Knights stumble in AAC opener
Sloppy defense, an ineffective bullpen and an inability to hit with runners in scoring position cost topseeded UCF during its opening game in the American Athletic Conference Tournament.
No. 8 East Carolina defeated UCF Tuesday night 14-3 at Spectrum Stadium in Clearwater.
The Knights will face No. 5 Tulane at noon today in an elimination game. The Pirates get a day off before facing fourth-seeded USF Thursday at 8 p.m.
The 14 runs allowed are the most the Knights pitching staff has surrendered this season.
Pirates starting pitcher Evan Kruczynski scattered eight hits during six innings and allowed two runs, one earned. He picked up the win. ECU recorded 15 hits and every starter in the lineup had a hit.
UCF (38-19) committed a season-high three errors to go along with other defensive miscues. The Knights’ offense struggled, going 2-for-13 with runners in scoring position.
One of UCF’s two was in the first inning.
Kyle Marsh opened the scoring, lacing an oppositefield double off the right field wall to plate Luke Hamblin and give the Knights a 1-0 lead. Kruczynski threw 30 pitches in the opening frame but settled down from there. The Knights didn’t record their second hit until the eighth inning.
ECU (30-27) scored four runs in the third inning against UCF starting pitcher Trent Thompson. He retired the first seven hits batters he faced before losing his command. In the third, Thompson hit a batter and walked two more before allowing a three-run blast to right field to Charlie Yorgen, who went 2-for-4 with three RBI.
East Carolina added three runs in the fifth, two in the sixth and four in the ninth.
Overall, UCF’s bullpen allowed 10 runs.
The Hurricanes entered the ACC tournament in a position they haven’t been in very often.
A bubble team that struggled early in the year, Miami – one of college baseball’s traditional powerhouse programs – needs wins to try to bolster its résumé ahead of Selection Monday if it is to extend its streak of 44 consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances.
It wasn’t easy on Tuesday against Georgia Tech, but the Hurricanes (30-26) got one of those necessary wins.
With two on in the bottom of the 13th inning, Miami’s Joe Gomez laced a single through the right side, scoring Edgar Michelangeli and lifting Miami to a 6-5 win over the Yellow Jackets in Louisville, Ky.
Elsewhere in the ACC Tournament bracket, Florida State will face off with Notre Dame today at 11 a.m.
In the SEC Tournament, No. 1 Florida will face No. 8 Auburn today. The first pitch time was still to be determined late Tuesday night.