game series on Saturday, May 8 with Wichita State. First pitch set for 4 p.m. at John Euliano Park. The two teams will close the series on Sunday at 12 p.m.
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