CORAL GABLES, Fla. – UCF Baseball (28-20) fell when scoring 10 or more runs for the first time this season, as the Miami Hurricanes (36-12) defeated the Knights 16-10 on Wednesday afternoon. The Knights and Hurricanes split the season series, winning at their respected ballparks.
UCF opened the scoring in the top of the first, as Gephry Pena led off with a triple down the line in right. Lex Boedicker singled to left field to score Pena from third and give the Knights a 1-0 lead. Later in the inning, Andrew Sundean singled up the middle to score Ben McCabe and Noah Orlando, extending the lead to 3-0.
Miami answered in the bottom half, scoring five runs, highlighted by a grand slam to right field off the parking garage. The Canes went on to score the next nine runs, expanding their lead to 9-3, before UCF scored again.
In the top of the third, Tom Josten singled to right field to score Boedicker and cut the lead to 9-4. Miami answered with a pair in the bottom half, before Michael Brooks singled to right in the top of the fourth to score Ryan Taylor. Pena added a single up the middle to score Brooks to cut the Canes lead to 11-6.
A four-run fifth, gave Miami a 15-6 lead, before the Knights started chipping away at the deficit. In the seventh, Riley Wash doubled down the line in left to score Pablo Ruiz from third. Josten hit a two-run home run to right field, as UCF cut the lead to 15-9. In the eighth UCF added its final run of the night, as Cole Russo hit his first career home run to right field off the palm trees.
SCORING MOMENTS
TOP 1st | UM 0 – UCF 3 | Lex Boedicker singled to left field to score Gephry Pena from third. Andrew Sundean singles up the middle to score Ben McCabe and Noah Orlando.
BOTTOM 1st | UM 5 – UCF 3 | Miami scores five to take the lead.
BOTTOM 2nd | UM 9 – UCF 3 | The Hurricanes add four more to extend their lead.
TOP 3rd | UM 9 – UCF 4 | Tom Josten singled to right field to score Boedicker.
BOTTOM 3rd | UM 11 – UCF 4 | Miami adds a pair in the third.
TOP 4th | UM 11 – UCF 6 | Michael Brooks singled to right field to score Ryan Taylor. Gephry Pena singled up the middle to score Brooks.
BOTTOM 5th | UM 15 – UCF 6 | Miami scores four more in the fifth.
TOP 7th | UM 15 – UCF 9 | Riley Wash doubles down the line in left to score Pablo Ruiz from first. Josten hits a two-run home run to right field.
TOP 8th | UM 15 – UCF 10 | Cole Russo hits a solo home run to right field.
BOTTOM 8th | UM 16 – UCF 10 | Miami adds a run in the eighth.
GAME NOTES
- Cole Russo hit his first career home run in the top of the eighth, a solo home run to right field.
- William Saxton falls to 4-4 on the season, working on inning and allowing five runs.
- UCF pitchers struck out 10 Hurricane batters on Wednesday evening.
- Riley Wash was 2-for-2 off the bench, scoring a run and collecting an RBI.
- Tom Josten led the Knights with three RBIs, finishing 2-for-4 with a home run.
- Wednesday night was the first time all season that the Knights scored 10 or more runs and lost a game.
UP NEXT
UCF Baseball caps off the eight-game road trip with a three-game set in Houston. The Knights and Cougars will begin the series Friday evening at 7 p.m.