Championship Central
Box Score
Highlights
CLEARWATER, Fla. – Second baseman Dylan Moore went 3-for-4 with three RBIs from the leadoff spot and pitcher Robby Howell worked 7.1 strong innings to lead UCF to a 6-2 win against Temple Thursday in the second day of pool play in the American Athletic Conference Baseball Championship at Bright House Field.
No 2-seeded UCF (36-22) improved to 2-0 in pool play, meaning that a win against Houston Friday would put the Knights in Sunday’s championship game. Temple, the No. 6 seed, (14-32) fell to 0-2 in pool play.
Moore hit a sacrifice fly in the top of the third inning to give UCF a 1-0 lead, and his RBI triple in the top of the fifth gave the Knights a 3-0 advantage. Moore added an RBI single in the top of the seventh, which gave UCF a 5-0 cushion.
Temple caught a tough break in the bottom of the sixth inning after Reyn Sugai and Bobby Heitzman led off with back-to-back base hits. After a flyout to right, Michael D’Acunti hit a fly ball in the shallow outfield that was dropped by Knights centerfielder Derrick Salberg. But with the runners holding with one out, the Knights were able to turn an unconventional 8-4-5 double play to get out of the jam.
The Owls got on the board in the bottom of the seventh when Jimmy Kerrigan smacked a one-out triple to right-center and came around to score on Daniel Dragos’ grounder to the shortstop. But the Knights got the run back in the top of the eighth after JoMarcos Woods drove in Jordan Savinon with a two-out single to rightfield.
Temple saw its first three men reach in the bottom of the ninth, but Zac Favre put the game away, allowing just one inherited runner to score on Dragos’ sacrifice fly. Favre retired the next two hitters on groundouts to end the game.
Howell, who was making his fourth start of the year, struck out four and scattered six hits in 7.1 innings to get the win, improving to 4-1. He allowed one earned run and threw 99 pitches. Woods and Kam Gellinger, the Nos. 8 and 9 hitters, were a combined 4-for-5 with three runs scored for UCF.
Kerrigan went 2-for-3 for the Owls, while Dragos drove in both Temple runs. Patrick Vanderslice took the loss, falling to 1-5 after he allowed four runs on seven hits with three strikeouts in five innings.
UCF’s final game in pool play against No. 3-seeded Houston will be at 7 p.m. Friday. Temple has an off day Friday and will end its season at 11 a.m. Saturday against No. 7-seeded UConn.
2014 AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIP
Bright House Field • Clearwater, Fla.
Tournament
Pool A Record
No. 1 Louisville 1-0
No. 4 Rutgers 1-0
No. 5 USF 0-1
No. 8 Memphis 0-1
Tournament
Pool B Record
No. 2 UCF 2-0
No. 7 UConn 1-1
No. 3 Houston 1-1
No. 6 Temple 0-2
Wednesday, May 21 – Pool Play
UCF 7, UConn 1
Houston 3, Temple 0
Rutgers 10, USF 0 (7 innings)
Thursday, May 22 – Pool Play
UConn 7, Houston 2
Louisville 13, Memphis 3 (7 innings)
UCF 6, Temple 2
Friday, May 23 – Pool Play (American Digital Network)
No. 4 Rutgers (30-23) vs. No. 8 Memphis (28-29) 11 a.m.
No. 1 Louisville (44-13) vs. No. 5 USF (26-30) 3 p.m.
No. 3 Houston (42-15) vs. No. 2 UCF (36-22) 7 p.m.
Saturday, May 24 – Pool Play (American Digital Network)
No. 6 Temple (14-32) vs. No. 7 UConn (27-30) 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