April 13, 2008

Box Score

UCF 10, Memphis 4

ORLANDO, Fla. -

Memphis (13-21; 4-8 C-USA)     001 003 000 -  4  2 1
UCF (26-12; 4-8 C-USA)         530 001 10x - 10 12 1

UCF pitchers Carmine Giardina and Matt Manning combined to hold Memphis to just two hits en route to handing the Tigers a 10-4 loss in the series finale on Sunday. The Knights win the series 2-1. The series loss was the third consecutive league series loss for the Tigers, who fall to 13-21 on the year, and 4-8 in C-USA play.

Giardina cruised through six innings and gave up just two hits in the game--a single to rightfield by Robby Graham and a bases loaded double by Cole Shelton--and striking out nine. Manning came in and held Memphis hitless over the final three frames to pick up his first save of the year.

UCF touched up Memphis starter Will Hudgens quickly to take a 5-0 lead in the first inning. After Colin Arnold bounced a one-out single over Brett Bowen's head at third, Hudgens got Robert Lara to fly out to centerfield. The Knights bats then came alive with two outs. Eric Kallstrom and Chris Duffy banged out consecutive doubles, and Evan Stobbs, Chadd Hartman, Tyson Auer and Josh Siebenaler all singled in consecutive at-bat. When the dust settled, UCF had put together six consecutive two-out hits and had taken an early five-run lead. The Knights batted around in the inning. A three-run blast to left, by Stobbs, highlighted the second inning as UCF extended its lead to eight runs.

The speed of Chris Kirkland helped Memphis avoided the shutout in the third. The senior catcher reached on a leadoff walk and moved around to third on a pair of wild pitches. He came home on a groundout by Chad Zurcher.

Memphis got back into the game with a three-run sixth inning that was powered by Shelton's double off the left centerfield wall. The Tigers used two walks, an error and a wild pitch to cut the deficit to 8-4.

But just as they got within striking distance, UCF responded with an RBI-single in the sixth by Stobbs, and a sac fly by Lara, in the seventh to put the game out of reach with the 10-4 final.

Stobbs paced the UCF offense with three hits, four RBI and two runs. Kallstrom added a pair of hits as the Knights out-hit the Tigers 12-2

Memphis will remain on the road in midweek play. They will travel to Murray, Ky. To take on Murray State on Tues., April 15 at 3 p.m., before making a return trip Jackson, Tenn. for a tilt versus UT-Martin on Wednesday. Listen to "The Voice" of Tiger Baseball, Jeff Brightwell as he brings live play-by-play action on 91.7FM. The pre-game show for the Memphis-Murray s State contest will begin at 2:45 p.m.