DeLand, Fla. - Last season's Freshman All-Americans Mark Jones (Palm Coast, Fla.) and Nick Rickles (Loxahatchee, Fla.) each tallied three hits yet the Hatters dropped their final pre-conference season game 11-7 to UCF. The Knights improved to 10-8 and Stetson fell to 8-10 on the season. Jones was 3-for-5 with a pair of triples an RBI and a run scored. Rickles finished 3-for-5 with a double and two runs scored.
After UCF took an early 3-0 lead Stetson responded with four runs in the bottom of the 3rd inning. Jones, Aaron Crittenden (Fort Myers, Fla.), Kurt Schluter (Jupiter, Fla.), and Jeff Simpson (Valrico, Fla.) each knocked in a run for the Hatters.
UCF tied the score in the 6th and Stetson answered once again with a run in the 7th to take a one-run lead at 5-4. In the 8th however, the Knight put the game away with five runs.
On the night Stetson ran five pitchers out to the mound. Starter Will Dorsey (Atlantic Beach, Fla.) threw 5 2/3 innings and allowed four runs on 10 hits. He struck out two batters and did not surrender a walk. David Burns (Seminole, Fla.) was next and gave up two runs on three hits and took the loss dropping to 2-1 on the year.
Crittenden, Spencer Theisen (Longwood, Fla.), Ryan Lashey (Lake Worth, Fla.), and Simpson each came up with one hit for the Hatters. Simpson extended his current hitting streak to 13 games. As a team Stetson was out hit 18-to-10 by UCF.
Next up for Stetson is the opening series of the A-Sun schedule this weekend against FGCU in DeLand. The Hatters and Eagles will play Friday at 6:30 p.m. and then a doubleheader Saturday beginning at 1:00 p.m. Stetson fans can catch the games on Hatter Vision by going to www.gohatters.com. The voice of Stetson baseball Bill Topping will call the action.
