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Redshirt senior right-handed pitcher Roman Kimball (1) winds up before sending the pitch across home plate Tuesday against Jacksonville University at John Euliano Park. This matchup marks Kimball’s first start of the 2026 season.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Victoria Genna<\/p>\n
The No. 21 UCF Knights baseball team dropped its fourth straight game Tuesday night, falling 5-4 in 11 innings to Jacksonville University at John Euliano Park.<\/p>\n
Coming off their first Big 12 series loss of the season against Kansas, the Knights (20-13, 10-5 Big 12) returned home looking to reset against in-state opponent Jacksonville University (18-18).<\/p>\n
The matchup marked a rescheduled meeting after an earlier game in Jacksonville was postponed because of a stadium lighting issue.<\/p>\n
Redshirt senior right-handed pitcher Roman Kimball<\/a> made his first start of the season, giving the Knights four solid innings on the mound. Kimball struck out four batters and threw 36 strikes on 57 pitches in his outing.<\/p>\n Jacksonville struck first in the opening inning when designated hitter Derek Bermudez launched a solo home run over the left-field wall to give the Dolphins a 1-0 lead.<\/p>\n UCF answered quickly in the second inning as freshman infielder Jordan Lodise<\/a> doubled to bring home senior outfielder DeAmez Ross<\/a>,\u00a0tying the game at 1-1.<\/p>\n Moments later, senior infielder and outfielder Cayden Gaskin<\/a>, who was serving as designated hitter,\u00a0singled to score Lodise, putting the Knights ahead 2-1.<\/p>\n The Knights extended their lead in the third when redshirt senior catcher Zak Skinner<\/a> crossed home plate on a passed ball, making it 3-1.<\/p>\n Jacksonville chipped away in the fourth inning, cutting the deficit to 3-2.<\/p>\n UCF maintained the lead until the eighth, with Dolphins infielder Sam Grunberg tying the game with a solo home run to left field. Neither team scored in the ninth, sending the game into extra innings.<\/p>\n Both teams plated a run in the tenth inning to keep the game tied at 4-4, but Jacksonville broke through again in the eleventh, scoring what proved to be the winning run.<\/p>\n The Knights had one last chance in the bottom of the inning after redshirt senior infielder Braden Calise<\/a> doubled into scoring position, but UCF could not capitalize.<\/p>\n