Auburn’s Late Surge
The UCF baseball team saw its season come to a close on Saturday night as a 9‑3 defeat at the hands of Auburn in the NCAA Tournament eliminated the Knights from postseason play. The loss capped a 32‑23 campaign and marked the final game under head coach Rich Wallace, who concluded his third year at the helm.
Roman Kimball took the mound for UCF, delivering 4.1 innings of work while striking out seven batters. Despite a solid opening effort, the Knights’ offense never found its rhythm, managing just a .188 team batting average and fanning 11 times throughout the contest.
Auburn answered early, tying the game in the bottom of the third with solo homers from Brandon McCraine and Chase Fralick. The momentum shifted again in the fourth when Ethin Bingaman’s homer put the Tigers ahead, a lead they would protect the rest of the night.
DeAmez Ross provided the Knights’ only early spark, launching a solo homer in the first at‑bat, but the rest of the lineup could not capitalize on the momentum, ultimately succumbing to Auburn’s pitching.
Auburn’s Alex Petrovic turned in a strong performance, limiting UCF to three runs over six innings while recording six strikeouts. His effort helped the Tigers pull away and set up a showdown against the Milwaukee Tigers, a series that will determine a Super Regional berth.
The Knights’ defeat underscores a challenging transition period for the program, as they finish the season with a 32‑23 record and look ahead to the offseason. Meanwhile, Auburn moves forward with aspirations of advancing deeper into the tournament.