UCF took 2 of 3 games from Central Connecticut this weekend, moving the team to 9-12 on the season. The Knights dominated 10-0 on Friday night, won 9-8 on Saturday, and dropped the finale in a 5-4 extra-inning loss – the sixth of the year.
Erik Skoglund shined on Friday night with a complete game shutout over Central Connecticut, only giving up three hits while striking out eleven. It was his second win of the season, though he ranks at the top of the conference with 30 strikeouts in his 37.0 innings on the mound.
“Skoglund did a great job when we needed it the most,” head coach Terry Rooney said after the game according to UCF Baseball. “That’s what pitching on Friday night is all about. We needed a dominant performance and I thought he got better and his command got better as the game went on.”
The offense was clicking those first two nights as well, piling up 19 runs in those first two games. Derrick Salberg saw the ball especially well with runners in scoring position in those two games – driving in 5 runs with only two hits and a walk.
The bullpen help up well on Saturday after a rough third inning in which 5 runners crossed the plat put UCF in a deep hole. It took until the bottom of the ninth to get the job done, but Tommy Williams led the Knights with 3 RBIs in the walk off win.
Sunday’s game looked nothing like the UCF offensive juggernaut that had been at the plate all weekend. Nine UCF batters struck out, a drastic drop in the eight combined strikeouts for the initial two wins. The team was unable to finish yet another extra inning game, losing in the 10th inning to Central Connecticut.
“I know we’re gonna get on the other end of it. We’ve got all these one run games, every night is extra innings and one run games, but my goodness, that’s how close we are,” Coach Rooney previously said.
Winning the series is a big step forward for the Knights, who were just swept in two games against FSU at home. UCF will travel to Miami to take on the No. 22 Hurricanes on Tuesday evening.UIC
