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CEREMONIAL

F IRS T P I T CH Making it a Family Affair

Chad Moola and his son Luke fire out the first pitch against Memphis April 12 during UCF Athlecs Hall of Fame Weekend on campus last year. Moola, who became UCF’s first MLB first-round dra pick in 1992, is now the fih Knight to be inducted into the Hall.

THE LOVE of

C A M A R A D E RI E

There’s a Reason it’s Our National Pastime

A closer is a different breed. He keeps his own schedule, understands how to pitch in the most stressful of situaons and of course, knows how to mix it up in the dugout before hing the bullpen. As to whether umpires will let Jusn Weiss wear his new hat on the field remains to be seen.

It makes sense Tyson Auer went on to play in the minor leagues last summer. UCF’s center fielder for four seasons rounely made jaw-dropping plays, including this one vs. Clemson.

WEB GEMS

P L AY H ER E The Art of Stealing a Home Run

TAKE A JOURNEY with

UCF A LU MI NU M

A Powerful Element Since 1973

The game can change with one swing of the bat. Chris Duffy’s two-run shot vs. No. 5 Missouri last year erased a one-run deficit, and enabled UCF’s offense to maintain momentum throughout the enre contest. That certainly proved to be helpful with some eventual last at-bat heroics.

A LAND of

L AST I NG M E M O RI E S

Any Night Can be a Walk-Off Thriller

Home plate at Jay Bergman Field has taken a beang the last few years thanks to so many amazing comebacks and late-inning dramatics. The 2008 Knights ensured that trend would connue, as evidence by Nick Choto being mobbed aer scoring the game-winning run vs. No. 5 Missouri. The 10-9 win was capped off by the Knights scoring five runs in their last at-bat, leading some to argue it was the greatest game in stadium history.

IT’S A

P AS SIO NA T E G A M E ... To Love the UCF Uniform Means Everything

Walk-offs have not been the only way to celebrate at home. Striking out the final baer with a one-run lead in the ninth is always a good me for some hugs, which is exactly what catcher Robert Lara and Jusn Weiss enjoyed aer their win over Jacksonville March 4.

...WITH

P AS S I O NA T E C O A CH ES The Energy Never Stops

On June 12, 2008, the baseball world took noce as UCF hired Terry Rooney to be the fih head coach in program history. When he brought in Cliff Godwin, Jeff Palumbo and Aaron Smith, the staff immediately evolved into one of the best in the naon.

A HISTORY OF EXCELLENCE THE BEGINNING EGINNING hile 1973 might be the first official season for the UCF baseball program, its foundaon was laid in 1970 with the formaon of the UCF club team. The FTU Goldsox played a 20game schedule in the Amateur Baseball League of Central Florida, and started their season in early May. The team, led by head coach Jack Pantelias, consisted of mostly freshmen and sophomores, and competed against teams like the Sanford Giants, the Orlando Flyers and Burger King.

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In 1971, the Goldsox posted a 15-12 record aer winning their last eight games. Pantelias led FTU the following season, which saw the team go 13-18 with Allen Tule finishing with a .363 bang average. However, Pantelias le before the end of the season to be with his family, so Doug Holmquist stepped in to close out the year.

Holmquist then served as the first UCF head coach at the university level in 1973, and went on to earn a winning record in each of his three seasons in Orlando. During that 1973 campaign, Mike Ferrell dominated at the plate, boasng a .374 average with 46 hits in 123 at-bats. Dave String, meanwhile, led the team in RBI with 21, as the Goldsox hit .260 as a team (pitching stascs are unavailable).

BUILDING SUCCESS he Knights posted just three losing seasons in their first 10 years at the NCAA level. When Jay Bergman ventured to UCF in 1983, the program took off. The skipper led the Black and Gold to 23-straight seasons of at least .500 ball and the program’s first NCAA D-I Tournament appearance in 1989. Teams in the Atlanc Sun fell vicm to the Knights on a roune basis. Aer playing in the Sun Belt Conference in 1992, UCF claimed the A-Sun (formerly the TAAC) tle in its first try the following season.

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From Tim Barker to Chad Ehrnsberger, UCF players began receiving naonwide recognion for their achievements on the field and in the classroom. Their efforts enabled the Knights to reach the postseason nine mes from 1989 to 2004. Along with team success, several players went on to experience the professional ranks. In 1995 alone, six Knights were draed in the top 14 rounds while 10 total players were taken in the 1998 MLB Dra.

In UCF’s first season of Division I ball in 1985, Tim Barker set the NCAA record with 104 stolen bases. Meanwhile, he posted 142 hits during the year, a collegiate record that sll stands today.

THE JAY BERGMAN FIELD ERA new home awaited the UCF baseball program in 2001 and fans were quick to enter its gates. The Knights ranked 38th in the country as they averaged 911 fans per game. UCF responded by treang the fans to a 51-14 season, an A-Sun tle and a No. 7 naonal ranking. Knight supporters connued to cheer on UCF at The Berg as the Black and Gold remained a staple in the top 25 through 2005. It climbed back into the spotlight in 2008 by reaching as high as No. 16. UCF eventually le the A-Sun for one of the toughest baseball conferences in the land by joining Conference USA for the 2006 campaign.

