Championship Central
Highlights
Coach Rooney Interview
Box Score
CLEARWATER, Fla. – Starting pitcher Zach Rodgers scattered five hits and struck out five in a complete-game effort to lead No. 2-seeded UCF to a 7-1 win against No. 7-seeded UConn in the first game of the American Athletic Conference Baseball Championship Wednesday at Bright House Field.
UCF improved to 1-0 in the pool play round of the tournament, which pairs the eight qualifying teams into four-team divisions. Each team plays the other three in its division, before the two division winners meet Sunday in the championship game.
The Knights (35-22) scored all seven of their runs in the first two innings, taking advantage of four hits and an UConn error to give Rodgers a sizeable cushion. The righthander allowed just one extra-base hit and issued one walk to improve to 7-1 on the season.
UCF struck first when a sacrifice fly from James Vasquez brought home Dylan Moore in the top of the first inning. The Knights broke it open in the bottom of the second, sending 11 men to the plate and putting six more runs on the board.
Matt Diorio and Tommy Williams led off with back-to-back singles and moved into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt. UConn starter Anthony Marzi struck out the next batter, but JoMarcos Woods drew a two-out walk to load the bases and Moore was hit by a pitch to force home the second run. Derrick Salberg followed with a two-run single to right to make it 4-0, while a UConn throwing error allowed two more runs to score on Erik Barber’s grounder to third base. Vasquez capped the inning with a double to rightfield to make it 7-0.
Rodgers took over from there, retiring the Huskies in order in the third and fourth innings and allowing just two runners past first base after the second inning. The Huskies got on the board in the top of the sixth when Blake Davey’s double to right brought home Jack Sundberg, making it 7-1, but UConn managed just one base runner after the sixth inning.
Salberg and Vasquez had two RBIs each for UCF, while Moore scored two runs for the Knights. UConn had five players register one hit each, while Sundberg was the only Huskies player to cross the plate. Marzi took the loss, falling to 5-7 after he allowed seven runs (four earned) on five hits with three walks.
UCF continues play in the championship Thursday against No. 6-seeded Temple at 7 p.m. ET. UConn (26-30) faces No. 3-seeded Houston at 11 a.m. Thursday.
2014 AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIP
Bright House Field • Clearwater, Fla.
Tournament
Pool A Record
No. 1 Louisville 0-0
No. 4 Rutgers 0-0
No. 5 USF 0-0
No. 8 Memphis 0-0
Tournament
Pool B Record
No. 2 UCF 1-0
No. 3 Houston 0-0
No. 6 Temple 0-0
No. 7 UConn 0-1
Wednesday, May 21 – Pool Play (American Digital Network)
UCF 7, UConn 1
No. 6 Temple (14-30) vs. No. 3 Houston (41-14) 3 p.m.
No. 5 USF (26-29) vs. No. 4 Rutgers (29-23) 7 p.m.
Thursday, May 22 – Pool Play (American Digital Network)
No. 3 Houston vs. No. 7 UConn (26-30) 11 a.m.
No. 8 Memphis (28-28) vs. No. 1 Louisville (43-13) 3 p.m.
No. 2 UCF (35-22) vs. No. 6 Temple 7 p.m.
Friday, May 23 – Pool Play (American Digital Network)
No. 4 Rutgers vs. No. 8 Memphis 11 a.m.
No. 1 Louisville vs. No. 5 USF 3 p.m.
No. 3 Houston vs. No. 2 UCF 7 p.m.
Saturday, May 24 – Pool Play (American Digital Network)
No. 7 UConn vs. No. 6 Temple 11 a.m.
No. 4 Rutgers vs. No. 1 Louisville 3 p.m.
No. 8 Memphis vs. No. 5 USF 7 p.m.
Sunday, May 25 – Final (ESPNU)
Pool A winner vs. Pool B winner Noon
all times Eastern