VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS:
UCF head coach Terry Rooney always tells his team winning innings seven through nine is key to winning ball games.
They did just that Friday night.
The Knights used a seven-run eighth inning, including a two-run triple by Darnell Sweeney, to defeat Sienna 11-1 and win their first game of 2011 on opening day of the season in front of 1,241 fans at Jay Bergman Field.
Travis Shreve went 2-for-4 with 2 RBIs and Sweeny knocked in three runs to lead the Knights. Jonathan Griffin homered in the bottom of the first, which helped UCF get out to a 3-0 lead. It was the first hit and long ball of the season for UCF.
The Knights got an outstanding outing from ace Danny Winkler. The righty pitched six innings of five-hit ball and struck out six batters to pace the Knights. Nick Ciccio came in to relieve Winkler, pitching three shutout innings to close out the game.
Leading 4-1 entering the bottom of the eighth, Shreve took the second pitch he saw to left field, driving in two runs. Four batters later, Sweeney lined a triple to right, scoring Shreve and Erik Hempe and blowing open the game. Following Sweeney’s triple, Beau Taylor lined an RBI single up the middle, giving UCF a 9-1 lead and extending his hitting streak to 22 consecutive games.
Ciccio then shut down Siena in the final frame to give the Knights the victory.
UCF and Siena will continue the second game of their three-game series Saturday afternoon, with first pitch set for 4 p.m.
