ORLANDO – In the midst of a 12-game homestand and having won five straight games, the UCF baseball team will welcome the Miami Hurricanes to town on Wednesday night.
The Sunshine State midweek matchup will begin at 6 p.m. and will air live on ESPN+. Live stats will also be available for the contest by visiting UCF.StatBroadcast.com.
“Wednesday will be another chance to continue to get better against a great opponent,” head UCF coach Rich Wallace said. “We’re excited to see us keep building on what we’ve been doing the last couple of weeks and looking forward to having a great crowd out for it.”
The Black and Gold (9-5, 0-0 Big 12) will enter the ballgame on a five-game winning streak after going a perfect 4-0 at home last week. The Knights first defeated in-state foe FGCU, 12-5, on Wednesday, and followed that up with a three-game sweep over 2025 College World Series participant Murray State this past weekend. UCF defeated the Racers by scores of 8-3, 4-0, and completed the sweep with a thrilling come-from-behind ninth-inning rally to win 10-9 in walk-off fashion on Sunday.
The Knights got six solid innings from starter Braden Smith in the series opener on Friday and scored six runs over the final four innings to take game one, 8-3. Austin Jacobs led the way by going a perfect 3-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI, while Javier Crespo posted a 2-for-3 performance with a double, an RBI and three runs scored. Landon Moran too had multiple hits by going 2-for-5 with two runs scored. Braden Smith (2-1) earned the win after surrendering just two runs on four hits while striking out five and not walking a batter over 6.0 solid innings of work. Mateo Gray then earned his first collegiate save after allowing just one run on four hits while fanning three over the final three innings.
Pitching was key for the Black and Gold in game two, as right-handers Matt Sauser and Evan Jones combined for a four-hit shutout. The starter Sauser moved his scoreless-inning streak to 18.2 innings on the year, as he’s yet to allow a run on the 2026 campaign. Sauser went 5.2 innings and allowed just three hits and one walk while striking out five to move to 1-0 on the season. Jones then recorded his first save in a Black and Gold uniform after tying a career-long with 3.1 innings of scoreless relief. The junior reliever gave up just one hit and retired 10 of the 11 batters he faced. He also tied a season-high with five punchouts.
Offensively, Zak Skinner belted out a two-run home run in the eighth inning to put the game away for the Knights. He finished 1-for-2 with the two-run home run and a walk while Andrew Williamson finished 1-for-3 with two runs scored and two stolen bases.
In a back and forth battle on Sunday, the Racers scored five eighth inning runs to take a late 9-4 lead. The Knights didn’t go away, however, by rallying for six runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to earn the epic 10-9 walk-off win.
UCF quickly loaded the bases with nobody out in the final inning and Crespo started the scoring with an RBI single to right field. John Smith III then scored on a wild pitch and with the bases again loaded, James Hankerson Jr. delivered a key two-run pinch-hit single up the middle to cut the deficit to one. Jordan Lodise then sent home the tying run on a safety squeeze. Following a sac bunt from Jacobs for the first out of the inning, pinch-hitter Cayden Gaskin then completed the thrilling last-inning comeback with a sharp RBI single to left center on the first pitch to bring in Hankerson Jr. for the winning run.
Bottom 9…trailing 9-4…won 10-9
— UCF Baseball (@UCF_Baseball) March 9, 2026
Our epic comeback ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/1hQaSQctfE
The comeback marked one of UCF’s greatest last-inning comebacks in program history.
Jacobs led the Knights in the series by batting an even .500 with a pair of RBIs and a run scored, while Lodise hit .444, Crespo, .417, and Moran .400. Smith III led the way in extra-base hits with a trio of doubles after going 4-for-5 with a pair of doubles on Sunday. Sauser led the way from the mound by going 1-0 with a perfect 0.00 ERA over 5.2 innings, while Jones fronted the bullpen with 3.1 scoreless innings of relief with five strikeouts and a save.
