UCF has had plenty of setbacks and frustration early on this year. This was not the race out of the game like it was last year. That rise up the national polls proved to be a bit hollow when conference season came around.
The Knights this year on the diamond had to be about the process of building up. The process of getting better each game and finishing off games and series to build up that resume and confidence as the season goes on.
Non-conference season was an opportunity to test themselves, but also an opportunity for this surprisingly new team to grow.
It has not always been put together. Midweek losses at Florida State frustrated the team. Missed opportunities at a major win and a lack of results for all the work in building up the process. But the team had to stick with it.
This was not the time to give in. This was the time to come together and pull through. And to do it the entire weekend from Friday’s opener to “Championship Sunday” as the team likes to call it.
UCF has not always had the energy to pull through to the end of the weekend this year. The team is still searching for its third pitcher for conference season.
In its last weekend before opening the American Conference play in Memphis, UCF put it all together. In every facet.
Juan Pimentel pitched five innings to start off a shutout effort from the Knights and Eli Putnam recorded seven RBIs, the first since Matt Diorio did it in March 2015, in a 16-0 rout for the Knights over the Cornell Big Red at Jay Bergman Field on Sunday. The Knights recorded their third three-game sweep of the season and their third Sunday win this year.
The Knights truly started and finished the game strong.
“Yesterday, I said I think offensively our guys were playing with swagger, or confidence, whatever it might be,” coach Terry Rooney said. “But they are carrying themselves with a positive presence a little bit more than I think that we have. I think that is important. The other thing is that we threw strikes today. I think that has hurt us a little more down the road the last couple weeks.”
The confidence that came from Saturday’s 8-3 win certainly did carry over.
Juan Pimentel, angling for that Sunday starting job when conference season begins was strong from the start, doing away with Cornell’s offense fairly quickly. Only one runner got into scoring position in his five innings.
His offense, and all that swagger, certainly helped him out too. The Knights put up three runs in the first inning using small hits to move runners over. Eli Putnman recorded a sacrifice fly for the game’s first run and was really just beginning his work.
The Knights blew the door open in the the fourth inning with six consecutive batters reaching base with one out and the team recorded seven hits. Putnam had a two-RBI single and Sam Tolleson hit a home run to left field that got caught in the wind and was pushed out.
Cornell, who switched pitchers after 2/3 of an inning in the first inning, was scrambling to keep up and the Knights were just continuing to pour it on.
Putnam added another solo home run to left field in the fifth inning and had a 2-RBI single and an RBI single in his final two at bats to complete a stellar day at the plate and double his RBI total on the season.
“On Championship Sunday, he always talks about energy,” Putnam said. “You need energy. It’s the last day of the series. Everyone is tired. It has been a long week. So come out and have a great energy and put up a lot of runs. Everyone is really coming together as a group, really starting to click. Pitchers are starting to throw more strikes and batters are battling with two strikes and putting the ball in play and challenging defenders. Collectively as a group, it was a great day for us.”
UCF totaled 20 hits for the game. Ryan Crile helped put Putnam in that great position from the second spot, going 5 for 6 for the game. Luke Hamblin went 2 for 3 with a walk too. Shortstop Kam Gellinger went 3 for 3. There were contributions up and down the lineup offensively in getting big hits, walks and small hits to move runners over.
Everything was working. That swagger carried through as the Knights delivered hit after hit and continually put pressure on the Big Red’s defense. There were several bloop hits that landed just short of the outfielder and plenty of strong base running.
There was also plenty of defense with the Knights turning several double plays to help out Pimentel and the pitchers the Knights sent out one after the other.
“It was key to get the sweep especially,” starting pitcher Juan Pimentel said. “That way we keep rolling and get more confidence out of this outing and rolling into the next outing would be great.”
Pimental had six strikeouts in his five innings of work as the Knights used five other pitchers to close the game with Pemental pitching on some short rest. They did not have to be flawless with the lead they had worked up, but there were few times where Cornell could crack them and get on base.
He proved to be the perfect pitcher for what the Knights wanted from their Sunday starter. Rooney said he was looking for better pace and for someone who could throw strikes to get batters out. Pimental threw 42 strikes in 57 pitches on the day.
UCF was not letting very many guys on base and the defense was cleaning up ground balls regularly.
The Knights have started putting things together and this was it at its apex. A culmination of a lot of work put together on that “Championship Sunday” in dominating fashion. Now they have one more tuneup game before conference season begins.
They can do that from a good place.
“I think we’re where we need to be, honestly,” Rooney said. “Were there two or three games we would like to have back? Sure. The point being, we’ve got to keep getting better and better and better. The only thing I ask these guys is to keep working hard, keep working your butts off, doing the right thing and having a great attitude and keep being confident.”
