Cre Finfrock continued his strong season as UCF got to the top of its rotation for the Friday/Saturday games. He and Robbie Howell have dominated opponents early on in the season on these two days for a UCF team still piecing together its bullpen.
Finfrock gave up two hits in seven innings as UCF held on for a 2-0 win over Brown at Jay Bergman Field on Friday. Finfrock struck out eight as the Knights entered a pitcher’s duel with the Bears.
Finfrock got a no decision despite another stellar pitching performance. The Bears were just as adept as getting the Knights out. UCF would have to rely on its bullpen to secure the win.
The Knights got that from Trent Thompson. He gave up two hits too in his two innings of work. The pitching did its job Friday.
The Knights would need their offense to come through.
They did in the eighth inning after stranding seven runners in the game. Unlike Finfrock, Christian Taugner gave up seven hits in his seven innings of work. UCF finally got to him and tagged him for two runs.
Eli Putnam delivered a single past the shortstop to bring home UCF’s first run and Sam Tolleson delivered an insurance run before Brown made its pitching change. The back of the order came up with the clutch hits.
“My thought process was the same the entire game,” Putnam told UCFKnights.com. “It was the same that the entire team had…stay confident, put the barrel on the ball and see what happens. Those are words that our hitting coach Klosty [Ryan Klosterman] tells us all the time.”
In UCF’s wins this year, it has been a lot of that. Players stepping up and giving the Knights exactly what they need when the hitting can’t carry the pitching or the pitching gives the hitting a chance.
Finfrock has turned in a strong season and he helped get the bullpen a day or rest essentially. That quality start will pay dividends for the Knights moving forward.
UCF will play Brown again tonight at 6:30 p.m. at Jay Bergman Field (weather permitting).