Season Leaders
Smith III fronts the offense with an even .400 batting average. Jacobs and Crespo are next with respective .343 and .342 averages, while Skinner is batting .333 with a team-best 13 RBIs and is tied for the team lead in home runs with two. The right-hander Sauser leads the starting rotation with a 1-0 record, 16 strikeouts and an unblemished 0.00 ERA. Jones is tops from the bullpen with a 1-1 record, one save, 16 strikeouts and a 1.54 ERA.
About Miami
The Hurricanes will come to Orlando with a 12-4 overall record on the season and a 1-2 ACC clip after dropping two of three to Boston College in their conference-opening series at home last weekend. Miami had been nationally ranked for the first few weeks of the season before dropping out of the polls this week after losing the series to the Eagles. The Hurricanes won their first 10 games of the season before falling in four of their last six games with a pair of setbacks to both BC and Florida. Miami was picked to finish eighth in the ACC this season after going 35-27 overall and advancing to the Louisville Super Regional in 2025.
Dylan Dubovik fronts the Hurricanes at the plate with a .514 batting average. He also is second on the team with five home runs and fourth in RBIs with 17. Derek Williams is next with a .474 average and leads the club in homers (6), doubles, (7), runs scored (22) and runs batted in (23). Brylan West follows with a .404 average while 2025 All-American Daniel Cuvet is batting .304 and his tied for the team lead in home runs with six and second in extra-base hits with 11. AJ Ciscar leads Miami’s starting rotation with a 2-1 record, 3.46 ERA and 26 strikeouts in a team-best 26.0 innings. Rob Evans tops the team in punchouts and wins, as he holds a 3-1 record with 31 strikeouts over 19.0 innings.
Miami is coached by third-year head coach J.D. Arteaga.
All-Time Series History vs. Miami
Wednesday’s midweek matchup will mark the second and final season meetings between the Knights and Hurricanes. Miami will enter holding to a 33-13 all-time advantage after taking a wild 8-7 13-inning battle in February in Coral Gables. Prior to that, UCF had won two straight over Miami with a 4-3 victory in Coral Gables in 2024 and a 14-4 home win at John Euliano Park in 2025.
Walk-Off Dubs
UCF’s current five-game winning streak includes a pair of walk-off victories. The Knights started the win streak with a 2-1 walk-off win over in-state foe South Florida in the series finale on March 1. With the game all deadlocked at 2-1 heading into the last of the ninth, UCF quickly loaded the bases with nobody out. Zak Skinner then worked a full count with the bases loaded and came through with a sharp single through the right side of the infield to give the Knights the walk-off 2-1 victory.
Trailing 9-4 entering the bottom of the ninth against Murray State last Sunday, the Knights put together a last-inning rally for the ages by scoring six runs to record their second walk-off win of the streak. UCF again quickly loaded the bases with nobody out. Javier Crespo started the scoring with an RBI single and John Smith III came in to score on a wild pitch. James Hankerson Jr. then made it a 9-8 score with a two-run pinch hit single and Jordan Lodise evened the score with a safety squeeze. After a sac bunt moved the winning run to third base with only one out, Cayden Gaskin delivered a walk-off pinch-hit RBI single to left center to complete the epic comeback.
Sunshine State Success
Under head coach Rich Wallace, the Black and Gold have had success against in-state opponents. Under Wallace, UCF is 25-11 in games against teams from the state of Florida. Wallace’s 2024 squad went 14-4, which included beating the then ranked No. 4 Florida in Gainesville, a series win over USF, and a win over Stetson in the Tallahassee Regional.
UCF then posted a 9-4 record against in-state opponents in 2025. Those wins included two victories to earn a series win over USF, a 13-3 win over No. 6 Florida, and a 14-4 victory over Miami. It marked the second year in a row that the Knights under Wallace had knocked off the Gators, as well as the sixth consecutive victory over the UF. Two more of those wins came over Stetson, as UCF shut out the Hatters twice last season. UCF is currently 2-3 vs. in-state teams in 2026.