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In a nine-team league that typically sends four to five programs to the NCAA Tournament, the Knights faced their biggest challenge to date. With the compeon level growing on the diamond, the fan base remained strong as well. Last year alone, all 10 three-game series ranked in the top 16 for aendance in stadium history. Eight of the top 25 single-game crowds also ventured to Jay Bergman Field, including a record 2,397 spectators April 1 against USF.

JAY BERGMAN FIELD CF calls one of the naon’s finest baseball stadiums home in Jay Bergman Field. The state-of-the-art facility includes a seang capacity of 1,000 with berm seang for an addional 1,000-plus fans. The finely manicured playing surface is one of the best in the enre naon. “Jay Bergman Field could be the South’s version of Sunken Diamond,” stated SEBaseball. com writer Corey Davis.

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With wide open concourses and palm trees lining the concession area, fans have an ideal opportunity to get close to the acon in one of the best setngs in college baseball. Named aer Jay Bergman, who led the Knights from 198308, the facility includes offices for the UCF baseball coaching staff and a recepon area. The Knights’ conference and meeng space was remodeled during the 2007 season, transforming into the UCF Tradion Room. This area now offers the players a luxurious spot to relax, watch game film on a flat-screen television or focus on classwork. The walls, meanwhile, feature plaques of former members of the team that have set the standard for excellence

with the Knights, including players who have received All-America accolades. UCF’s NCAA Tournament teams also are honored on the walls of the Tradion Room. UCF players enjoy a spacious locker room with tall wooden lockers, while the coaching staff has its own separate locker room. The facility also includes a weight room, training room and equipment room with complete laundry facilies. Aached to the players’ locker room is an impressive indoor facility that features two bang cages and three pitching mounds. The spacious pracce area gives UCF the advantage to pracce in all weather elements, all year long. UCF has played some of its best baseball in front of its home fans at Jay Bergman Field. Entering the 2009 season, the Knights own a record of 187-90 (.675) all-me at Jay Bergman Field. Since the ballpark opened, more than 152,000 fans have witnessed UCF baseball at Jay Bergman Field. That number includes a single-season record 40,012 spectators for the 2008 season as the Knights averaged over 1,000 fans a game.

TOP 25 SERIES AT JAY BERGMAN FIELD

TOP 25 CROWDS AT JAY BERGMAN FIELD

Rank 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25.

Rank 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25.

Date 2/13-15/04 2/23-25/01 5/15-17/08 3/28-30/08 4/25-27/08 2/22-24/08 2/29/08-3/2/08 2/19-20/05 2/3-4/01 4/27-29/07 4/11-13/08 3/15-16/08 2/9-11/07 3/17-19/08 5/9-11/08 3/7-9/08 2/9-11/01 4/28-30/06 4/6-8/07 3/23-25/07 3/16-18/07 3/2-4/07 2/16-18/07 5/17-19/07 4/29/05-5/1/05

Opponent Total Aendance #2 LSU 5,139 #11 Alabama 5,133 Clemson 4,094 East Carolina 3,709 #4 Rice 3,682 Florida A&M 3,208 Central Michigan 3,169 #20 Notre Dame (2) 3,156 Florida Internaonal (2) 2,922 Tulane 2,917 Memphis 2,853 Siena 2,752 #15 TCU 2,727 Wagner 2,601 UAB 2,580 Monmouth 2,519 Southern Illinois 2,507 #1 Rice 2,479 Southern Miss 2,466 Houston 2,418 Rutgers 2,404 Monmouth 2,365 Maryland 2,360 Marshall 2,334 Florida Atlanc 2,313

Date 4/1/08 2/3/01 2/23/01 2/13/04 2/25/01 3/14/06 2/20/05 2/14/04 5/17/08 2/15/04 2/19/05 4/26/08 3/29/08 5/16/08 2/24/01 4/25/08 4/27/02 2/22/08 4/28/01 5/11/01 3/26/07 2/8/03 3/24/01 3/28/08 3/17/01

Opponent USF Florida Internaonal #11 Alabama #2 LSU #11 Alabama #13 Florida #20 Notre Dame #2 LSU Clemson #2 LSU #20 Notre Dame #4 Rice East Carolina Clemson #11 Alabama #4 Rice Stetson Florida A&M Jacksonville State (DH) Georgia State (DH) Harvard Florida Internaonal Jacksonville (DH) East Carolina Florida Atlanc

Aendance 2,397 2,170 1,969 1,922 1,852 1,729 1,650 1,642 1,625 1,575 1,506 1,504 1,490 1,452 1,312 1,309 1,292 1,282 1,264 1,230 1,177 1,169 1,162 1,158 1,151

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