ORLANDO, Fla. - Freshman
Alex Lodise hit a three-run home run in the top of the first, but UCF (25-19) answered with its own offense as the Ospreys (22-23) were bested in a road-trip opening slugfest, 16-10, Tuesday, May 2.
Lodise drove in five and scored three times, breaking the UNF single season freshman runs scored record by reaching 48 to surpass Donnie Dewees for that record. It was also his 15th home run of the season as he hit his fourth roundtripper in as many games.
The two teams supplied offense early and often, with the game featuring seven half innings of crooked numbers. Tied 5-5 in the fourth, UCF put up a six-run fifth to take the lead for good.
North Florida begins a season-long five-game road stint in the process, with the Ospreys heading to Florence, Ala., this weekend for three at North Alabama.
UCF 16, UNF 10
Pitchers of Record
Win: Julian Balzer (1-0)
Loss:
Tony Roca (0-4)
Line Scores
UNF | 10R, 12H, E, 5 LOB
UCF | 16R, 14H, 0E, 3 LOB
Behind the Line Score
- The top of the UNF order continued to do damage. Austin Brinling reached to leadoff the game with a single back up the box, notching his 60th hit. Aidan Sweatt put down a perfect drag bunt to get two on. UCF was fortunate as a hot shot from Jakob Runnels clipped Sweatt on his way to second. But, Lodise didn't let UCF get out of it as he hit a letter-high fast ball over the wall in right for a 3-0 lead.
- UCF replied with its own long balls in the first, getting two-run home runs from Andrew Sundean and Lex Boedicker.
- The top of the order kept its foot on the gas in the third. With two outs, Lodise laced a high fastball off the wall in center, scoring Sweatt after he walked earlier in the frame. Cherokee Nichols answered with almost an identical double, scoring Lodise for the 5-4 lead.
- UCF tied it up with their own RBI double, a line drive two-bagger off Sundean's bat to the wall in left.
- John Rhys Plumlee hit an opposite field home run just inside the right field foul pole, giving UCF a 6-5 lead in the fourth.
- UCF opened things up with a six-run fifth that included three home runs.
- North Florida got two back in the sixth thanks to a two-out RBi double to left center, from Dallen Leach scoring Nichols and Gabby Esquivel after they walked earlier.
- UCF's Lex Boedicker hit his third home run of the night and Ben McCabe hit the first pitch of the seventh out for a homer to center in the bottom half, extending the UCF lead to 16-7.
- UNF put up its fourth crooked number, plating three in the seventh. Sweatt was hit by a pitch, moved to second on a wild pitch and scored when Lodise singled him in for his fifth RBI. Nichols was hit by a pitch and Lodise eventually came around on a wild pitch. The scoring was completed with a Cade Reich RBI groundout.
- Scoreless frames were spun over the next two innings as the Knights closed out the win.
Statistical Leaders
UNF
UCF
- Ben McCabe | 2-for-4, 3R, HR
- Lex Boedicker | 3-for-4, 3HR, 7RBI
- John Rhys Plumlee | 2-for-3, 2HR, 3RBI
- Kris Sosnowski | 2.0 IP, 2H, 0ER, 0BB, 3K
Notes
- Brinling became the first to surpass 60 hits on the year
- Lodise entered fourth in the country among freshman in RBI
- Lodise set the UNF single season freshman runs scored record by reaching 48, breaking Donnie Dewees' record
- UNF and UCF played their 35th game against one another
- UCF leads the all-time series in Orlando, 10-9
- Lodise has homered to right field three times over the last four games.
- Lodise and Brinling are tied for the team lead with 60 hits as well as 48 runs
- It was UNF's 10th double-digit scoring performance
- UNF has reached double-digit hits 20 times
- Brandon Adams has only permitted one earned run over his last five appearances
Up Next
UNF continues its road stint at North Alabama with game one of a three-game set Friday, May 5.
