ORLANDO, Fla. – A go-ahead two-run homer and six RBI from Lex Boedicker led the Knights to victory Friday night, as UCF defeated K-State, 7-3, at John Eliano Park.
Trailing 3-2 in the sixth, Boedicker launched a two-run homer to hand the No. 25 Knights (20-7, 7-6 Big 12) the go-ahead lead until UCF scored three in the eighth to secure the win.
“UCF played well tonight,” head coach Pete Hughes said. “They made the routine plays and were able to get big hits and were productive with two outs. Their bullpen recognized a swing in momentum and sustained it for the remainder of the game. Tomorrow will be a big game.”
Kyle Kramer (5-0) earned the victory in relief, leaving the Wildcats without a hit in two scoreless innings. Chase Centala held K-State to one run in his three innings of work on his way to pick up his seventh save of the season.
K-State (19-9, 6-4 Big 12) had eight hits in the nightcap led by two-hit days from Chuck Ingram and Brendan Jones. The duo combined to hit .500 (4-for-8) with three runs scored, while Jones drove in a team-high two runs. Jones belted his sixth home run of the season in the ninth to trim the Knights’ lead to three.
Jacob Frost suffered the loss after allowing five runs, all earned, on six hits in his 3 1/3 innings of relief (2-1).
THE RUNDOWN
After two scoreless innings, K-State took advantage of a fielding error to score Ingram from third after the senior from Belton, Mo., led off the inning with his third triple of the season.
UCF rallied in the bottom of the inning with a two-run single by Boedicker to grab the lead.
Jaden Parsons bunted for a single and advanced to third on a throwing error and balk. With one out, David Bishop lifted a sacrifice fly into right field to score Parsons.
Situational hitting in the fifth helped K-State regain the lead, as Ingram singled to lead off the inning followed by Brendan Jones’ 29th walk of the year to put a runner in scoring position and force UCF to make a pitching change.
Kramer faced Brady Day where the Golden Spikes Midseason Watch List honoree laid down the sacrifice bunt to move runners to first and third. Kaelen Culpepper launched a deep fly ball into center for Ingram to come across the plate.
A two-run homer by Boedicker handed the Knights the one-run lead, 4-3, before UCF used a three-run eighth inning to take control of the game.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- K-State scored four runs on eight hits with two errors and 10 left on base.
- UCF scored seven runs on 14 hits, committed three errors, and stranded 11 men on base.
- Ingram and Jones each went 2-for-4 with a walk.
- Jones drove in a team-high two RBI and hit his sixth homer of the season in the ninth.
- Boedicker went 4-for-5 and totaled a game-high six RBI for UCF.
- Both pitching staffs struck out 12 batters.
- Kramer (5-0) picked up the win in relief without allowing a hit in two scoreless innings.
- Frost (2-1) took the loss, allowing five runs, all earned, on six hits.
- UCF was 8-for-23 (.348) with runners on base and hit .231 (3-for-13) with runners in scoring position. The Knights were also 5-for-15 (.333) with two outs.
- K-State was hit .063 (1-for-16) with men on base and 0-for-11 with runners in scoring position.
NOTES
- UCF picked up the victory in the first-ever meeting between the two schools.
- Pelletier extended his on-base streak to 31 games, followed by Day at 27.
- Friday marked K-State’s first series opening loss of the season, moving to 6-1 in openers.
ON DECK
Round two against the Knights is scheduled for 5 p.m. CT at John Euliano Park. The series will be streamed on Big 12 Now on ESPN+ and the ESPN app, while radio coverage is available on News Radio KMAN (93.3 FM, 1350 AM). A free live streaming audio available for all games at KStateSports.com/watch and on the K-State Sports app.
How to follow the ‘Cats: Stay up to date on K-State baseball online at www.kstatesports.com and on the team’s social media channels on Facebook, X formally known as Twitter and Instagram.
