• Final stats

Before this week, the UCF Knights had never defeated a No. 1-ranked team. Now, they’ve done so twice in two days, as UCF extends its win streak to nine games.

UCF (10-3) defeated the No. 1 Florida Gators (12-3) 4-2 Wednesday night in front of 3,253 fans at Alfred A. McKethan Stadium in Gainesville.

Sophomore Joe Sheridan (2-0) got the win for the Knights, allowing one earned run on two hits and five walks while striking out four batters in 5.0 innings.

With UCF holding onto a narrow 2-0 lead in the second inning, Sheridan held Florida at bay in one of their best scoring opportunities. Florida had only one out and a man on third, but Sheridan struck out back-to-back batters to escape the inning unscathed.

Knights head coach Greg Lovelady utilized four different relievers to hold the Gators to two runs on the night, their lowest outing since losing to the Miami Hurricanes 2-0. Garrett Westberg, who earned a save in UCF’s 9-7 win on March 6, earned his second save in two days.

With two outs and nobody on base for the Gators in the bottom of the ninth, the Knights called on Westberg to ensure a Knights win. Westberg took eight pitches to get that final out, though, as Wil Dalton hit a double to left field before Nelson Maldonado’s fly ball was caught in left field to end the game.

Jordan Butler (1-1) was credited with the loss for Florida, allowing three hits and two earned runs in 5.0 innings. He walked one batter and recorded three strikeouts.

Whereas the Gators started hot the last time these two teams met, UCF jumped to an early lead in the rematch. Knights center fielder Ray Alejo started the game with a double to left field and advanced to third on Jackson Webb’s groundout.

Then, first baseman Rylan Thomas, who’s hitting .383, so far, this season, homered to left-center field to put the Knights ahead 2-0 in the first inning.

Florida started its scoring with a walk. Sheridan walked four batters in the fifth inning, as his first three walks loaded the bases and the fourth allowed Maldonado to score with two outs to make it a 2-1 game.

The Gators left three on base, though, as JJ Schwarz hit a fly ball for the third out.

UCF went to its bullpen for the sixth, bringing senior Eric Hepple to the mound. He pitched 2.0 hitless innings, striking out two.

After a solo home run by Mika in the sixth and an RBI single by pinch hitter Chandler Robertson in the seventh gave the Knights a 4-1 lead, the Gators struck back in the eighth. UCF walked two batters before Florida second baseman Blake Reese drove in a run to make it a 4-2 game.

The final inning was expedited with a double play initiated by Florida’s Brady Smith.

Who’s Next?

The Knights have two days off before they start a three-game home series against Siena College. UCF and Sienna will start with a double-header, and the first leg starts at 2 p.m. at John Euliano Park on Saturday.

For more on the Knights, as they prepare for a double-header against Siena, follow Tommy Cardinal on Twitter @NDR_TomCardinal.