12-Game Homestand Continues
The Knights are in the midst of 12-game homestand. Over the homestand, UCF will face six different opponents. The home stretch will span nearly three weeks, and the Black and Gold will play the 12 games over a 19-day span. UCF will face in-state foes South Florida, FGCU and Miami during the homestand as well as 2025 College World Series participant Murray State, Columbia and open Big 12 play against Oklahoma State.
Sauser Named Big 12 Pitcher of the Week
Matt Sauser earned Big 12 Pitcher of the Week honors for the second time of his career on Feb. 23 after tossing 6.0 dominant innings at No. 20 Miami on Feb. 17. The right-hander was nearly perfect in the outing, as he did not allow a hit over six innings of action. The Bloomington, Illinois native issued just one walk and struck out six over the six hitless and scoreless frames.
In all, Sauser retired the Hurricanes in order in five of his six innings of work. He also allowed just one baserunner to reach on the basepaths.
Williamson Tabbed Preseason All-Big 12
A season removed from earning All-Big 12 Honorable Mention honors, junior outfielder Andrew Williamson has been named to the 2026 Preseason All-Big 12 Baseball Team. He enters the season off a stellar sophomore campaign in which he slashed .352/.662/.448 for the Black and Gold. The native of St. Petersburg, Florida led the Knights in nearly every offensive category a season ago in which he batted .352 with team-leading tallies of 13 home runs, 19 doubles, four triples, 58 runs scored and 53 runs batted in. Williamson also led the way in walks (34), on-base percentage (.448), slugging (.662), and finished second in stolen bases by going a perfect 13-for-13.
Williamson led the Knights with a 31‑game reached‑base streak, along with 26 multi‑hit games and 16 multi‑RBI performances in 2025. He also started all 55 games in right field a season ago.
Dorsey and Jones Named to NCBWA Stopper of Year Preseason Watch List
Right-handed pitchers Chandler Dorsey and Evan Jones have been named to the NCBWA Stopper of the Year Preseason Watch List. Both are new to the Knights this season, as Dorsey is a senior transfer from LSU while Jones is a redshirt junior from Western Kentucky.
A season ago in Baton Rouge, Dorsey posted an ERA just over five over 5.0 innings of work. He struck out four and tossed scoreless outings in three of his five appearances to help the Tigers claim the 2025 National Championship. During his sophomore campaign at South Florida, he had a stellar season in which he went 2-1 with eight saves and a 3.60 ERA. Over 30.0 innings of work that season, the 6-4 right-hander struck out 41 batters and limited opposing hitters to a .180 average.
During the 2025 season at WKU, Jones compiled a 1-1 record with four saves and a 3.18 ERA. He also limited opposing hitters to a .227 average in 11.1 innings of work. Over 14 appearances, he tossed 10 scoreless outings which included a stretch that spanned over seven consecutive games.
Williamson Named to Golden Spikes Award Preseason Watch List
In an award given to the top amateur baseball player in the nation, UCF junior outfielder Andrew Williamson was named to the Golden Spikes Award Preseason Watch List. Jimenez was one of 55 players from both the college and high school ranks and five from the Big 12 Conference to make the cut. Williamson slashed .352/.662/.448 in 2025 with 13 HRs, 19 2Bs, 58 runs and 53 RBIs.
Trio of Knights Named to D1Baseball’s Preseason Player List
A trio of Knights were named to D1Baseball’s Preseason Player Lists prior to the season in outfielders Andrew Williamson and DeAmez Ross, and catcher Zak Skinner. The junior OF Williamson led the group by checking in at No. 14 on D1Baseball’s Top 150 Outfielders. The senior transfer Skinner was next by being ranked No. 47 on the Top 50 Catchers List, while the senior Ross was right behind him by coming in at No. 53 on the Outfielders List.
On Deck for UCF
Following Wednesday’s game, the Black and Gold will open their third season of competition in the Big 12 Conference with a home series against Oklahoma State. The conference series will run Friday to Sunday with Friday and Saturday’s games set for 6 p.m. and Sunday’s finale at noon. The Knights will then close the 12-game homestand against Columbia in midweek action next Tuesday.