Written By: Joe Zollo
(Orlando, FL) In game one of a three-game series, the Dartmouth Big Green travel from snowy New Hampshire to sunny Florida to take on the UCF Knights. The Knights came into the game 18-4 and came off a big win against Bethune-Cookman on Tuesday. The Big Green came in 8-5 but looked like they have played more than just 13 games.
Dartmouth’s starting pitcher, Jack Fossand, came out firing on all cylinders. His vast array of pitches allowed him to take complete control over the UCF offense for the first two innings he was out there. UCF figured him out in the third and fourth, scoring their only runs of the game in those innings.
On the other side of things, UCF starting pitcher, Robby Howell, was roughed up in this game. He pitched six innings, allowing three runs off of nine hits with one of those hits being a monster home run by Dartmouth’s first baseman Michael Ketchmark. Howell was ringed out for 105 pitches but did manage to add seven strikeouts, making his total for the season 36.
After five innings the score was tied up 3-3, and it stayed that way until the 9th inning. In the 9th, closer Jordan Scheftz came into the game looking to keep the score the way it was so UCF could at least take the game to extra innings. Just by looking at the stat sheet you would think he did such a thing, but his infield did not help him.
Scheftz walked two batters and also struck one out and did not allow a single hit in the 9th inning but second baseman, Matt Mika, made a crucial error that allowed Matt Feinstein of Dartmouth to slide into home, giving Dartmouth a 4-3 lead. A disastrous mistake for Mika who started the game off strong with two singles but then flew out and struck out and caused the eventual game-winning error.
Dartmouth closer Chris Burkholder came in for the bottom of the 9th and had a 1-2-3 inning, striking out two and causing one to hit a groundball to third. Burkholder’s pitching in the 9th summed up Dartmouth’s pitching for the day. Home plate umpire, Bring King, had a very strict strike zone tonight and the Big Green pitchers knew how to find it.
Four of the team’s ten strikeouts were ones where the batters just watched it go by. The pitchers were artists who knew how to paint the corners with accuracy and precision. The man catching the pitches played a huge role as well. Catcher Adam Gauthier made multiple highlights plays including stopping a wild pitch and throwing a man out at second base.
There were little to no bright spots for UCF tonight, which does not resemble the fantastic year they are having so far behind new head coach Greg Lovelady. Lovelady has led them to an 18-5 record, which is good for second place in the American Conference.
The Knights will take on Dartmouth again for game two of their three-game series with the Big Green at Jay Bergman Field on March 25.
Dartmouth’s starting pitcher, Jack Fossand, came out firing on all cylinders. His vast array of pitches allowed him to take complete control over the UCF offense for the first two innings he was out there. UCF figured him out in the third and fourth, scoring their only runs of the game in those innings.
On the other side of things, UCF starting pitcher, Robby Howell, was roughed up in this game. He pitched six innings, allowing three runs off of nine hits with one of those hits being a monster home run by Dartmouth’s first baseman Michael Ketchmark. Howell was ringed out for 105 pitches but did manage to add seven strikeouts, making his total for the season 36.
After five innings the score was tied up 3-3, and it stayed that way until the 9th inning. In the 9th, closer Jordan Scheftz came into the game looking to keep the score the way it was so UCF could at least take the game to extra innings. Just by looking at the stat sheet you would think he did such a thing, but his infield did not help him.
Scheftz walked two batters and also struck one out and did not allow a single hit in the 9th inning but second baseman, Matt Mika, made a crucial error that allowed Matt Feinstein of Dartmouth to slide into home, giving Dartmouth a 4-3 lead. A disastrous mistake for Mika who started the game off strong with two singles but then flew out and struck out and caused the eventual game-winning error.
Dartmouth closer Chris Burkholder came in for the bottom of the 9th and had a 1-2-3 inning, striking out two and causing one to hit a groundball to third. Burkholder’s pitching in the 9th summed up Dartmouth’s pitching for the day. Home plate umpire, Bring King, had a very strict strike zone tonight and the Big Green pitchers knew how to find it.
Four of the team’s ten strikeouts were ones where the batters just watched it go by. The pitchers were artists who knew how to paint the corners with accuracy and precision. The man catching the pitches played a huge role as well. Catcher Adam Gauthier made multiple highlights plays including stopping a wild pitch and throwing a man out at second base.
There were little to no bright spots for UCF tonight, which does not resemble the fantastic year they are having so far behind new head coach Greg Lovelady. Lovelady has led them to an 18-5 record, which is good for second place in the American Conference.
The Knights will take on Dartmouth again for game two of their three-game series with the Big Green at Jay Bergman Field on March 25.