No. 12 Baseball Drops Series Opener to Kansas in Extra Innings, 4-3No. 12 Baseball Drops Series Opener to Kansas in Extra Innings, 4-3

No. 12 Baseball Drops Series Opener to Kansas in Extra Innings, 4-3

by James Warnick
Box Score

LAWRENCE, Kan. – The No. 12 UCF baseball team tied it with two outs in the top of the ninth, but Kansas responded to win it in the last of the 11th to claim the series opener by a score of 4-3 on Friday evening at Hoglund Ballpark.

The Knights (20-10, 10-3 Big 12) and Jayhawks (24-10, 10-3 Big 12) are now tied for first place in the Big 12 standings with the result. The two will conclude the pivotal series on Saturday with a doubleheader beginning at 2 p.m. ET/1 p.m. CT.

The Knights didn’t waste any time getting things going, as they loaded the bases with one away in the top of the first thanks to an error, walk, and deep single off the wall from Zak Skinner. Landon Moran then plated the first run of the game with a ground ball on the right side of the infield that Cayden Gaskin came home to score to give the Black and Gold a 1-0 lead.

In his first Friday night start, sophomore Mateo Gray got off to a good start on the mound by retiring KU in order in both the first and second innings. The Jayhawks then responded with back-to-back doubles in the third and later added their second run in the inning on a sacrifice fly to take a 2-1 advantage.

Kansas looked for more in the bottom of the fifth by loading the bases with one away. Gray bounced back nicely, however, by striking out Cade Baldridge for the second out and followed by drawing an inning-ending fielder’s choice off the bat of the reigning Brooks Wallace Award Player of the Week Tyson LeBlanc to leave the bases loaded.

Senior outfielder DeAmez Ross led off the top of the sixth for the Black and Gold with a double to left. He moved to third on a sacrifice bunt, and Austin Jacobs drove him home with a sharp single up the middle to deadlock the score at 2-2.

Kansas struck back in the last of the sixth with a two-out RBI double from Max Soliz Jr. to take a 3-2 advantage.

With KU holding to the 3-2 lead in the ninth, Williamson started a two-out rally by reaching on an error to put the tying run on the base paths. John Smith III then followed by working a base on balls to move Williamson into scoring position. Senior catcher Zak Skinner then tied things up with a clutch two-out RBI single to left field on a 1-1 count to plate Williamson and knot the score at 3-3.

UCF closer Evan Jones then retired the Jayhawks in order in the bottom of the ninth to send the game into extra innings.

After the Knights hit three deep flyouts in the top of the 10th, Jones then pitched around a one-out single in the last of the 10th to send it to the 11th. After UCF went down in order in the top of the frame, KU won it in the bottom of the 11th with a walk-off RBI single from Soliz Jr. Preseason All-American Brady Ballinger led off the inning with a walk and Augusto Mungarrieta followed by getting hit by a pitch. After a bunt moved them to second and third, Soliz Jr. lined a ball into left-center to win it for KU.  

Despite suffering the setback, the right-hander Gray had another strong start for the Knights by going 5.2 innings and allowing just three runs on seven hits while striking out five. Matthew Heyl, Kevin Schoneboom, Anthony Lariz and Jones all followed with scoreless relief outings. UCF freshman Max Murray was tagged with the loss to drop to 3-2 on the year, while KU reliever Boede Rahe earned the win in relief to move to 5-1.

Skinner led the Knights at the plate by going 3-for-5 with an RBI, while Soliz Jr. paced the Jayhawks by going 3-for-5 with a pair of runs batted in.   

The victory for KU marked its eighth consecutive win. The loss for UCF marked just its second over its last seven games and its third of conference play.

The game marked UCF’s fifth of the season that has gone into extra innings.

On Deck

With inclement weather expected on Sunday, the Knights and Jayhawks will conclude the series with a Saturday doubleheader beginning at 2 p.m. ET/1 p.m. CT. Following the conclusion of the series, UCF will return home to open a four-game homestand against in-state foe Jacksonville on Tuesday, April 14.