The UConn baseball team celebrates a run during the Huskies 4-0 victory over Memphis on Sunday, April 9, 2017. (Tyler Benton/The Daily Campus)
Time and place: 6:30 p.m. Friday, 1 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday at Jay Bergman Field in Orlando.
Series history: UConn leads the all-time series 8-4, dating back to 2013. Last season, the Huskies swept UCF at J.O. Christian Field.
UConn’s last time out: The Huskies won a pair of midweek games at home this week. UConn defeated Quinnipiac 4-3 on Monday and beat UMass 11-3 on Tuesday. The Huskies will look to get back on track in American Athletic Conference play after they were swept in last weekend’s series against Tulane.
UCF’s last time out: The Knights defeated Bethune-Cookman 5-1 at home on Tuesday. UCF swept East Carolina last weekend, getting back on track in conference play after being swept by USF the weekend prior.
Probable starting pitchers: UConn (21-14, 6-3 American) vs. UCF (27-11, 5-4 American)
Friday: Tim Cate (3-2) vs. Robby Howell (5-0)
Cate wasn’t at his best against Tulane last Friday, giving up eight hits and eight runs (only three earned) in five innings. The sophomore has recorded 49 strikeouts through 35 innings on the season and owns a 2.83 ERA.
Howell also struggled on Friday, lasting just 3.1 innings while allowing seven runs (five earned) on five hits and five walks. The senior has started nine games and has recorded a 3.31 ERA through 51.2 innings.
Saturday: Wills Montgomerie (4-2) vs. Juan Pimentel (6-2)
Montgomerie pitched well last weekend, going six innings and allowing six earned runs on five hits. The junior recovered well from his previous rough outing, striking out 11 in a tough loss to Tulane.
Pimentel has a stellar 1.90 ERA in nine starts for the Knights. He has allowed 11 walks and 54 hits in 52 innings in his senior season, most recently going seven innings and giving up two runs on 10 hits against ECU.
Sunday: Mason Feole (5-0) vs. Joe Sheriden (6-3)
Feole threw 5.2 innings against Tulane last weekend, giving up two earned runs on five hits and four walks. The freshman has been arguably the Huskies’ best pitcher on the season, owning a 2.39 ERA through eight starts.
Sheriden has made 12 appearances for the Knights, starting seven games and recording 43.2 innings. The left-handed freshman has a 3.50 ERA and 37 strikeouts on the season. Sheriden pitched 7.2 shutout innings in last Sunday’s win.
UCF players to watch: The Knights lead The American with 251 runs scored. Leading the charge is Kyle Marsh and Rylan Thomas, who are tied for the team lead with 34 RBI each. Eli Putnam leads UCF in batting average (.326) and hits (47) while Thomas also has the most home runs with eight.
Josh Buser is a staff writer for The Daily Campus. He can be reached via email at joshua.buser@uconn.edu.
