After taking care of business during the opening weekend of the season, the Stetson Hatters will go on the road Tuesday night to face old rival UCF.
 
The game is scheduled for a 6 p.m. start at John Euliano Park on the UCF campus in Orlando. Tickets to the game cost $5 to $7 at the gate and it will be $1 hot dog night at the game.
 
The Hatters (3-0) come into the game after sweeping through the opening weekend with a win over Manhattan and two over Air Force. UCF (4-0) swept a four-game set from visiting Siena to start the season, outscoring the Saints 32-8 during the weekend.
 
The Stetson-UCF diamond rivalry dates back to 1975 but the Knights have dominated the series in recent years. Since 2007, which is the last time Stetson won a game in Orlando, UCF has won 15 of the last 16 games. That does not count the two fall exhibition games the teams played last November, both of which the Knights won.
 
Overall, UCF leads the all-time series 73-50, including a 36-20 advantage in games played in Orlando.
 
Tonight's game will pit a pair of sophomore hurlers, both of who worked primarily out of the bullpen last year. Stetson right hander Danny Garcia will make his first collegiate start while UCF right-hander Zach Hunsicker will make his second.
 
Garcia was a freshman All-American last year thanks to his outstanding work as a set-up man in the bullpen. He posted a 5-1 record in a team-high 28 appearances with a program-record 1.22 ERA. Garcia did not pitch against UCF in two games last year, but he did get into both fall games, combining to work 3.1 innings while allowing a run on four hits with three strikeouts.
 
Garcia made his 2020 debut on Friday with 2.2 innings of work against Manhattan. He allowed two runs on three hits in that outing.
 
Hunsicker did make an appearance against Stetson in 2019, working a perfect inning of relief in the game on April 2. His only start last year came at Wichita State, a game in which he allowed three runs on three hits in just 1.1 innings of work. Hunsicker will be making his 2020 debut against Stetson.
 
Offensively, the Hatters and Knights both got the 2020 season off to a good start. Stetson hit .320 as a team with 14 extra-base hits during the opening weekend while UCF posted a .269 team batting average with 11 extra-base hits and 13 stolen bases. Strikeouts were a problem for the Knights, who went down on strikes 33 times.
 
Following the game at UCF the Hatters will return to Melching Field this weekend, starting a 19-game home-stand with a three-game series against Hartford, a club that last visited DeLand during the 2018 NCAA Regional Tournament.
 
About Stetson University Athletics: Stetson University's Athletics Program has a vision of developing a culture of champions athletically, academically and within the community. This vision is accomplished through a mission of recruiting and developing student-athletes, coaches and staff, creating a culture of champions, within and outside of competition. The department operates with five core values: Championship Culture, Integrity, Excellence, Pride/Tradition and Leadership. To learn more about the Vision, Mission and Core Values for Stetson Athletics, visit GoHatters.com and click on Mission Statement under the Inside Athletics tab.