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Sundean’s Late Heroics Lead UCF to 3-2 Victory Over Florida Atlantic

by James Warnick
Box Score

ORLANDO – Andrew Sundean blasted out the go-ahead home run in the eighth inning to lead UCF to a 3-2 midweek victory over Florida Atlantic on Tuesday evening at John Euliano Park.

With the game deadlocked at 2-2 and Sundean leading off the last of the eighth, the junior catcher smoked a 1-0 pitch down the leftfield line to give the Knights (13-5) the lead. Sundean reached base all four times and finished the game by going 3-for-3 with all three runs batted in.

“I was proud of our pitchers’ efforts, and Sunny had big day at the plate,” head UCF coach Rich Wallace said. “We moved him (Andrew Sundean) down to the five-spot in the order to take a little pressure off, and he delivered.”

The Owls (12-7) struck first with a run in the second to jump out to a 1-0 lead. With both sides pitching well and putting up zeros from there until the fifth, Sundean delivered a two-out two-run single to give the Knights a 2-1 advantage in the last of the inning. The clutch hit scored both Matt Prevesk and Lex Boedicker, who had previously reached on a respective single and a walk.

With two outs in the top of the sixth, FAU countered back with a run to tie the game at 2-2. John Schroeder worked a one-out walk, advanced to second on a wild pitch, stole third, and scored on a sac fly off the bat of Andrew McKenna.

UCF reliever Kyle Kramer then retired the Owls in order in the seventh and after an FAU runner reached base in the top of the eighth, Black and Gold closer Chase Centala then came on and quickly drew an inning-ending 5-4-3 double play to send it to the bottom of the eighth.

Following Sundean’s go-ahead homer in the last of the eighth, Centala then came back out and quickly retired the side in order in the ninth to seal the victor for the Knights.

As a staff, four UCF pitchers combined to limit the Owls to just two hits on the night. Starter Wiley Hartley struck out five while surrendering just one run on two hits over 2.2 innings. Dominic Castellano followed by allowing just one run on no hits while fanning three over 3.0 innings. Kramer and Centala (3-0) then each threw an inning and two thirds and combined to strike out two and not give up a hit or a run over an impressive final 3.1 innings.

Behind Sundean’s big night at the plate, Boedicker reached base three times and scored a run, while Prevesk and Mikey Kluska each went 1-for-3.

The contest marked the second and final season meeting between the Knights and Owls. UCF swept the season series as it previously defeating FAU 11-6 on Feb. 27 in Boca Raton. The Knights also improved to a perfect 5-0 in midweek action with Tuesday’s victory and 7-1 against in-state opponents.  

UCF will now hit the road to face Kansas in Big 12 play this weekend in Lawrence. The three-game series will run Friday to Sunday, March 22-24, at KU’s Hoglund Ballpark. All three games will air live on Big 12 Now on ESPN+.