After knocking off the top-ranked team in the country for the first time in program history last night, the UCF baseball team completed the sweep against No. 1 Florida. On Wednesday night, the No. 23 Knights held the Gators to four hits in a 4-2 win at McKethan Stadium.
"That was a big win," head coach Greg Lovelady said. "It's really exciting to take two games against the No. 1 team in the country. I'm really proud of the guys. I didn't think we played our best, but we were able to do enough to win. Joe Sheridan gave us a great start. The bullpen did a great job. We had big-timely hits. This is a tough place to play, and for us to come out of this week with two wins, I'm really proud."
Joe Sheridan held the Florida (12-3) bats at bay during his five innings of work. Aided by an inning-ending double play in the first, the sophomore allowed just one runner into scoring position in the opening four frames. Sheridan exited after five innings with four strikeouts, five walks, two hits and one earned run. Eric Hepple, Jeffrey Hakanson and Bryce Tucker worked the Knights through the next 3 2/3 innings, before Garrett Westberg earned his second save in as many days with a one-out effort.
UCF (10-3) used the long ball to score three runs on the night. Rylan Thomas gave the Knights the best start possible. With Ray Alejo standing on third in the first, Thomas hammered a home run to left field to put the Black and Gold up 2-0. After the Gators pulled a run back in the fifth, Matthew Mika scored the eventual game-winning run in the sixth. The junior laced a 1-2 offering over the wall in left for his first home run of the year. Chandler Robertson added an insurance run as a pinch hitter in the seventh. The Canadian brought in Tyler Osik on an RBI single.
"That was a big win," head coach Greg Lovelady said. "It's really exciting to take two games against the No. 1 team in the country. I'm really proud of the guys. I didn't think we played our best, but we were able to do enough to win. Joe Sheridan gave us a great start. The bullpen did a great job. We had big-timely hits. This is a tough place to play, and for us to come out of this week with two wins, I'm really proud."
Joe Sheridan held the Florida (12-3) bats at bay during his five innings of work. Aided by an inning-ending double play in the first, the sophomore allowed just one runner into scoring position in the opening four frames. Sheridan exited after five innings with four strikeouts, five walks, two hits and one earned run. Eric Hepple, Jeffrey Hakanson and Bryce Tucker worked the Knights through the next 3 2/3 innings, before Garrett Westberg earned his second save in as many days with a one-out effort.
UCF (10-3) used the long ball to score three runs on the night. Rylan Thomas gave the Knights the best start possible. With Ray Alejo standing on third in the first, Thomas hammered a home run to left field to put the Black and Gold up 2-0. After the Gators pulled a run back in the fifth, Matthew Mika scored the eventual game-winning run in the sixth. The junior laced a 1-2 offering over the wall in left for his first home run of the year. Chandler Robertson added an insurance run as a pinch hitter in the seventh. The Canadian brought in Tyler Osik on an RBI single.
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