The Black and Gold struck first by loading the bases in the bottom of opening frame and picking up a run to take a 1-0 lead. With one away and the bases full, Neri worked a bases loaded walk to bring in Zyska from third and give the Knights the early advantage.
The Red Raiders looked to respond in the second by loading the bases with nobody out, but UCF starter Ben Vespi bounced back by striking out the next guy he faced and followed that up by drawing an inning-ending 4-6-3 double play that was nicely handled by Braden Calise and Mikey Kluska to end the threat.
With one out in the fourth, Texas Tech’s Kevin Bazzell homered down the leftfield line to tie the game at 1-1. The Red Raiders then got a two-run homer from Landon Stripling to right in the fifth and added another run on an RBI double from Cade McGee to take a 4-1 lead.
UCF got a run back in the last of the fifth, as Prevesk scored from third on groundout off the bat of Sundean to make it a 4-2 contest. The Knights then tacked on another run in the sixth to make it 4-3. Williamson started off the frame with a leadoff double and quickly moved to third on a groundout to the right side from Calise. Kluska then drove Williamson home with an RBI single up the middle to make it a one-run game.
Tech threatened in the top of the eighth by getting runners on the corners with two away, but Kyle Kramer came on from the bullpen and quickly drew an inning-ending flyout to escape the jam.
The UCF bullpen was strong down the stretch, as Spener Bauer, Kris Sosnowski and Kramer combined to not surrender a run over 5.0 innings of work. Bauer allowed just two hits and no runs while striking out three over 2.0 innings, while Sosnowski followed by fanning four and allowing just two hits and no runs over 1.2 innings. The senior Kramer then finished the impressive stretch off by giving up just one hit and no runs over the final inning and a third to setup the ninth-inning rally for the offense.
Kramer earned his fourth win of the season in relief to improve to 4-0 on the year, while Texas Tech reliever Josh Sanders was tagged with the loss to drop to 1-1.
Prevesk led the Knights from the plate in the game by going 3-for-5 with two runs scored. Zyska and Sundean each posted two-hit performances by going 2-for-4 and 2-for-5, respectively, with a run scored apiece. Zyska also added an RBI on the night. Damian Bravo paced TTU by going 5-for-5 with five singles and a run scored.
The win marked UCF’s, who is receiving votes for both the ESPN/USA Today Coaches and NCBWA top 25 polls, fourth straight victory and fifth in its last six ballgames. The second walk-off hit by pitch of the year, marked the first time in program history that the Black and Gold have ever accomplished the rare feat twice in one year.
“Somehow, someway, the guys figured out how to get the job done. I’m just grateful that we were able to get a run there in the ninth to walk it off,” head UCF coach Rich Wallace said.
The Knights will look to clinch their third consecutive Big 12 series on Friday night at 6 p.m. in game two of the series. The Black and Gold and Red Raiders will then conclude the series on Saturday at 1 p.m. Both contests will air live on Big 12 Now on ESPN+.
