The University of Miami baseball team (12-6) fell to the UCF Knights (13-3) Tuesday night at John Euliano Park in Orlando, Fla., 14-4.
Grant Siegel started on the mound for UCF, allowing three runs (two earned) in two innings. Dominic Castellano (3-0) earned the win with two scoreless frames in relief. Miami’s Alex Giroux (2-1) took the loss after giving up six runs in just over an inning of work.
UCF, who came into the midweek matchup with the best team batting average in the country (.356), started the game scoring nine runs across the first three frames of the game.
Miami was able to battle back and take the lead in the top of the second when outfielder Derek Williams belted a two-run home run and catcher Nolan Johnson reached home on a fielding error by the Knights’ DeAmez Ross.
The Knights responded with Antonio Jimenez being walked in during a bases-loaded situation to tie the game, then a two-run double off the bat of Andrew Sundean, paired with an RBI single from Braden Calise, put UCF ahead, 6-3.
With three additional runs in the third inning, two in the fifth, and three more in the sixth, the Knights extended their lead to 14-4 – handing Miami its second midweek loss of the season.=
Next up for the Hurricanes is a three-game road series against 14th-ranked Wake Forest to kick off conference play.
