• Final stats

The UCF Knights were gifted a conference win via sloppy pitching to start their double-header against the Memphis Tigers.

UCF (19-8, 2-2 in American Athletic Conference) won 7-1 against Memphis (8-18, 0-4 in AAC) at FedEx Park in Memphis, Tennessee, in front of 123 fans on Friday.

Of the seven runs the Knights scored, four came when a Tigers pitcher walked a Knights batter with bases loaded.

Sophomore Joe Sheridan started for the Knights, striking out six batters in 5.1 innings. Sheridan allowed five hits while walking four batters. Reliever Thad Ward (3-2) was credited with the win after striking out five batters and allowing just one hit in 3.2 innings.

Memphis gave junior Alex Hicks the nod on the mound. Hicks struck out nine batters in 6.0 innings, throwing 115 pitches in that span. He allowed three hits, an earned run and walked two batters before being relieved by senior Connor Alexander (0-2).

Of the Tigers’ four relievers, Alexander pitched the most (1.1 innings), allowing an earned run on two hits and two walks.

UCF scored its second lead-taking run in the eighth inning. Right fielder Tyler Osik began the inning with a single to right-center field, and sophomore Dallas Beaver followed that with a single to right field, allowing Osik to reach third. Catcher Logan Heiser reached first when Alexander elected to prevent a run by throwing home. Shortstop Brandon Hernandez was then walked to load the bases.

With one out, the bases loaded and the game tied, the Tigers made another pitching change. Left-handed pitcher Alex Smith stepped on the mound and walked pinch hitter Griffin Bernardo, bringing Beaver home and giving the Knights a 2-1 lead in the eighth inning.

UCF’s lead was cemented in the ninth inning thanks to a three-hit, five-run inning. Two of the runs were scored when Heiser and Bernardo were walked with bases loaded to score second baseman Matthew Mika and Beaver, respectively.

The Knights opened scoring in the second inning. Osik drew a lead-off walk and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Then, Beaver got on first with a single up the middle, and Heiser loaded the bases by getting hit by a pitch. One pop fly later, third baseman Jackson Webb was walked with a full count to give the Knights a 1-0 lead before the inning ended with consecutive strikeouts.

Memphis waited until the sixth inning to respond to UCF. The hitting began with a lead-off triple to right-center field by second baseman Cale Hennemann. Third baseman Kyle O’Keefe brought in the tying run with a single to left field to make it 1-1. Memphis catcher Jason Santana was walked afterward to give the Tigers two men on base with no outs.

A sacrifice bunt by designated hitter Nick Vaage advanced the two runners to second and third and prompted a pitching change by the Knights. After Ward stepped onto the mound, left fielder Keith Stepter walked, loading the bases with one out and the game tied. A ground ball to Mika was converted into a double play to end the inning.

Who’s Next?

The Knights get right back to action in the second leg of their double-header with Memphis at 5:45 p.m.

For more on the Knights, as they look to go above .500 in conference play, follow Tommy Cardinal on Twitter at @NDR_TomCardinal.