The UCF baseball team opened up its 2018 season with a big win over No. 15 Virginia Friday night at John Euliano Park.
The No. 22 Knights topped the Cavaliers 6-3, in what was a back and forth game until the Knights eventually took control in the fifth inning.
Redshirt junior pitcher Chris Williams pitched through the first five innings for the Knights and finished the night with three strikeouts, hitting two batter, allowing six hits and three earned runs. Junior pitcher JJ Montgomery closed on the mound for UCF in his debut as a Knight, after transferring from Northwest Florida State. The junior pitched through the final four innings, allowing one hit and one walk while striking out six strikeouts.
The Knights got on the board quickly, with an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first when preseason American Athletic Conference (AAC) player of the year sophomore pitcher Rylan Thomas hit one down the third base line to bring a run home.
The Cavaliers however quickly responded, tying the game at one just an inning later, but the Knights did not back down, as Thomas came up big again and hit a two-run-homer to left field to put UCF up 3-1.
Virginia fired back once again though, and tied the game at three off a small UCF third base blooper in the fifth inning.
Sophomore centerfielder Dallas Beaver allowed the Knights to finally get comfortable with a two-run-homer to left field to put UCF up 5-3.
Junior infielder Brandon Hernandez gave the Knights an extra cushion in the 8th inning with an RBI double to left field to extend the Knights lead to 6-3.
Up next, the Knights take on Rice Saturday Feb. 17th at 5PM at John Euliano Park.
