UCF failed to qualify for last year’s Big 12 baseball tournament. This season, the Knights not only return but do so with their highest seeding since joining the conference.
With a 19-11 mark in conference play and a 31-20 overall record during the regular season, fourth-seeded UCF skipped the tournament’s first two days after booking a quarterfinal date with Oklahoma State. First pitch is scheduled for 11 a.m. on May 21 at Surprise Stadium in Surprise, Arizona.
“Flip back a year ago, what the seniors and the returners had to go through, what that felt like at the end of the year, ending their season,” UCF coach Rich Wallace said following a 6-5 walk-off win over Kansas State. “I asked them, when we first met, two things — 1. Make a stand in this league. To go from nine wins to 19 is obviously making a stand that we can compete in this league. And then I asked them to play better at the end of games on Sundays. No matter what we have left in the bullpen, find a way to win.”
Stream UCF baseball on ESPN+
The Knights won seven of their 10 conference series this spring, setting the tone with an early sweep of Oklahoma State and then taking two of three on the road against West Virginia. UCF has an RPI ranking of 32, likely assuring a second at-large berth into the NCAA Tournament in Wallace’s three years as coach.
Three UCF players earned nominations to the All-Big 12 second team on May 19 — right-handed pitcher Camden Wicker and outfielders Andrew Williamson and John Smith III.
Wicker, a 6-foot-7, 190-pound junior from Viera, pitched a team-high 68 innings and posted a 5-3 record with a 3.71 ERA, 1.03 WHIP and 56 strikeouts. Williamson, MLB Pipeline’s No. 73 overall prospect for the upcoming draft, hit .317 with 12 home runs, 41 RBIs, 54 runs scored and eight stolen bases. Smith, a transfer from South Alabama, matched the team lead with 12 homers, hitting .332 with 49 batted in.
Redshirt junior right-hander Evan Jones, redshirt senior right-hander Kris Sosnowski and redshirt senior catcher Zak Skinner received All-Big 12 honorable mentions. Infielder Alex Lodise and pitcher Max Murray cracked the all-freshman team.
Here’s a look at the full Big 12 baseball bracket, plus information for how to watch Thursday’s matchup between the Knights and Oklahoma State.
Big 12 baseball tournament bracket
First round — Tuesday, May 19
Second round — Wednesday, May 20
Quarterfinals — Thursday, May 21
Semifinals — Friday, May 22
Championship — Saturday, May 23
UCF vs. Oklahoma State baseball time, TV channel
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: UCF baseball heads to Big 12 tournament: Full bracket, schedule, TV channel
Reporting by Chris Boyle, Daytona Beach News-Journal / The Daytona Beach News-Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
