ORLANDO, Fla. – UCF Baseball (12-7) dropped the series to the UNC Greensboro Spartans (10-9) on Saturday after resuming Friday's game this afternoon due to weather.
UCF opened game one on Friday evening, jumping out to a 2-0 lead off the bat of Alex Freeland. The shortstop hit a two-run home run to right center in the bottom of the first, his team leading fourth of the season. UNCG responded in the third, cutting the lead in half, before the game was suspended to Saturday due to weather.
With the resumption of play beginning on Saturday in the bottom of the fourth, Lex Boedicker doubled down the line in right to score Trent Taylor from second. Michael Brooks doubled to right to score Pablo Ruiz, before later scoring to extend the lead to 6-1 on a wild pitch.
The Knights added another run in the bottom of the sixth, when Gephry Pena singled to left center to score Brooks. UCF had a commanding lead heading to the seventh, before UNCG scored five runs to cut the lead to one. They would later take the lead on a two-run home run and extended it out to 10-8 heading to the final frame. UCF would cut the deficit to 10-9 on an Andrew Sundean sacrifice fly but fell short in game one.
In game two, UNCG led wire to wire, scoring two runs in the top of the third to open the scoring. UCF answered in the bottom of the fifth on Michael Brooks' third home run of the season, a solo shot to left field. The Spartans tallied on four more runs in the seventh, as UCF cut the lead to 6-3 in the bottom of the inning. Ben Rushing homered for the first time in nearly two years, while Alex Freeland singled to left center to score Sundean. Sundean later doubled in the ninth to score Brooks, as the Knights fell 6-4 in the night cap.
SCORING MOMENTS – GAME 1
BOTTOM 1st | UNCG 0 – UCF 2 | Alex Freeland hits a two-run home run to right center field.
TOP 3rd | UNCG 1 – UCF 2 | UNCG cuts the lead in half due to an error.
BOTTOM 4th | UNCG 1 – UCF 6 | Lex Boedicker doubles down the line in right to score Trent Taylor from second. Michael Brooks doubled to right center to score Ruiz from second. Brooks scores on a wild pitch.
BOTTOM 6th | UNCG 1 – UCF 7 | Gephry Pena singled to left center to score Brooks.
TOP 7th | UNCG 6 – UCF 7 | UNCG scores five to cut the lead to one.
TOP 8th | UNCG 8 – UCF 7 | UNCG homers to take the lead.
BOTTOM 8th | UNCG 8 – UCF 8 | Pena singles up the middle to score Noah Orlando.
TOP 9th | UNCG 10 – UCF 8 | UNCG scores two to take the lead.
BOTTOM 9th | UNCG 10 – UCF 9 | Andrew Sundean flies out to center field to score Tom Josten.
SCORING MOMENTS – GAME 2
TOP 3rd | UNCG 2 – UCF 0 | UNCG takes the lead in the top of the third.
BOTTOM 5th | UNCG 2 – UCF 1 | Michael Brooks hits a solo home run to left field.
TOP 7th | UNCG 6 – UCF 1 | UNCG scores four more to add to the lead.
BOTTOM 7th | UNCG 6 – UCF 3 | Ben Rushing hits a solo home run to right field. Alex Freeland singles to left center to score Andrew Sundean.
BOTTOM 9th | UNCG 6 – UCF 4 | Sundean doubles down the line in left to score Brooks.
GAME NOTES
- Game one resumed on Saturday afternoon, after playing three and half innings Friday night.
- Andrew Sundean made his first career start on Saturday in game two, finishing 2-for-3 with a hit by pitch and a RBI.
- Ben Rushing hit his first home run in nearly two years on Saturday, a solo shot to right field.
- Michael Brooks hit his third home run of the season and second this week, a solo shot to left field.
- David Litchfield had his longest outing of the season since working seven innings at Georgia Southern on February 25. He worked 6.2 innings striking out seven and allowing four runs.
UP NEXT
UCF and UNCG will conclude the three-game set on Sunday at John Euliano Park. First Pitch is set for 1 p.m.