ORLANDO – After winning its third straight Big 12 Conference series to enter the national rankings for the first time since February of 2021, UCF baseball will open a busy week with back-to-back midweek games on Tuesday and Wednesday.
The Knights will first head to Daytona Beach for a Tuesday midweek at Bethune-Cookman for a 6 p.m. in-state clash at Jackie Robinson Ballpark. The Black and Gold will then return to John Euliano Park to host North Florida on Wednesday at 6 p.m. Tuesday’s game will be streamed live on YouTube and live stats will be available by visiting BCUAthletics.com, while Live audio will be available for Wednesday’s game on UCFKnights.com and live stats can also be found by visiting ucf.statbroadcast.com.
UCF entered the national rankings on Monday, as it holds an 18-7 overall record and a 6-6 Big 12 Conference clip. The Knights are ranked as high as No. 20 by Perfect Game and No. 25 by D1Baseball. The Black and Gold are also receiving votes for both the ESPN/USA Today Coaches and NCBWA polls. The last time the Knights were ranked was prior to the 2021 season. UCF opened the 2021 campaign ranked No. 24 in the Baseball America 2021 preseason poll and No. 28 in the NCBWA preseason poll.
The Knights will enter the week as just one of two Big 12 schools currently nationally ranked, as TCU is currently ranked No. 24 by the NCBWA and No. 25 on this week’s ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll. UCF has also moved into the top-five nationally in the RPI, as it currently leads all Big 12 schools with the nation’s No. 5 RPI ranking.
Last week against Texas Tech, the Knights earned a 5-4 walk-off victory in game one and followed that up by pulling out a 2-1 pitcher’s duel in game two to secure their third consecutive league series. A ninth-inning rally then fell just short in the series finale on Saturday, as the Red Raiders managed to hold on for a 3-2 victory to salvage a game on the weekend and put a close to the Black and Gold’s five-game winning streak.
UCF found itself entering the last of the ninth inning of Thursday’s opener trailing 4-3. Matt Prevesk led off the frame with a single and Jack Zyska quickly doubled him home to tie the score at 4-4. The Knights later loaded the bases with one away. Following a groundout, freshman Andrew Williamson was hit by a pitch to force home the winning run and help the Black and Gold earn their second walk-off HBP of the season. UCF previously defeated Oklahoma State on March 16 via a ninth inning walk-off hit-by-pitch drawn by Prevesk.
In game two on Friday, starter Dom Stagliano tossed a season-long 6.1 innings of impressive action in which he allowed just one run on three hits while striking out five. Closer Chase Centala then followed with a dominant 2.2-inning save to record his league-leading sixth save of the season. The RHP Centala gave up just two hits and no runs while fanning three to help the Black and Gold earn the 2-1 victory.
Offensively, Lex Boedicker drove in a run for UCF in the first inning of Friday’s game on an RBI fielder’s choice and Danny Neri plated what proved to be the winning run in the sixth inning with an RBI single.
After a career-long 5.0 innings of stellar relief from Dominic Castellano in Saturday’s finale, the Knights found themselves down just 3-1 entering the bottom of the ninth. Andrew Estrella then blasted out a pinch-hit leadoff homer to pull UCF within a run, but TTU’s Cole Kaase would retire the next three batters he faced to secure the game for the Red Raiders.
Castellano was great in relief for the Black and Gold in the game, as he surrendered just one run on two hits while striking out a career-high six batters over 5.0 innings. With Texas Tech putting up a run late in the contest, it put an end to UCF’s scoreless relief streak that spanned over six games at 22.1 innings.
The junior outfielder Prevesk led the Black and Gold in the series by batting .385 (5-for-13) with a homer, four runs scored and an RBI. Andrew Sundean also had a nice series by hitting .429, while Jack Zyska batted .273 with a double, an RBI and a run scored. Stagliano led the starting rotation by going 1-0 with five strikeouts and a 1.42 ERA, while Centala, Kyle Kramer, Spencer Bauer, and Kris Sosnowski all tossed scoreless outings of relief.
Prevesk paces UCF on the season with a .379 average, 10 extra-base hits, 21 runs scored and 18 RBIs. Zyska is next with a .315 clip, four homers, five doubles, 21 runs scored and 15 RBIs. Sundean leads the way in RBIs with 25 while Estrella fronts in homers with six. Stagliano leads the starting rotation with a 1-1 record and 3.14 ERA, while Ben Vespi is the team’s leader in strikeouts with 27 in 32.0 innings and Centala leads Big 12 and ranks fourth nationally in saves with six.
