Now-ranked No. 22, UCF completes its second sweep in Big 12 play

Photo Courtesy of UCF AA

A pinch-hit walk-off RBI single from freshman outfielder Stephen Chucka sealed the weekend series 3-0 for the now-No. 23 UCF against the Arizona Wildcats on Sunday afternoon at John Euliano Park.

“[Chucka] was ready to go and that was a heck of an at-bat for him. He was down two strikes, fouled a bunch of balls off and delivered at the end,” head coach Rich Wallace said in the postgame conference.

This marks the second sweep for the Knights (18-8, 8-1) during conference play this season, while the Widcats (9-18, 2-7 Big 12) endure their sixth loss on the road.

Friday

Arizona freshman infielder/catcher Nate Novitske started the scoring with his third home run of the season, resulting in a 2 runs scored.

Redshirt senior infielder Javier Crespo fired back with a 2 run homer of his own after swinging a 354-foot shot to left field.

UCF continued the offensive momentum after junior outfielder Andrew Williamson doubled to left center, allowing senior infielder/outfielder Cayden Gaskin to score, followed by a home run from senior outfielder John Smith III.

The Wildcats attempted to rally with four runs staggered in the remaining frames, though failed to break the Knights’ stride as homers from Williamson and Smith kept the lead distant, wrapping the game 11-6.

UCF surpassed Arizona offensively, hitting .343 overall compared to the Wildcats’ .212, and Smith led the Knights with two hits, three runs, and a 5-RBI.

Saturday

The matchup began as a tight race, with both teams scoring two runs in the first three innings. Gaskin put UCF ahead with an RBI double that sent senior outfielder DeAmez Ross and freshman infielder Jordan Lodise to home plate.

Sophomore pitcher Mateo Gray secured the mound, holding Arizona for three scoreless innings, while UCF continued to add runs on the board.

Gaskin’s two-run single through the right side of the infield at the bottom of the fourth, followed by three runs from redshirt freshman infielder Jacobs’ double, redshirt senior catcher Zak Skinner’s walk to home plate, and Crespo’s hit by a pitch, kept UCF on top 9-3.

The Black and Gold truly soared after a six-run frame in the bottom of the eighth inning. Crespo lit the spark with a double down the right field line, while senior first baseman/outfielder Landon Moran trailed behind with an RBI single to left field.

Jacobs contributed a 2-RBI of his own and Gaskin wrapped the matchup in a run-rule victory, scoring on a wild pitch, ending 13-3 in UCF’s favor.

The Knights exceeded their opponents on both sides of the ball, recording a .447 overall hitting and a strike percentage of 67.6, compared to the Wildcats’ hitting .115 overall and striking at 56.3.

Sunday

Smith III set the tone once again with a 370-foot homer to left field to start the matchup. Arizona managed to rally late in the game after six scoreless frames, putting up two runs on a sacrifice fly to the infield and a wild pitch.

Gaskin responded with an RBI single through the right side of the infield, allowing Ross to score from second base to tie the game. Arizona senior pitcher Garrett Hicks shut down the Knights’ offense, causing the game to head into extra innings.

After four innings of a scoring stalemate, Chucka served an RBI single that allowed the Knights to secure the walk-off victory, 3-2.

“I think we’ve found a way to kind of compete for all of the pitches, whether it takes 14 innings or eight innings last night,” Wallace told reporters. “If we’re gonna do this at a high level, that’s what we’re gonna have. One through nine guys off the bench, guys coming out of the bullpen and that’s something we can go off.”

The Black and Gold head north to face the Penn State Nittany Lions (8-18, 3-6 Big 10) at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park.