Knights open season with 12-0 win vs. Siena
In his first career start, redshirt senior pitcher David Litchfield gave up no runs and only 2 hits while striking out 8 batters helping UCF shutout Siena 12-0 to open the 2022 season Friday night at John Euliano Park.
Litchfield had previously only come out of the bullpen for the Knights but shifted to a starting pitcher in the offseason.
“He did what we what we needed him to do,” UCF coach Greg Lovelady said. “I’m just proud of him making the transition into the starting role. He was awesome.”
While the veteran pitcher handled the work on the mound, UCF provided the offense scoring 7 runs during the 8th inning alone to open Lovelady’s 6th season at the helm with a win.
In the bottom of the 8th, freshman catcher Cole Russo hit an RBI single to bring in redshirt junior Ben McCabe. Outfielder Grephy Pena then singled to left field, scoring two runs with one out to give UCF a 7-0 lead.
Next, redshirt senior first baseman Nick Romano brought in two
more runs before redshirt sophomore Pablo Ruiz sent a 2-run home run to left field to cap off the 7-run scoring spree for the Knights in the eighth, extending UCF’s lead to 12-0.
With the win, UCF improved to 36-16 all-time on opening day.
The Knights got on the board in the third inning when Romano batted in Russo with two outs. Russo finished 2-of-3 at the plate
with 2 RBI and 1 strikeout while Romano went 3-of-5 with 3 RBI and a double.
Freshman outfielder Lex Boedicker opened the bottom of the fourth inning with a triple, sending a ball deep to right field. McCabe brought Boedicker home in the next at-bat with a single.
After McCabe stole second and reached third base on a wild, Russo aired a sacrifice fly to bring
McCabe home. UCF led 3-0 after four innings.
McCabe reached 2nd base on an error in the 6th. Michael Brooks hit an RBI double to extend UCF’s lead to 4 runs. With Brooks on third, Grephy Pena laid down an RBI bunt and the Knights led 5-0 through six innings.
Siena loaded the bases with one out in the top of the eighth but stranded all three runners. The Knights took control of the game with 7 runs in the bottom of the inning to win 12-0.
Lovelady was impressed by the play of his younger Knights, including Brooks, Russo and second baseman Ryan Taylor who all made their college debut.
“To see those young guys go out there and be able to settle in, I thought they did a tremendous job of just playing the game and not allowing the moments to get too big,” Lovelady said. “It was fun to watch.”
UCF closes out a three-game series with Siena on Sunday at 1 p.m. before taking the two hour trip Tuesday to face North Florida.