Knights Force Deciding Rematch

CLEARWATER, Fla. – University of Houston senior Ryan Hernandez clubbed a game-tying home run in the ninth inning but UCF junior Gephry Pena provided a walk-off double in the 10th inning as the Knights outlasted the Cougars 9-8 to force a winner-take-all matchup in the TicketSmarter American Baseball Championship semifinals on Saturday afternoon from BayCare Ballpark.

Trailing by two and down to its final three outs, Houston senior Ryan Hernandez unloaded on a game-tying two run home run. The long ball was his second of the championship and 14^th of the season. It was also Houston's fourth of the day.

In the 10th inning, UCF freshman Andrew Sundean laced a leadoff double into right center. Three batters later, Pena laced a walk-off double into the left field corner. The two teams combined for 17 runs on 27 hits with the game winner serving as the 14th for the Knights (35-24).

The Cougars (36-23) look to bounce back when they face UCF in an elimination rematch at 5:30 p.m. CT Saturday. The winner will face East Carolina in the American Championship game at 11 a.m. CT Sunday.

UCF junior Tom Josten put the Knights ahead 5-4 with a leadoff solo home run in the sixth inning. Josten answered Houston redshirt junior Ian McMillan's game-tying two-out solo home run in the fifth. McMillan's two-run home run, his 10th of the season and sixth in the last 16 games, trimmed the Cougars' deficit to 7-6 in the seventh inning.

Houston freshman starter Malachi Lott retired his first nine batters, racking up five strikeouts before the Knights awoke in the fourth. UCF chased the freshman and produced four runs on six hits in the frame including a go-ahead two-run sacrifice fly from freshman Michael Brooks.

Houston sophomore Alex Lopez crushed a two-run home run to provide the Cougars a 3-0 lead in the fourth inning. The long ball was his sixth of the season and first since April 10 at Cincinnati. It was also his seventh hit in three American Championship games.

UCF sophomore Ben Vespi allowed two runs on five hits with a pair of walks and three strikeouts across 3.1 innings. Lott allowed four runs on four hits with five strikeouts in 3.1 innings.

UP NEXT
The Cougars look to bounce back when they face UCF in a winner-take-all American Baseball Championship semifinals rematch at 5:30 p.m. CT Saturday. The winner between the two will face East Carolina in the American Championship game at 11 a.m. CT Sunday.

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Alex Lopez

Santiago Garcia

Ryan Hernandez

Ian McMillan

Players Mentioned

Ryan Hernandez

Alex Lopez

Malachi Lott

Ian McMillan

Players Mentioned

Ryan Hernandez

Alex Lopez

Malachi Lott

Ian McMillan

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