UCF rally falls short, UF and FSU earn wins

No. 22 UCF’s rally came up short, with the Knights falling 5-4 to Samford on Sunday at John Euliano Park.

It was the second consecutive day the Knights’ push to earn a win was thwarted by a big defensive play. UCF fell to Rice on Saturday night.

On Sunday, UCF (1-2) led 4-2 entering the ninth inning, but Samford (1-2) scored three runs to take the lead. With the Knights down to their last out, Matthew Mika hit the ball to left field and pinch-runner Max Wood rounded third with a chance to tie the game. Left fielder Sam McWhorter’s throw home beat Wood to help the Bulldogs earn the win.

■ GATORS WIN: UF racked up 19 runs Sunday, helping the Gators earn a 19-2 win and an opening weekend sweep of Siena.

UF took an early 4-0 lead through two innings Sunday, but Siena got on the board in the fifth and loaded the bases to put the tying run at first base. Starter Tyler Dyson escaped

the jam without any further damage to hold the 4-1 lead.

Keenan Bell’s home run in the fifth and a nine-run sixth inning broke the game open. Bell, Jonathan India and Blake Reese combined for 11 RBI. Five Gators had two-hit games. ■ SEMINOLES ROLL:

Florida State (3-0) finished a three-game sweep of Xavier (0-3) Sunday afternoon, beating the Musketeers 5-1 on Mike Martin Field at Dick Howser Stadium.

The Seminoles got six innings from starting pitcher Drew Parrish, while Cal Raleigh’s tworun double in the first inning provided the winning runs.

“Our guys got after it,” head coach Mike Martin said. “They were not satisfied [with just two wins]. We pitched and played good defense. We had some timely hits. It was a very good weekend of baseball for us. No doubt it was all about our pitching.”