UCF wins with huge 8th

ECU senior co-captain Travis Watkins connects on one of his three hits Friday night against UCF. (Photo by Bonesville Staff)

GREENVILLE — Central Florida trailed 2-0 going to the eighth inning of Friday night’s American Athletic Conference game at East Carolina but the Knights erupted for nine runs in the frame en route to a 9-4 win.

Freshman right-hander Trey Benton held UCF scoreless through seven innings but was pulled with one away in the top of the eighth when he hit Kam Gellinger with a pitch and Bryce Peterson doubled.

Luke Hamblin had an RBI single to second base off Ryan Ross (0-1) to cut the lead to 2-1.

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ECU freshman pitcher Trey Benton follows through on a pitch against Central Florida Friday night. The right-hander went seven and a third innings, allowing three hits and recording seven strikeouts with no walks and three hit batsmen. The Pirates led 2-0 when Benton went to the bullpen with two men on in the top of the eighth. Benton was charged with two runs when the baserunners subsequently scored as the Knights mounted a nine-run rally. (Photo by Bonesville Staff)

West Covington hit Eli Putnam with a pitch to load the bases.

Third baseman Eric Tyler went home for an out on a ground ball by Matthew Mika. A walk to Kyle Marsh forced in the tying run.

Two runs scored on an error for a 4-2 UCF lead. Two walks forced home another run and finished the night for Covington.

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ECU third baseman Eric Tyler points to the sky before touching home plate after a solo home run in the bottom of the seventh inning. (Photo by Bonesville Staff)

A grand slam to right by Gellinger capped the scoring in the mammoth eighth for the visitors.

Bryce Harman hit a two-run homer to right for the Pirates in the ninth.

ECU led 12-6 in hits. Tyler went 4-for-5 with a solo homer in the seventh that gave the Pirates a 2-0 lead.

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ECU head coach Cliff Godwin acknowledges first baseman Bryce Harman after his two-run home run in the bottom of the ninth inning, Harman’s first round-tripper of the season. (Photo by Bonesville Staff)

Harman singled in the fifth, Tyler bunted his way aboard and an RBI single by Travis Watkins, who was 3-for-5, gave ECU a 1-0 lead.

Harman was 2-for-4.

UCF (25-11, 4-4 AAC) got seven innings from Juan Pimentel (6-2), who scattered 10 hits while walking two and striking out four. Jason Bahr pitched the last two innings for the Knights.

Benton struck out seven without a walk in seven and one-third innings. He allowed three hits and two runs, both earned.

ECU (19-17, 0-8) will try to prevent being swept in the three-game series in a noon start today.

AUDIO: CLIFF GODWIN, ERIC TYLER & TREY BENTON POSTGAME…

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