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Knights Clinch First Big 12 Series with Walk-Off Win over Oklahoma State

by James Warnick
Box Score

ORLANDO – Andrew Sundean tied it in the last of the ninth with a leadoff solo home run and Matt Prevesk was hit by the pitch with the bases loaded to lead UCF to a 4-3 walk-off win over Oklahoma State on Saturday night at John Euliano Park to clinch the program’s first Big 12 Conference series.

The Knights, who are currently receiving votes for the latest NCBWA Top 25 Poll, improve to 12-4 overall and 2-3 in Big 12 play with the victory. Oklahoma State, who is receiving votes for this week’s ESPN/USA Today Top 25 Poll, drops to 11-8 and 0-2 in league play with the setback.

“I was just trying to put the ball in play and make something happen,” UCF junior outfielder Prevesk said. “I took a deep breath after the first pitch, and I was fired up to take one for the team.”

With the Knights holding to a 2-1 lead in the seventh, OSU managed to score a pair of runs to take a 3-2 advantage. UCF battled back in the ninth, however, to clinch the series and earn its second walk-off win of the season.

“I knew it was going to take something completely different than it did last night to beat these guys, and we went sac fly, safety squeeze, home run and walk-off hit by pitch with the bases loaded. That, I didn’t have on my Bingo card for how we were going to score our four runs, but I’m sure glad that we did,” head UCF coach Rich Wallace said.

The Knights got on the scoreboard first by manufacturing a pair of runs in the second to jump out to a 2-0 lead. Sundean doubled and Jack Zyska singled to put runners on the corners with no outs in the frame. Andrew Williamson then drove in Sundean with a sacrifice fly and Andrew Estrella later dropped down a safety squeeze to bring in Zyska from third to give the Black and Gold the early two-run advantage.

The Pokes then got a run back in the fourth on a two-out solo homer from Aidan Meola to make it a 2-1 contest. Despite allowing the one run, UCF starter Dom Stagliano had a strong outing for the Black and Gold as he surrendered just the one run on three hits while striking out five over a season-long 5.1 innings.

With both sides putting up zeros from there until the seventh, OSU managed to load the bases with two outs in the top of that frame. The Cowboys then tied the game on an infield single from Jaxson Crull and Avery Ortiz came in to score the go ahead run on a UCF throwing miscue to give the Pokes a 3-2 lead.

The score remained the same until UCF was able to piece together the ninth-inning rally. With OSU starter Brian Holiday having just exited the game, Sundean started it off by belting out a 3-2 pitch over the right centerfield wall off of Oklahoma State closer Gabe Davis to deadlock the score at 3-3. Zyska then followed by working a walk and Andrew Williamson dropped down a nice sacrifice bunt to move him into scoring position. Danny Neri then drew an intentional pass and pinch hitter Matt Cedarburg worked a walk to load the bases with one away. After a strikeout, Prevesk then stepped to the plate and ended it with the rare walk-off hit by pitch to help the Knights clinch their first Big 12 series.

Sundean led UCF offensively in the game by going 2-for-4 with two extra-base hits, two runs scored and an RBI. Prevesk, Williamson and Estrella also each drove in runs for the Black and Gold in the contest.

After surrendering the lead in the seventh, Chase Centala did a nice job by responding in the late innings to earn his second win of the season (2-0). Centala allowed just one unearned run on three hits while striking out four over the final 2.2 innings. OSU starter Holiday struck out 11 over 8.0 innings to take the no decision, while the reliever Davis was tagged with the loss to drop to 1-1.

The Knights will go for the series sweep in the finale on Sunday at 1 p.m. The contest will air live on Big 12 Now on ESPN+. Following Sunday’s game, UCF will cap a five-game homestand by welcoming in-state foe Florida Atlantic to John Euliano Park on Tuesday.