UCF (22-24, 5-9 American) and its offensive struggles have been well documented in the last couple of weeks. With only seven runs in its last four games coming into a weekend series against rival USF (21-23, 6-9 American), something had to change.
It did. It just happened a couple of games too late.
For the Knights and their offense, they came up on the short end in the course of the three games in Tampa on the weekend as they lost the first two, but were able to salvage the final game with an offensive explosion.
UCF won 9-2 on Sunday backed by a big offensive day from Matt Diorio, who mashed two home runs and drove in five runs. UCF starter Cre Finfrock had struggled of late, giving up five runs in two and two-thirds innings in a loss to Tulane last Sunday, finishing off a Tulane sweep that left UCF in a bit of a conference tail spin. Finfrock got the win on Sunday to try to keep UCF afloat.
The weekend was not a winning one overall for the Knights, but there were signs of improvement in a lineup that has desperately been trying to garner some consistency.
UCF has hit just .223 in conference play and that stretched into the first two games of the USF series with a shutout loss on Friday (4-0) and a narrow defeat on Saturday (5-4).
There was not much to note for UCF on Friday, but junior Robby Howell (7-2, 1.67 ERA) dropped his second consecutive start after starting the season 7-0, allowing four runs (two earned) in five and two-thirds innings.
On Saturday, however, there was some quirkiness to note.
Ryan Crile and Austin Griffin each hit home runs, but both of them had a little twist.
Crile’s drive was hit to the warning track, but the USF left fielder knocked the ball over the fence on his own doing. The ball would not have gone over the fence without the fielder’s assistance.
Griffin’s, on the other hand, took the left fielder’s glove off on his wall scraper to left field.
The Knights have been struggling to score, so I guess they will take all they can get.
In the end that was not enough as the Bulls won the game on a walkoff double from Luke Maglich with a double off that pesky left field wall. That scored the game-winning run and guaranteed UCF a series loss. The Knights now sit tied in last place with the Memphis Tigers in the American Athletic Confernece.
Overall, it was a disappointing weekend for UCF against its main rival. The season series between the two teams is split, with each team winning at its respective home by a two-games-to-one fashion.
Diorio’s exploits in Sunday’s contest and in UCF’s win over Florida Atlantic during the mid-week contest are encouraging for an offense that has averaged just 3.14 runs per game in American Conference play.
He crushed three home runs in four games this week while knocking in six runs.
Finfrock has struggled mightily in the last couple of weeks, partially due to a heavier workload, but he did well on Sunday. Finfrock tossed a quality start, giving up just two earned runs in six and two-thirds innings while striking out six.
Up next for UCF will be a four-game homestand starting with a mid-week game against Jacksonville and ending with a weekend series against Cincinnati.
