Eric Skoglund has been lights-out all season for the Knights, improving his record to a sterling 5-0 on Friday night against conference rival USF. The effort was the edge UCF needed to end on the winning side of a 2-0 game – their 10th straight win.
USF entered the game as the top competition in the American Athletic Conference, having already taken two of three games from both UCONN and Cincinnati for a 4-2 conference record. A mid-week series that shook USF for two losses against Stetson may have put the Bulls in a slight funk headed into Friday night’s third consecutive loss.
It’s not to say that UCF didn’t struggle to produce offensively. Innings 2-8 were reminiscent of a game from the dead ball era, highlighted by two pitchers dueling at the top of their game. USF starter Jimmy Herget struck out nine, walked two and gave up five hits and was only one out away from pitching a complete game.
Skoglund had eerily similar numbers, striking out eight, walking two and also surrendering five hits. He did not, however, get touched for any runs.
Herget slipped up only twice – in the first and ninth innings. James Vasquez singled home Derrick Salberg in the top of the first, and Kam Gellinger later would bring Vasquez home in the ninth inning to prompt Herget’s exit.
The Knights will square off against USF again Saturday at 6:00 pm in the second of this three game series.
