WACO, Texas – Mateo Gray, Max Murray and Anthony Lariz combined to shut Baylor out en route to leading UCF baseball to an 8-0 victory in the series opener on Friday night at Magnolia Field at Baylor Ballpark.
The trio of right-handers allowed just five hits over nine scoreless frames on the night. Gray, Murray and Lariz combined to strike out eight batters. The freshman Murray led the way with five punchouts over 2.1 innings of work.
UCF improved to 28-18 overall and 16-9 in Big 12 play to move into a tie for third place in the league standings. The 16 conference wins mark a new high for the Black and Gold since joining the Big 12 prior to the 2024 campaign. Baylor dropped to 25-24 overall and 11-14 in league play with the setback.
“Mateo was obviously outstanding. He didn’t have his best velocity on his fastball, but he executed, competed, and gave us everything that he had,” head UCF coach Rich Wallace said. “Murray did a nice job of picking him up. And Lariz came on and finished it. I couldn’t ask for more out of those guys.”
UCF jumped out to an early lead with a trio of runs in the second inning to take a 3-0 lead. Javier Crespo and Landon Moran started the early rally with back-to-back one-out singles. Following the second out, freshman shortstop Jordan Lodise blasted out a three-run big fly to left-center. The home run marked Lodise’s second of the season and traveled 400 feet.
Lodise blasts out a 3-Run Big Fly to give us the early lead ‼️ pic.twitter.com/phBHMLxq7X
— UCF Baseball (@UCF_Baseball) May 9, 2026
The Bears threatened in the last of the third by getting two runners aboard with only one out. But the UCF starter Gray responded by inducing an inning-ending 6-4-3 double play to end the threat.
The Knights then loaded the bases with two away in the fourth inning and managed to drive in four more runs to add to their lead. Following walks from Crespo and Braden Calise, along with a single from Moran, DeAmez Ross made it 5-0 by ripping a two-run single through the right side of the infield to bring in Crespo and Moran. With two more runners in scoring position after Ross took second on the throw to the plate, John Smith III pulled a two-run single of his own through the left side to extend UCF’s advantage to 7-0.
DeAmez rips a two-run single through the right side❗ pic.twitter.com/6V8foxlRqQ
— UCF Baseball (@UCF_Baseball) May 9, 2026
The Black and Gold added a run in the fifth to make it 8-0. Crespo and Moran again singled in the frame and JD Rogers drove in a run with a deep sacrifice fly to center field. With Murray on in relief, the freshman right-hander struck out the side in the sixth to keep the Bears off the scoreboard.
Murray recorded his fifth strikeout in relief in the seventh inning and Anthony Lariz came on and stranded a pair of runners in the frame, as Skinner picked off a runner on first base to end the threat.
Lariz then retired the Bears in order in the eighth and again in the ninth to seal the victory.
UCF starter Gray went 4.1 innings and allowed just four hits while striking out one. Murray then earned the win to move to 4-2 on the year after surrendering just one hit while fanning five over 2.1 innings. Lariz then completed the combined shutout by tossing 2.1 perfect innings of relief with a pair of strikeouts. The reigning Big 12 Pitcher of the Week Lucas Davenport took the loss for Baylor after allowing seven runs to drop to 5-3 on the year.
Seven Knights recorded hits on the evening with Crespo and Moran leading the way with three hits apiece. With the second-inning home run, Lodise drove in a game-high three runs, while Ross and Smith III also drove in multiple runs with two apiece. Brytton Clements paced BU by going 2-for-4.
The shutout marked UCF’s sixth of the season and third in conference play.
On Deck
The series will continue with game two on Saturday at 3 p.m. ET/2 p.m. CT. The series is then scheduled to conclude on Sunday at 2 p.m. ET/1 p.m. CT. Both games will air live on ESPN+ as well as FM 96.9 The Game and the iHeartRadio app.
