BOX SCORE

Orlando, FL - UCF struck for 12 unanswered runs over the final four innings en route to a 13-4 come-from-behind win over Wagner in front of 910 fans at Jay Bergman Field. In defeat, the Seahawks fall to 1-8 while the Knights improve to 11-3.

Senior Seth Boyd (Perth Amboy, NJ / Perth Amboy) led the way for Wagner, notching his team-leading fourth multi-hit game of the year, going 2-for-4 at the plate. Junior RHP Mark Holmes (Manalapan, NJ / Manalapan) held the UCF offense to just one run over the first four frames before the Knights reclaimed the lead with three runs on the benefit of a Seahawk miscue in the bottom of the fifth inning. The Garden State native struck out three while yielding six runs, five earned, over 5.2 solid innings of work.

UCF struck first with a run without the benefit in its first trip to the plate. Travis Shreve was hit by a pitch before stealing second. After advancing to third on a ground out, he scored on a ground out to the second baseman.

The score stood that way in the bottom of the third when the Knights appeared poised to add to the lead. Darnell Sweeney laced a one out single before being thrown out for the first time all year at second base on a perfect throw from junior Hayden Hunter (Santa Monica, CA / Notre Dame).

That play ignited the Wagner offense as senior Joe Conforti (Staten Island, NY / Farrell) led off the top of the fourth with this single through the middle. After advancing to second on errant pickoff attempt by UCF starting pitcher RHP Danny Winkler, Conforti came around to score on a fielding error by Sweeney. Boyd then advanced to second on a line-drive single off the bat of senior Kevin McDonnell (Bristol, CT / Avon Old Farms). Down 1-2 in the count on the ensuing play, junior Tommy Higgins (Port Monmouth, NJ / Red Bank Catholic) laced this double down the left field line, plating the pair while giving the Seahawks a 3-1 lead.

The Knights answered with three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning and two in the sixth inning to reclaim the lead at 6-3.

The Green & White would not go away, cutting the deficit to 6-4 in the top of the seventh with a one-out rally. Senior Jack Rice (Middlesex, NJ / Immaculata) singled sharply up the middle. Pinch-runner freshman Dave Pepe (Caldwell, NJ / James Caldwell) then came around to score on a Hunter RBI double. However, Wagner would not be able to further dent the lead as Hunter was stranded at third base.

UCF added to the lead with five in the seventh and two in the eighth while providing the final 13-4 tally.

Jonathan Griffin went 3-for-4 with three RBI while Shreve was 2-for-4 with four runs, leading a 16-hit Knight offense.

Winkler (3-0) picked up the win, yielding three runs (two earned) with 10 strikeouts over 6.0 innings while Holmes (1-2) assumed the loss.

The teams resume their series tomorrow at 4:00 pm.

NOTES: After failing to record a hit until the eighth inning the last time out, Boyd laced this solid single to center field in the first inning ... Holmes had three strikeouts - including this one swinging and this one looking.