The UCF Knights defeated the USF Bulls 2-1 on Sunday at John Euliano Park. Despite having five 1-2-3 innings, the Knights picked up the win and avoided their first sweep of the season.
“It wasn’t pretty from an offensive standpoint, but I thought the pitching was pretty top notch,” UCF coach Rich Wallace said. “Doesn’t have to be pretty but it has to be tough and they hung in there and found a way to win.”
Senior catcher Zak Skinner was the only player with multiple hits for either team and recorded the game-winning RBI with a walk-off single for the Knights.
Game flow
UCF left fielder John Smith III was hit in the head on a wild pitch by USF starting pitcher Landen Yorek in the bottom of the first and had to briefly leave the game. After the first inning was over, Smith III returned to the field with applause from the crowd.
“[Smith’s] toughness was on full display,” Wallace said.
Knights second baseman Cayden Gaskin could not field Eli Thomas’ ground ball in the top of the second, leading to an error and a baserunner for the Bulls. Jack Lutz’s single moved Gaskin to third, but a grounder to third stranded the runner to end the inning.
The second inning would be more fruitful for UCF. After a Javier Crespo single and stolen base, Landon Moran would fly out to put a runner on third base. The next batter was walked, and Gaskin redeemed himself with a single through the left side of the infield to score the Knights’ first run of the game. However, Gaskin was caught stealing for the third out of the second inning.
USF threatened to score again in the third. Leadoff hitter Ryan Pruitt had the same path to third base as Crespo had the previous frame. Much like the top of the second, the Bulls failed to capitalize and stranded their second runner at third base.
For the next five frames, neither team would get a hit. USF’s Thomas, the lone baserunner, made it to second base before back-to-back outs stranded another runner in scoring position.
The Bulls would get on the board in the sixth as second baseman Bradke Lohry walked. He then moved to second on a fly ball, and stole third base when UCF starter Joey Trombley was not looking. Thomas delivered with a single to right field, tying the game at 1-1.
UCF responded with its fourth-straight 1-2-3 inning after Coach Wallace was ejected between frames when he argued balls and strikes with the umpire.
“Joey Trombley is out there doing everything we could have asked from him,” Wallace said. “Holding runners as good as he could do it, locating pitches and I think he should have been off the field earlier than he was.”
In the top of the seventh, USF had two runners in scoring position after a walk, single, and stolen base. After getting himself into trouble early, UCF reliever Mateo Gray struck out Lohry to strand the runners.
Skinner collected the Knights’ first hit since the second inning in the bottom of the frame, but back-to-back ground balls ended the inning. Neither team would reach base in the eighth, leaving the game tied heading into the ninth.
Gray recorded two quick outs for the Knights, but walked USF shortstop Jevin Relaford on a full count and allowed him to steal second and third. Bulls right fielder Jacob Green struck out looking, lowering the team to 1-11 with batters in scoring position on the day.
“[Gray] had a big breaking ball twice in late innings from what I saw down there,” Wallace said. “Tough spots with go-ahead runs on base and he executed some pitches in big spots.”
In the bottom of the ninth, Bulls reliever Kaden Smith, who had yet to allow a baserunner through five batters, walked Andrew Williamson and hit Smith III in the head again. Dominic Pontbriant replaced Smith on the mound, but pinch hitter Austin Jacobs hit a single to load the bases with no outs.
The Bulls would once again change pitchers, going to Bradenton local Landon O’Donnell to try and record three outs. Skinner would get a full-count single to score Williamson and give the Knights the win.
“Those are the at-bats I live for,” Skinner said. “They’re my favorite. I love the pressure and I think there’s something different. They bring out the best in every guy. There was no chance I was going to lose that, no matter what.”
With the win, UCF avoided being swept by USF in Orlando and has yet to be swept on a homestand in the 50+ years of their rivalry.
“They don’t like us and we don’t like them, and we’re not going to shy away from that,” Wallace said. “We could have played better in some of these games, I’m just glad we scrapped and found a way to win.”
Next up
There are Sunshine State matchups ahead. The Knights will host the FGCU Eagles on Wednesday, while the Bulls host the Stetson Hatters on Tuesday.
“[We are] ready to go,” Skinner said. “I think we are definitely very comfortable compared to how we were the past week. Now that we got one back, we are going in the right direction.”
First pitch for the Knights is set for 6 p.m. on March 4. And the first pitch for the Bulls is set for 6 p.m. on March 3.