Seven-Run Sixth Propels Baseball to 13-4 Triumph over Siena on Opening KnightSeven-Run Sixth Propels Baseball to 13-4 Triumph over Siena on Opening Knight

Seven-Run Sixth Propels Baseball to 13-4 Triumph over Siena on Opening Knight

by Adrian Delgado
Box Score

ORLANDO – The UCF baseball team scored 12 unanswered runs in the late innings en route to recording a 13-4 victory over Siena in the 2025 season opener on Friday night at John Euliano Park.

Down 4-1 in the bottom of the sixth, the Knights (1-0) put up a seven-run sixth inning to take an 8-4 advantage. UCF didn’t look back from there, as the Black and Gold bullpen comprised of Spencer Bauer, Kevin Schoneboom, Angelo Smith and Russell Sandefer combined to toss 5.1 innings of shutout relief down the stretch.

“The guys didn’t panic and just kept playing,” head UCF coach Rich Wallace said. “We knew if we could keep it close and start getting the offense rolling, we’d have a chance. For me, the bullpen came in and really changed the momentum of the game.”

Down three runs in the sixth, Lex Boedicker stared things off with a triple off the wall in right. Matt Prevesk immediately followed with a first-pitch RBI single to left field. Antonio Jimenez kept the line moving with a walk and Kendrey Maduro laid down a perfect bunt down the third base line to score Prevesk from second thanks to a Siena (0-1) defensive miscue. With runners on second and third, DeAmez Ross dropped in a hustle double to left to bring home Jimenez and tie the game. Braden Calise then joined the big inning with a two-run go-ahead double to left field. Still with no outs in the frame, Andrew Williamson doubled to left field, bringing in Calise to extend to the lead. Following a sacrifice bunt from Chase Krewson, Andrew Sundean made it 8-4 with a sacrifice fly to left. In all, UCF scored seven runs on eight hits and sent 12 batters to the plate in the inning. The eight hits in the frame marked the most hits against an opponent in the sixth inning in program history. With the previous record of seven being set in the 2023 season opener against the Siena Saints.

The transfer reliever Smith then entered on the mound for the Knights and struck out the side in the seventh. He then retired the side in order in the eighth to finish with a pair of perfect frames in the relief with a trio of punchouts. The sophomore transfer Sandefer then finished things off with a three-up-three-down ninth to seal the victory.

In the late innings, the Knights continued to swing a hot bat as they tacked on four more runs in the seventh and one more in the eighth. Calise started the scoring in the seventh with an RBI single and Williamson followed by driving him home with a single to right. Prevesk capped the scoring in the last of the seventh with a two-run single to left. Calise then made it a four-RBI night with an RBI groundout in the eighth to conclude the scoring.

The redshirt junior second baseman Calise led the way by going 3-for-4 with four runs batted in and two runs scored. Prevesk followed with a 3-for-5 performance with three RBIs and a run scored, while Williamson drove home two runs and scored two more in a 2-for-6 performance. Ross, Boedicker and Maduro also posted multiple-hit outings on the evening, as UCF finished with 16 total hits on the night. All nine Knights in the batting order also touched home plate in the contest.

“I was just trying to go out there and do what I could to help the team win. We started off a little slow. We had some guys on base all game. It was just a matter of time before we put some hits together and scored some runs,” Calise said.

A total of 2,074 fans came out to John Euliano Park to catch UCF’s 2025 season opener.

“Opening Knight is great. Just the feel as guys are walking in. People are still putting things up. The smell of hotdogs and it’s coming. And I think they all enjoy being here. And this place was jumping, so it was nice,” Wallace concluded.

Schoneboom was credited with his first win as a Knight in relief to move to 1-0 while Siena’s Matt Rowe was tagged with the defeat (0-1). Dom Stagliano started for the Black and Gold on the evening and went 3.2 innings. Alistair Morin started for the Saints and went 4.0 innings.

The win marked UCF's 30th consecutive victory over the Saints. It also marked the Black and Gold's fourth straight on Opening Knight and upped UCF's all-time Opening Knight record to 37-16. 

The Knights will continue the opening series on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. at John Euliano Park. The Black and Gold and Saints will then conclude the series on Sunday at 1 p.m. Following Sunday’s finale, UCF will host Missouri on Wednesday, Feb. 19 at 6:30 p.m.