Hoping to avenge a regular-season series loss to East Carolina University, the UCF Knights attacked with hot bats in the first game of the 2018 American Athletic Conference Tournament.
Those bats quickly cooled, though, as the Knights (35-20, 13-10 in AAC) fell 8-4 to ECU (40-15, 14-10 in AAC) in Clearwater Tuesday morning.
Trailing 5-4, the Knights let the game get away from them in the seventh inning when the Pirates put up three unanswered runs. UCF junior Jordan Spicer relieved lefty Bryce Tucker on the mound, but his outing was detrimental to the Knights from the start.
On his second pitch of the game, Spicer allowed a lead-off double by sophomore Spencer Brickhouse. Two pitches later, catcher Jake Washer singled to put runners on the corners with no outs. A faulty pitch by Spicer allowed the Pirates to load the bases, as junior Connor Litton absorbed a pitch after going up 2-1 in the count.
Senior Andrew Henrickson capitalized on the bases-loaded situation with no outs in almost the most efficient way possible: He hit a bases-clearing double to right-center field for an 8-4 lead but was ultimately gunned down at third base for the first out.
The Knights opened the game’s scoring with three runs of their own in the top of the first.
Third baseman Dallas Beaver led off with a double to center field on a full-count pitch. He was followed by center fielder Ray Alejo’s walk and first baseman Rylan Thomas taking a pitch to the body.
Like Henrickson, UCF left fielder Tyler Osik took advantage of his bases-loaded, no-outs opportunity by singling to left field. That effort allowed Beaver and Alejo to score. Thomas, then, ended the Knights’ first-inning scoring by running home on a wild pitch to give UCF a 3-0 lead.
The Pirates quickly retaliated by scoring their first run of the game in the first inning, too. ECU, then, added two runs in each of the next two innings.
In the second inning, freshman Alec Burleson recorded a one-out double before junior Turner Brown singled to right field for ECU’s second run. Three batters later, Brickhouse singled so Brown could score.
A lead-off single in the third by Litton quickly evolved into a run after Henrickson tripled to right field in the Pirates’ second at-bat of the inning. One batter later, junior Brady Lloyd helped ECU claim a 5-3 advantage with a sacrifice fly to center field.
UCF scored for the final time in the fourth inning. After freshman Dalton Wingo fouled out to first, shortstop Brandon Hernandez and Beaver drew back-to-back walks. Alejo, then, singled to center field to drive in UCF’s last run of the game to put UCF within one run, 5-4.
Knights starter Luis Ferrer only stayed on the mound for one out, earning it via strikeout. He allowed an earned run on one hit and two walks while facing five batters. Junior Thad Ward (5-4) pitched most of the game, going 2.2 innings after Ferrer. Ward allowed four earned runs on five hits and a walk while striking out two, suffering the loss.
As for ECU, senior Ryan Ross (2-4) earned the win with 2.0 innings of perfect pitching. Ross did not allow a hit or a walk and struck out three in the sixth and seventh innings combined.
The Pirates now lead their series with the Knights 34-14. Tuesday’s win also marks the second season in a row that ECU has beaten UCF in the opening game of the AAC tournament. In 2017, No. 1-seeded UCF fell 14-3 to last-seeded ECU on May 23, 2017.
Who’s Next?
The Knights will stay in Clearwater and will play the No. 1 University of Houston on Wednesday at 9 a.m. UCF won its series with the top-seeded team in the tournament this season, winning 3-2 and 6-4 in Game 1 and Game 2 but falling 6-3 in the finale.
For more on the Knights, as they look to stave off elimination from the AAC tournament, follow Victor Tan on Twitter at @NDR_VictorTan.
To contact Victor, you can email him at vtan@newdayreview.com.
