Inning by inning
First inning
Contrades reached on an error but that was the extent of ASU’s half of action. There was plenty of traffic on the basepath for the Knights right out the gates, starting with a leadoff double. That would be the only run that would come across for UCF, however, as Alba was able to get a huge strikeout with the bases loaded to limit the damage.
Second inning
Smaldino reached on a leadoff walk and Michel singled to put a pair on with no outs. A pair of strikeouts put ASU in danger of squandering the threat but Zavorek was able to leg out an infield single, forcing a tough throw that sailed into the outfield and allowing Smaldino to score from first to tie the game. Alba bounced back from the stressful first with a quick 1-2-3 inning before the game was suspended.
Third inning
Resuming Saturday’s game in the the third inning with UCF going with righty Kris Sosnowski, who was forced to leave the game with an injury after recording two quick outs. A quick flyout on the first pitch by the new pitcher ended a 1-2-3 inning for the Devils. Klecker stranded a two-out single on the bases in his first inning of “relief”.
Fourth inning
Michel drew a one-out walk and Polk poked one down the opposite right field line that was caught harmlessly at the warning track and ASU was unable to do anything with the baserunner. UCF notched a leadoff single and a one-out stolen base but Klecker stranded the runner in scoring position by striking out the side to keep it a 1-1 game.
Fifth inning
Hairston notched a one out single but that was the extent of ASU’s first inning action. The Sun Devils went to the bullpen and after Overbay got two quick outs at the top of the order, but a two-out, two-strike solo shot just inside the left field foul pole to give UCF a 2-1 advantage. UCF kept the pressure on with a seeing-eye single and a walk but Overbay stranded both with a strikeout to keep the deficit just one run.
Sixth inning
Roellig notched a leadoff single and stole second on a Smaldino strikeout to put the tying run in scoring position but a flyout followed by Roellig slipping on a pickoff attempt led to just the minimum in the frame. UCF got a one-out single that beat the infield shift and worked a two-out walk but Overbay stranded the runner at first to keep it 2-1.
Seventh inning
The bottom of the ASU order went down in order. Edwards entered from the bullpen and UCF ripped the consecutive singles to bring in a run with two runners moving into scoring position on a passed ball. A sac fly played another run as the Knights took a 4-1 advantage.
Eighth inning
ASU got a trio of leadoff singles from Hairston, Contrades and Toigo to load the bases with no outs. Roellig’s sac fly plated one of those on a sac fly but a double play on the very next pitch ended ASU’s threat. UCF got a one-out nubber infield single but Josh Butler worked an otherwise solid inning of relief - capped by Briggs throwing out the runner trying to steal second.
Ninth inning
The Sun Devils tried to mount a late rally with a one-out walk from Polk and single from pinch hitter Moutzouridis and ASU loaded the bases with that one out on a Zavorek infield single as the first baseman slipped fielding it. A pair of shallow flyouts from ASU’s most dangerous hitters Hairston and Contrades ended the threat and finalized the game.
