ORLANDO – Fresh off a midweek win over North Florida, the UCF baseball team will continue an eight-game homestand by welcoming Central Michigan to town for a non-conference series.
The three-game weekend series will run Friday to Sunday at John Euliano Park. Friday and Saturday’s contests are set for 6 p.m., while Sunday’s finale will begin at 12 p.m. Friday and Sunday will air live on Big 12 Now on ESPN+ and live audio will be available for Saturday’s ballgame by visiting UCFKnights.com.
The Knights will enter the weekend with a 22-12 overall record and an 8-10 Big 12 Conference mark. UCF is currently receiving votes for both the ESPN/USA Today Coaches and NCBWA polls and holds down the nation’s 15th-best RPI to lead all Big 12 Conference institutions.
After dropping three tightly contested games by a combined differential of four runs, the Black and Gold bounced back on Tuesday with a 10-3 victory over in-state foe North Florida. With the win, the Knights improved to 10-2 on the year against in-state opponents and 8-1 in midweek ballgames. Tuesday’s contest marked the first of three season meetings between UCF and UNF.
Right-hander Tyler Nesbitt got the start on Tuesday and tossed 4.1 scoreless innings. Nesbit allowed just two hits and no runs while striking out a batter to help the Black and Gold get off to a strong start against the Ospreys. Kris Sosnowski then came on and threw a career-long 2.2 innings and senior Najer Victor finished things off by tossing the final 2.0 innings of scoreless relief. Victor struck out a season-high five batters over the final two innings and did not allow a hit to help UCF secure the victory.
Lex Boedicker got the offense going in Tuesday’s contest by belting out his third home run of the season with a two-run shot to right in the fourth inning. UCF then added three more runs in the fifth inning. AJ Nessler dropped down a bunt single with two on and Andrew Williamson came in to score on a throwing error for the first run of the frame. Andrew Brait then drove in a run with a sacrifice fly and Jack Zyska capped the scoring in the inning with an RBI single.
Holding to a 5-3 lead in the seventh, the Black and Gold picked up a pair of insurance runs as Matt Prevesk delivered an RBI single and Zyska plated another with a sacrifice fly. UCF then put the game away in the eighth, as Prevesk added another RBI single, and Nessler had the big hit of the inning with a two-run double to right.
A total of four Knights drove in multiple runs in Tuesday’s ballgame. The sophomore Nessler led the Black and Gold by going 3-for-5 with a double, three runs scored, and two runs batted in. Zyska and Prevesk each followed with two hits and two RBIs, while Boedicker also drove in two runs with his fourth-inning home run.
Over UCF’s last five games, Nessler leads the way with a .353 batting average and six runs scored. He also has two doubles and three RBIs during the stretch. Zyska is next with a .350 clip, six runs scored and five RBIs, while Williamson is batting .333 with a team-best seven RBIs. Nesbitt leads the way on the mound during the last five games, as he hasn’t allowed a run and has surrendered just three hits over 6.1 innings. Dominic Castellano is next with a 1.80 ERA and five strikeouts over 5.0 innings of work.
On the season, Prevesk leads the Black and Gold with a .354 batting average. He also has 11 extra-base hits, 28 runs scored and 22 runs batted in. Zyska is next with a .312 average and team-best tallies of 14 extra-base hits, six home runs, 31 runs scored, and is third in RBIs with 24. Boedicker follows with a .292 clip and leads the way with 27 RBIs. Of the starting rotation, Cade Boxrucker leads in victories with a 3-1 mark, while Dom Stagliano fronts in ERA with a 4.19 clip, and Ben Vespi paces the team in strikeouts (39) and innings pitched (40.2). From the bullpen, Kyle Kramer holds a team-best 5-2 record and a 2.55 ERA, while Chase Centala ranks seventh in the nation in saves with seven, and Castellano is 3-0 with a 3.12 ERA and limiting opposing hitters to just a .142 batting average.
Scheduled Starting Pitchers for the Weekend
Senior right-hander Vespi will make his 10th consecutive Friday night start for UCF. He holds a 2-1 record and a 5.31 ERA. Follow RHP Stagliano will then get the ball on Saturday (1-3, 4.19 ERA) and the righty Boxrucker will start for the Knights on Sunday (3-1, 6.04 ERA). Right-hander Ben Vitas (1-4, 8.44 ERA) will start on the mound for CMU on Friday. Central Michigan’s starters for both Saturday and Sunday are to-be-announced.
About Central Michigan
The Chippewas will come to Orlando with a 12-25 overall record and in 10th place in the MAC with a 5-13 league mark. CMU has won two of its last five contests by taking midweek contests over Michigan State and Cleary University (NAIA) and getting swept by Bowling Green in conference action last weekend. Central Michigan previously faced Big 12 foe Oklahoma State in a three-game series in early March and dropped all three games. The Chippewas were picked to finish third in the MAC this season after going 34-23 overall and tying for second in conference play in 2023 with a 19-11 league mark.
Jacob Donahue fronts CMU with a .401 batting average, 55 hits, 29 runs scored, 12 stolen bases, and a .986 OPS. Danny Wuestenfeld is next with a .315 average and 13 doubles, while Ely Stuart is hitting .287 and leads in the power numbers with five homers and 31 RBIs. Adam Mrakitsch leads the starting rotation with a 4.44 ERA and 66 strikeouts in 46.2 innings, while starter/reliever Evan Waters holds a 4-2 record.
Jake Sabol is CMU’s head coach. Sabol is an alum of Central Michigan and is in his first season as the head man for the Chippewas.
All-Time Series vs. Central Michigan
Friday’s contest will mark the 17th all-time meeting between UCF and CMU. The Knights will enter play with an 11-5 series advantage. UCF has won four straight meetings, which includes a three-game sweep in 2017. All 16 previous meetings have been played in Orlando.
Knights in the National Rankings
UCF holds the highest RPI in the Big 12 Conference, as it enters the week with the nation’s 15th-best Rating Percentage Index. The Knights have been ranked as high as third nationally in the RPI this year, as they were ranked No. 3 in that category in early March. UCF was also ranked in the Top 25 for the first two weeks of April and made it as high as No. 16 by the NCBWA and No. 17 by D1Baseball and Perfect Game on the April 8 poll. It marked the first time that the Knights had been in the Top 25 since February of 2021.
UCF 10-2 vs. Sunshine State Foes, 8-1 in Midweek Action
UCF is off to a 10-2 start against in-state foes in 2024 thanks to road wins over No. 4 Florida, Miami, Florida Atlantic, Jacksonville, and Bethune-Cookman as well as home midweek wins over Stetson, FAU, and North Florida, and taking two of three at home from South Florida. The Knights are also 8-1 in midweek contests after winning their first seven midweek contests of the season. In midweek games, UCF has outscored its opponents by an impressive tally of 70 to 30.
On Deck
The Knights will continue the homestand by hosting FGCU in midweek action on Tuesday, April 23. UCF will then return to Big 12 play by hosting Cincinnati for a three-game league series next weekend (April 26-28).