May 18, 2007

Box Score

Marshall at UCF Game Book
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ORLANDO, Fla. - A wild seventh inning decided the outcome of the series opener between Marshall and UCF as the Golden Knights came-from-behind to defeat the Thundering Herd 8-6 in Conference USA action at Jay Bergman Field on Thursday.

Marshall (20-31, 4-17) scored five runs in the top of the seventh to seize a 6-4 advantage, but UCF (25-29, 6-16) answered with three runs in its half of the seventh to reclaim the lead and the decisive 8-6 edge. Herd left-hander Andrew Blain (Huntington, W.Va.) left the game with the lead with one out in the seventh, but the Marshall bullpen could not hold off the Knights, who snapped a three-game losing streak.

Marshall must now win the final two games of the series in order to secure the final berth in next week's C-USA Championship at East Carolina University.

Blain allowed a leadoff walk to Matt Horwath in the bottom of the first after going ahead 0-2 in the count. UCF sacrificed Horwath to second, but the Herd quickly got out of the inning when Tyson Auer struck out while Horwath was caught stealing third by catcher Tommy Johnson (Gaithersburg, Md.).

The Knights did manage to plate a runner from second base in the second to take a 1-0 lead on a Eric Kallstrom double to right centerfield, just past the diving Mason Chapman (Barboursville, W.Va.).

After retiring the first two batters in the fifth, Blain ran into trouble. The sophomore walked Horwath for the third time in the game and gave up a single to Dwayne Bailey. With runners on the corners, Blain threw a wild pitch that allowed Horwath to score. Another walk on a close 3-2 pitch brought UCF's leading RBI man Kiko Vazquez to the plate. The sophomore dropped a two-run double on the right field line, followed by a Chris Duffy RBI double to give UCF a 5-0 lead thanks to four runs in the frame.

The Herd loaded the bases in its next at bat in the top of the sixth with one out, but managed only one run to cut its deficit to 5-1. Johnson drove in Jeff Rowley (Buffalo, N.Y.) with a sacrifice fly to right field, but Josh Valle (Brentwood, N.Y.) attempted to tag up from second base and was thrown out at third to end the threat.

UCF starter Jaager Good was pulled after issuing a leadoff walk in the seventh. The junior struck out two Herd hitters with four walks, four hits and one earned run in six innings before being replaced by Austin Hudson.

Hudson surrendered an infield single to Chapman and issued a walk to Brandon Casamassima (Colleyville, Texas) to load the bases for Jeff Rowley (Buffalo, N.Y.). The junior blooped a two-run single to left field making it a two-run game. Nate Lape (Huntington, N.Y.) followed with a single to again load the bases, setting up a fielder's choice RBI to the shortstop.

UCF pulled Hudson in favor of left-hander Brian Brooks. The senior promptly hit Brendan Murphy (Chattanooga, Tenn.) to load the bases and again hit a Herd batter, Johnson, to tie the game at 5-5. Brit Vincent (Bowling Green, Ky.) then drew a walk that plated pinch runner Matt Helm (Downingtown, Pa.) to give Marshall its first lead of the game, 6-5.

Blain, whose career-high entering the game was 5 1/3 innings pitched, returned to the mound in the seventh. Bailey beat Blain to first base on a grounder to Vincent on the right side for a leadoff single. Blain, however, regrouped and struck out Tyson Auer for his eighth strikeout of the game (tied career-high) in his final batter faced.

Herd head coach Jeff Waggoner went to his closer, senior Nick Wolle (Coatesville, Pa.), with Vazquez coming to the dish. Vazquez laced an RBI double to the opposite field to plate Bailey and knot the score at six apiece. The Knights would not be happy with just tying the game as Duffy drove a Wolle offering over the left centerfield wall for a two-run homer and an 8-6 lead.

Casamassima and Nick Damas (Willow Springs, Ill.) were left stranded in the top of the eighth as pinch hitter Thad Ledford (Yukon, Okla.) drove a ball to the warning track that left fielder Chadd Hartman ran down.

Blain, in just his fourth career start, got the no-decision after a solid outing in an important opening game of the series.

UCF closer Justin Weiss retired all five Herd hitters he faced to end the game and pick up his eighth save of the season.

Two-thirds of an inning was played in the top of the first before heavy rain caused the game to be delayed for one hour and 47 minutes.

Marshall and UCF will play game two of the three-game series at 6:30 p.m. ET on Thursday.