ORLANDO, Fla. – Four different Knights homered on Saturday night, as UCF defeated Siena 16-2 at John Euliano Park. The Knights improved to 2-0 on the season, while Siena falls to 0-2. Connor Staine earned his first collegiate win on Saturday, working 4.2 innings, allowing one hit and two unearned runs.
Staine struck out eight batters before being removed due to reaching his pitch count limit. The eight strikeouts are one shy of his career-high, which happened while attending Maryland. Siena would open the scoring in the top of the first to lead 1-0.
The black and gold would respond in the bottom half, as Nick Romano crushed a two-run home run to regain the lead. Later in the inning Tom Josten scored on a wild pitch to extend the lead 3-1.
In the third, UCF blew open the scoring behind seven runs by the Knights offense. Ben McCabe led off the inning with a solo home run, followed by two runs scoring on an error. Tom Josten highlighted the inning with a grand slam, the first since Pablo Ruiz hit one against Memphis in 2021.
UCF would add three more in the fifth and eighth innings, as Alex Freeland joined the home run parade. Noah Orlando would clear the bases in the eighth with a triple down the line in left, before scoring on an RBI groundout from Brogan Napier.
SCORING MOMENTS
TOP 1st | SIENA 1 – UCF 0 | Siena takes the lead in the first.
BOTTOM 1st | SIENA 1 – UCF 3 | Nick Romano hits a two-run home run. Tom Josten scores on a wild pitch.
BOTTOM 3rd | SIENA 1 – UCF 10 | Ben McCabe homers to left field. Michael Brooks and Lex Boedicker score on a fielder's choice. Tom Josten hit a grand slam to right field to increase the Knights lead to 10-1.
TOP 5th | SIENA 2 – UCF 10 | Siena scores on a double to right center.
BOTTOM 5th | SIENA 2 – UCF 13 | Alex Freeland homers to right field. Michael Brooks singles up the middle to score Ben McCabe from second. Riley Wash singled to left to advance to score Lex Boedicker.
BOTTOM 8th | SIENA 2 – UCF 16 | Noah Orlando tripled down the left field line to score Cole Russo and Ryan Taylor. Brogan Napier grounded out to score Noah Orlando from third.
GAME NOTES
- Alex Freeland, Nick Romano, Tom Josten and Ben McCabe all recorded their first home run of the season on Saturday.
- Connor Staine earned his first career victory on Saturday afternoon, working 4.2 innings of one-hit baseball.
- Tom Josten led the team four RBIs, all coming via the grand slam.
- 11 different Knights scored a run in Saturday's game, while eight recorded at least one RBI.
- UCF pitchers combined for 14 strikeouts on the night, the second game this season where the staff has recorded 10 or more strikeouts.
UP NEXT
UCF and Siena will conclude the season opening series on Sunday afternoon. First pitch is slated for 1 p.m. from John Euliano Park.