The UCF Knights kept their postseason hopes alive Friday night with a critical 7–3 win over Texas Tech, thanks in large part to a masterful performance from right-handed pitcher Cameron Wicker. The sophmore set the tone early, retiring the first eight Red Raiders he faced and piling up seven strikeouts over five innings of work. His poise and command left Texas Tech hitters baffled and gave the Knights the edge in what surprisingly turned into a pitchers’ duel.
While Texas Tech’s season has been defined by their streaky offense, Friday was another example of their occasional ice-cold outings. Even though starting pitcher Mark Huer rebounded after a rocky first inning — eventually striking out seven batters across four innings — the Red Raiders’ bats never truly got going.
What really separated the two teams? The bullpens.
UCF’s relievers slammed the door, with Castellanos stealing the spotlight in the 8th inning by striking out the heart of Tech’s lineup — Damien Bravo and Robin Villeneuve included. Meanwhile, Texas Tech’s bullpen imploded late, giving up five runs between the 7th and 9th innings as the Knights pulled away.
The energy in the ballpark told the story. UCF played with an urgency and passion that screamed postseason desperation — every strikeout celebrated, every big hit followed by a wave of high-fives. Texas Tech, by contrast, looked flat, almost as if they were just going through the motions.
In even better news for Knights fans, BYU got pummeled by Kansas 10–1. The loss opens the door for UCF as the Knight are only one game back. Elsewhere, Utah quietly kept their hopes alive with a win over Arizona, making the race for 12th even tighter.
Saturday’s matchups will be decisive. If UCF wins and BYU drops another, the Knights will move into a postseason slot. With momentum on their side and the dugout buzzing with belief, UCF might just be peaking at the perfect time.
Will they finish the job? We’ll find out tomorrow.