UCF’s 3rd inning fuels win
UCF’s hopes of winning its first baseball regular-season conference title since 2004 are still alive.
The Knights’ offense exploded for six runs on six hits in the third inning as UCF defeated USF 9-1 Friday at the UCF Baseball Complex. Starting pitcher
threw seven shutout innings, allowing three hits, picking up his fourth win of the season.
UCF had 17 hits, and the win is the Knights’ first victory over their in-state rival this season in five contests.
It also sets up a potential winner-take-all game today at 1 p.m. for the regular-season American Athletic Conference title. If USF wins and UConn wins, the Huskies will be crowned AAC champions. USF can win the title with a win and a UConn loss.
UCF (37-18, 14-9 AAC) controls its own destiny and the only scenario left for the Knights to clinch is to defeat the Bulls.
opened the scoring in the third with a bases-loaded two-run single off the end of his bat that barely cleared the infield.
laced a tworun double down the left field line to cap off the sixrun inning.
USF (40-14, 14-9) starter
threw 42 pitches in the inning.
From there, Williams was on cruise control on the mound. The sophomore righthander was dominant following a shaky first inning.
hit a leadoff single before moving to second on a Williams balk. Williams got out of the inning unscathed by getting USF cleanup hitter
to groundout to second. Williams was efficient throwing 96 pitches, including having innings where he threw nine pitches and seven, respectively.
Today’s game is the regular-season finale before the conference tournament begins on Tuesday.
UF center is returning to the Gators for his senior season, postponing his dream of professional basketball while bolstering coach 2017-18 roster.
Egbunu continues to recover from an ACL tear in his left knee suffered Feb. 14 at Auburn, yet he still decided to explore his professional options.
Egbunu, who turns 23 on Halloween, graduated this spring but ultimately decided to wait until he was healthy and the best player he could be. A 2014 transfer from USF and native of Nigeria, Egbunu will be a redshirt senior next season.
In the process, Egbunu hopes to help the Gators make another NCAA Tournament run.
UF reached the 2017 Elite Eight during White’s second season in Gainesville.
“I’m a Florida Gator in my heart, so I wanted another chance to come back and be a Gator,” Egbunu said in a statement released by UF. “I’ve graduated from here, and I love playing here, being a part of the culture and being with my teammates – it’s a fun team to be around.
“It’s also a chance for me to continue to improve and grow as a player and help the team however I can.”
Egbunu underwent surgery in early March and hopes to return by the time SEC play begins in early January.
Until rising junior
and sophomore will be the primary options at center. Each is agile and athletic, but neither possess the 6-foot-11, 255-pound Egbunu’s physical presence under the basket.
Egbunu’s numbers dipped during his junior season, but he was a solid post defender and entered the Auburn game coming off his first double-double of the season.
Egbunu finished last season then, averaging 7.8 points and a team-leading 6.6 rebounds in 24 appearances, including 19 starts.
Former UCF football player is suing the UCF Athletics Association and a separate corporation led by football coach for improper use of his likeness.
Reid, an offensive lineman who played at UCF from 2006-10, was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens and most recently was on the Kansas City Chiefs roster.
The civil lawsuit filed in Orange County Circuit alleges UCF Athletics Association and Rise and Conquer LLC used Reid’s name, accomplishments and picture to promote football summer camps.
The lawsuit notes one camp brochure states, “come to camp and have a chance to earn an offer like Jah Reid.”
Reid’s attorney stated in the lawsuit he reached out to the UCF Athletics Association and Rise and Conquer LLC for an explanation why his likeness was used without permission.
The lawsuit stated UCF officials denied they improperly used Reid’s likeness, while Rise and Conquer did not respond to the inquiry.
Reid, a Haines City native who played for former coach
is seeking $200,000 in royalties and $600,000 in damages for the improper use of his likeness.
UCF athletics officials declined to comment on the lawsuit.
The UCF Athletics Association is the formal name of UCF’s athletics department, a UCF direct-support organization that takes on many characteristics of a private corporation.
College football coaches’ contracts routinely to allow them to keep any revenue from summer camps.
The coaches often set up private corporations to operate the camps. Frost helped establish Rise and Conquer LLC to coordinate his camps.