May 11, 2011

Final Stats

Call Baseball Contact Michael Stambaugh for more details - 386.481.2278 -

ORLANDO, Fla. - Wrapping up the final game of the regular season, Wednesday night at Jay Bergman Field, the Wildcats traveled to face Central Florida. After enduring an hour and a half weather delay for lightning, the Wildcats took the field, but fell behind with an early four-run deficit. The 'Cats remained in the game and held UCF without runs for five innings, but the Knights pulled away late in the game for the 8-1 Wildcats loss.

“We've got to will our way to win in tough ball games”, said Head Coach Mervyl Melendez, “show greater intensity, sense of urgency, and effort to leave every ounce of energy on the field in games like these.”

UCF made the first strike, scoring one on a groundout just past first, although put out on the play, the run was sent in from third. The Knights made a bigger impact two batters later with a bases loaded outfield-gap double from left fielder Ryan Breen, which left him alone on the base path and three RBI to wrap the first frame up by four on the Wildcats.

Despite the early setback, both the Wildcats defense and pitching locked in, as starter Montana Durapau threw the next four innings with no runs and just two hits, notching five strikeouts.

Matt Wright led off the sixth with a solid double to the left center gap, but quickly made it to third as Alejandro Sanchez hit a high chopper to the back of the middle infield, and later taking home on a wild pitch to put B-CU on the board.

However, UCF was able to respond and take the run back in the bottom half. The Knights picked up three more runs in the eighth inning with a huge impact from two B-CU errors, then putting the Wildcats away with three straight outs in the ninth, sending the 8-1 lead final.

Hits were limited on both sides of the field in tonight's game, with each team collecting just six. For B-CU, Matt Wright topped the team with 2-4 hitting and scoring the 'Cats lone run.

The Wildcats complete the regular season with a record of 32-22. Next week's MEAC Baseball Championships is the first step in the Wildcats' post-season agenda, as they look to defend their MEAC crown for the sixth straight time.

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