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Scoreboard

Kaden Peer
1
Missouri MIZ 1-3
7
Winner UCF UCF 4-0
Missouri MIZ
1-3
1
Final
7
UCF UCF
4-0
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Missouri MIZ 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 4 2
UCF UCF 2 0 2 0 3 0 0 0 X 7 9 0

W: Sauser, Matt (1-0) L: Libbert, Wil (0-1)

Game Recap: Baseball |

UCF Hands Baseball Setback in First Midweek Contest

ORLANDO, Fla. – UCF scored seven times over the first five innings en route to a 7-1 victory over University of Missouri baseball Thursday evening at John Euliano Park.

Kaden Peer matched a career high with three hits, including his first home run of the season, to lead the Mizzou offense. On the mound, relievers Nic Smith, PJ Green and Ben Smith combined on 3 2/3 scoreless innings for the Tigers.

But the top half of UCF's lineup combined to account for eight of the Knights' nine hits and all seven of their RBIs to help the Knights extend their perfect start to the season. DeAmez Ross finished 3-for-5 with two runs scored, while Andrew Sundean produced three RBIs to power the UCF offense.

The Knights (4-0) wasted little time in kicking their offense into gear, using a leadoff single by Ross to spark a first-inning rally. Braden Calise followed by drawing the first of his two walks on the night, before Sundean laced a two-out, two-run double to left-center, handing UCF a 2-0 lead.

An Andrew Williamson two-run home run down the right-field line stretched the margin to four runs in the third. Ross ignited a three-run rally with another leadoff hit to start the fifth. Lex Boedicker doubled home two, before Sundean drove in his third run of the night with a sacrifice fly to make it a 7-0 contest.

Mizzou's offense put at least one runner in scoring position in three of the first four innings, only come up empty against UCF starter Matt Sauser (1-0) each time. The sophomore limited the Tigers to three hits over his 4.0 frames, striking out four while keeping MU (1-3) off the scoreboard.

Peer broke up the shutout bid with a long blast to right-center on a two-strike offering from Spencer Bauer in the sixth.

The Tigers bullpen would do its part in the later innings, with Nic Smith working a scoreless inning, and Green tossing 1 2/3 strong innings in his Mizzou debut. Ben Smith would finish the contest with his third shutdown relief effort in as many outings to start the season. The sophomore right-hander equaled his career high for strikeouts by fanning the side in the home half of the eighth inning.

TIGER NOTEBOOK

  • With its victory, UCF evened the all-time series with Missouri at 2-2.
  • Peer finished 3-for-4, matching two previous three-hit performances for his career best in a Mizzou uniform.
  • With Peer's home run, six different Tigers have homered over the last three games.
  • Mateo Serna recorded the only other hit in the game by a Tiger to stretch his hit streak to three straight games.
  • In his three appearances on the season, Ben Smith has struck out six hitters and allowed just one hit in 3.0 shutout innings.
  • Tyler Macon successfully stole a base to extend Mizzou's perfect start to the season on the basepaths; the Tigers are now 8-for-8 as a team in steal attempts through four games.
  • Four players made their Tiger debuts against UCF: Green, Josh Kirchhoff, Brady Picarelli and Chris Patterson.

UP NEXT
The Tigers open play at the Andre Dawson Classic Friday evening with a 7 p.m. (CST) matchup against Florida A&M at Holman Stadium in Vero Beach, Fla.

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