WICHITA, Kan. – UCF Baseball (23-16, 7-4) staged a feverous comeback in the middle innings, including five home runs to shock Wichita State (13-26, 2-9), 16-12 and earn the series victory. Chase Centala earns his second win of the season, improving to 2-3, while Kyle Kramer picks up his fourth save of the year, working the final two innings.
The Citronauts opened the scoring in the first, as Andrew Sundean singled to left field to score Gephry Pena. Wichita State answered in the second, taking a 3-1 lead, before Ben McCabe hit a solo home run to right center field.
Wichita State extended their lead to 7-2 in the bottom half of the third, before UCF began a long crawl comeback. Noah Orlando hit a solo home run to center field and Michael Brooks scored on a passed ball later in the inning. Pena closed out the inning with a single through the right side to score Tom Josten and Trent Taylor, cutting the lead to 7-6.
The 'Nauts did not stop there, scoring a pair in the sixth thanks to Trent Taylor's solo home run to left and Ben McCabe's huge double to the game in left center. The Shockers added a run in the sixth to level the game at eight a side, before the 'Nauts scored three more in the top of the seventh to push the lead to 11-8.
In the bottom half, Wichita State scraped across two more runs to make the score 11-10, before Michael Brooks crushed a two-run homer to left field onto 21st Street to give UCF a 13-10 lead. The 'Nauts followed in the ninth, as Andrew Sundean hit a three-run home run to left field, extending the lead to 16-10.
Chase Centala earned the win in relief, working 4.2 innings allowing three earned runs and striking out five. He escaped a bases loaded jam in the bottom of the seventh to keep the 'Nauts ahead, before Kyle Kramer worked the final two innings, striking out three to earn his fourth save of the season.
UCF will go for the sweep tomorrow afternoon at Eck Stadium.
SCORING MOMENTS
TOP 1st | WSU 0 – UCF 1 | Andrew Sundean singles to left field to score Gephry Pena.
BOTTOM 2nd | WSU 3 – UCF 1 | Wichita State scores a trio to take the lead.
TOP 3rd | WSU 3 – UCF 2 | Ben McCabe homers to right center field.
BOTTOM 3rd | WSU 7 – UCF 2 | WSU extends its lead.
TOP 4th | WSU 7 – UCF 6 | Noah Orlando homers to center field. Michael Brooks scores on a passed ball. Gephry Pena singles to left field to score Tom Josten and Trent Taylor.
TOP 6th | WSU 7 – UCF 8 | Trent Taylor homered to left field. Ben McCabe doubled to left center to score Lex Boedicker.
BOTTOM 6th | WSU 8 – UCF 8 | The Shockers tie the ballgame.
TOP 7th | WSU 8 – UCF 11 | Taylor singled to the pitcher scoring Brooks. Pena singles through the right side to score Taylor and Josten.
BOTTOM 7th | WSU 10 – UCF 11 | WSU scores a pair to cut the lead.
TOP 8th | WSU 10 – UCF 13 | Michael Brooks hits a two-run home run to left field.
TOP 9th | WSU 10 – UCF 16 | Andrew Sundean hits a three-run home run to left field.
BOTTOM 9th | WSU 12 – UCF 16 | Wichita State tacked on a pair.
GAME NOTES
- UCF hit a season-high five home runs on Saturday afternoon to down Wichita State.
- Kyle Kramer earned his fourth save of the season, striking out three batters in two innings of work.
- Andrew Sundean, Michael Brooks, Ben McCabe, Noah Orlando and Trent Taylor all homered in the game on Saturday.
- Gephry Pena and Andrew Sundean led the way in the RBI department, both driving in four runs Saturday.
- Michael Brooks scored three runs for UCF on Saturday, tied with Gephry Pena for the team lead on the day.
- UCF pitchers struck out 11 Shockers on Saturday afternoon.
- UCF improves to 16-0 when scoring 10+ runs in a game and earned its first victory when allowing 10+ runs.
UP NEXT
UCF and Wichita State will conclude the weekend series on Sunday afternoon at Eck Stadium. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. EST.