Cade Boxrucker Tabbed Big 12 Co-Newcomer of the Week
Senior right-handed pitcher Cade Boxrucker was named the Big 12 Conference Co-Newcomer of the Week on Monday. Boxrucker was one out away from a no-hitter last Tuesday, allowing just one hit through 8.2 innings against Jacksonville. The West Chester, Ohio native allowed just five batters to reach base and struck out four Dolphins. The senior right-hander was the winning pitcher in the 6-0 UCF shutout victory, as he faced the minimum in the second, fourth, fifth and eighth innings. The integrative general studies major is the first UCF player to win a Big 12 baseball weekly award. Boxrucker is scheduled to start on the mound on Tuesday at Bethune-Cookman and will face B-CU lefty Colby Lipovsky.
About Bethune-Cookman
The Wildcats will enter Tuesday with a 15-11 record and a 7-1 SWAC mark after sweeping Alabama A&M at home last weekend. B-CU has won nine of its last 11 games after also picking up wins over Florida A&M (two), Mississippi Valley State (two), North Florida and Jacksonville during the stretch. Bethune-Cookman was picked to finish second in the SWAC East Division this season after finishing second a year ago with a 33-27 overall record and a 20-9 conference clip.
Irvin Escobar paces B-CU with a .378 average. Jose Gonzalez is next with a .358 clip and four extra-base hits, 20 RBIs and 16 runs scored. Sergio Rivera fronts the squad in doubles (seven) and runs scored (23) while Garrett Chun leads the way in runs batted in with 24. Tanner Boccabello is Bethune-Cookman’s top starting pitcher as he holds a 3-0 record, 2.18 ERA and 31 strikeouts in 41.1 innings. Tuesday’s scheduled starting pitcher Lipovsky will enter with a 0-0 record and an 8.38 ERA.
All-Time Series vs. B-CU
Tuesday’s midweek will mark the 106 all-time meeting between the Knights and Wildcats and the first of two season meetings. UCF will enter with a commanding 88-17 all-time advantage and having won 11 straight contests. UCF also holds a 35-10 advantage with games played in Daytona Beach and has won four consecutive at Jackie Robinson Ballpark.
About North Florida
UNF will enter Wednesday with a 14-12 overall record and a 4-5 ASUN mark. The Ospreys have lost five straight and six of their last seven ballgames after falling to Bethune-Cookman, dropping two of three to Central Arkansas, and getting swept by Bellermine last weekend. North Florida was picked to finish ninth out of 12 teams in the ASUN this season after taking 11th last season with a 28-27 overall record and a 13-17 league mark.
Tripp McKinlay leads the Ospreys with a .361 batting average, 10 extra-base hits, 30 RBIs and 19 runs scored. Cherokee Nichols is next with a .299 average and team-leading tallies of four homers, eight doubles and 24 runs scored. Tony Roca fronts UNF’s starting rotation with a 3-2 record and 2.45 ERA, while Peter Holden leads the way in strikeouts with 33 in 31.0 innings of work.
All-Time Series vs. UNF
Wednesday’s contest will mark the first of three season meetings between the Knights and Ospreys. UCF will enter play holding to a slight 19-15 all-time advantage and a 10-8 record with games played in Orlando. The Knights have won three of the last four games by taking two of three last season as well as the final season meeting in 2022.
Knights 8-1 vs. Sunshine State Foes, Undefeated in Midweek Action
UCF is off to an 8-1 start against in-state foes in 2024 thanks to road wins over No. 4 Florida, Miami, Florida Atlantic, and Jacksonville and taking two of three from rival South Florida at home as well as home midweeks wins over Stetson and FAU. The Knights are also a perfect 6-0 in midweek contests and have outscored midweek foes 43 to 21. In all, UCF is scheduled to face 16 Sunshine State opponents on the season.
On Deck
Following Tuesday and Wednesday’s midweeks, UCF will welcome Kansas State to town for a three-game Big 12 Conference series. The series will run Friday to Sunday at John Euliano Park—Friday at 6 p.m., Saturday at 6 p.m., and Saturday at 1 p.m.—and all three games will air live on Big 12 Now on ESPN+.