This year’s UCF men’s baseball team is looking to do something that no other Knights baseball team has ever done before: Advance to the super regional.
With plenty of speed, power and solid pitching, Baseball America has ranked the Knights No. 21 in its Top 25 Preseason Poll, saying that “the future is now for the Knights.”
The team looks to carry their momentum into the 2012 spring season after making the NCAA tournament and their 10th regional appearance last season, and UCF’s coach Terry Rooney and his squad are up for the challenge.
“Good to great has been the slogan of our team since we got back here in late August,” said Rooney, who is 94-80 since becoming head coach four years ago, in a press release from UCFAthletics.com.
“To get back to the NCAA Regionals speaks volumes… The next step is putting ourselves in a position to host that regional and be in a position to get to Omaha.”
A UCF team that finished 39-23 overall and 12-12 in Conference-USA last season has a lot to look forward to in the 2012 campaign.
The Knights return a nucleus of players, including six position players who played key roles in their success in 2011. The list features D.J. Hicks, a 2011 All-American selection who will look to improve on his .351 hitting average, as well as dynamic switch hitters Darnell Sweeney (short stop) and Ronnie Richardson (center field), who batted .312 and led the team in runs with 59.
Hicks also posted a team high 66 RBI’s, as well as 14 home runs last season.
The Knights, who ranked among the nation’s top 25 in batting (.307), slugging (.463), scoring (6.9 runs per game), doubles (139, eighth in the country, while ranking 12th nationally in 2011 with 58 home runs according to Baseball America, will also have some extra slugging power coming from the likes of Ryan Breen (catcher) and Travis Shreve (2nd base).
Another one of UCF’s strength will be at the shortstop position where Darnell Sweeney has demonstrated his good range and arm strength. An All Conference-USA preseason selection, Sweeney also adds more speed to an already fast Knights lineup.
Sweeney has been working hard during the offseason with assistant coach Ryan Klosterman to become a more consistent shortstop and for him; all the hard work will better prepare him and his teammates for this upcoming season.
“We know how it feels and what it takes to get to that level, and we want to get back there again,” said Sweeney in a press release from UCFAthletics.com. “As a veteran team who got there last year, we know what to expect and we’ll be better prepared this year.”
The pitching will also play a big factor as left-handed pitcher Brian Adkins, the team’s leader in wins with six will continue to demonstrate his effective curveball as he gets the starting nod for UCF’s season opener this Friday against Long Island.
Sophomore Ben Lively will also play a big role in the rotation and will become a significant factor in the Knights rotation after making the C-USA All-Freshman team and going 5-1 a season ago.
Add on the command for the strike zone by 6’6″ LSU-transfer Chris Matulis, and the Knights are looking to make a deep postseason run.
Friday’s Opening Night contest against LIU-Brooklyn is at 6:30 p.m. at Jay Bergman Field and is free to the public.
The Blackbirds are coming from a strong showing in 2011, where they won a school-record 28 games last season and made their first Northeast Conference Tournament appearance in 11 years. With almost all of its key contributors returning, this one should be a fun one to watch.
