# 2024 UCF Knights baseball team

The 2024 UCF Knights baseball team represented the University of Central Florida (UCF) in the sport of baseball during the 2024 college baseball season. This was the Knights' first season as members of the Big 12 Conference. Home games were played at John Euliano Park on the university's main campus in Orlando, Florida. The team was coached by Rich Wallace in his first season as UCF's head coach.

## Preseason
### Big 12 coaches poll

The Big 12 Conference preseason poll was released on January 25, 2024, with the Knights predicted to finish in tenth place.
Coaches Poll :
| Rank | School (1st Place Votes) | Total |
| 1 | TCU (11) | 143 |
| 2 | Texas (2) | 131 |
| 3 | Oklahoma State | 119 |
| 4 | Texas Tech | 107 |
| 5 | Kansas State | 98 |
| T6 | Oklahoma | 85 |
| T6 | West Virginia | 85 |
| 8 | Kansas | 67 |
| 9 | Houston | 56 |
| 10 | UCF | 45 |
| 11 | Baylor | 36 |
| T12 | BYU | 21 |
| T12 | Cincinnati | 21 |

## Schedule

Legend :
| | UCF win |
| | UCF loss |
| | Postponement |
| Bold | UCF team member |
2024 UCF Knights Baseball Game Log :
Regular Season :
February (6–0) :
| Date | Opponent | Stadium Site | Score | Win | Loss | Save | Attendance | Overall Record |
| February 16 | Bryant | John Euliano Park Orlando, FL | W 12–11 | A. Galvan (1–0) | J. Burrows (0–1) | C. Centala (1) | 2,602 | 1–0 |
| February 17 | Bryant | John Euliano Park | | No Contest | No Contest | No Contest | No Contest | 1–0 |
| February 18 | Bryant | John Euliano Park | | Cancelled | Cancelled | Cancelled | Cancelled | 1–0 |
| February 21 | at Miami | Alex Rodriguez Park Coral Gables, FL | W 4–3 | K. Kramer (1–0) | B. Chestnutt (0–1) | C. Centala (2) | 2,400 | 2–0 |
| February 23 | Samford | John Euliano Park | W 18–3$^7$ | B. Vespi (1–0) | B. Rice (1–1) | None | 1,812 | 3–0 |
| February 24 | Samford | John Euliano Park | W 9–6 | A. Galvan (2–0) | J. Holifield (1–1) | C. Centala (3) | 2,487 | 4–0 |
| February 25 | Samford | John Euliano Park | W 12–2$^7$ | D. Stagliano (1–0) | W. Lynch (0–1) | None | 2,154 | 5–0 |
| February 27 | at Florida Atlantic | FAU Baseball Stadium Boca Raton, FL | W 11–6 | C. Boxrucker (1–0) | B. Ostrander (0–2) | None | 522 | 6–0 |
March (12–7) :
| Date | Opponent | Stadium Site | Score | Win | Loss | Save | Attendance | Overall Record | Big 12 Record |
| March 1 | South Florida | John Euliano Park | W 3–2$^{10}$ | C. Centala (1–0) | B. Archie (0–1) | None | 2,150 | 7–0 | – |
| March 2 | South Florida | John Euliano Park | L 5–7 | J. Volini (1–0) | N. Victor (0–1) | C. Dorsey (1) | 2,812 | 7–1 | – |
| March 3 | South Florida | John Euliano Park | W 1–0 | K. Kramer (2–0) | M. Brown (1–1) | C. Centala (4) | 2,400 | 8–1 | – |
| March 6 | at Florida | Condron Ballpark Gainesville, FL | W 9–6 | D. Castellano (2–0) | L. McNeillie (1–2) | K. Kramer (1) | 5,330 | 9–1 | – |
| March 8 | at Oklahoma | L. Dale Mitchell Park Norman, OK | L 3–4 | M. Witherspoon (1–1) | W. Hartley (0–1) | K. Witherspoon (1) | 1,569 | 9–2 | 0–1 |
| March 9 | at Oklahoma | L. Dale Mitchell Park | L 3–11 | G. Stevens (2–0) | T. Nesbitt (0–1) | None | 1,673 | 9–3 | 0–2 |
| March 10 | at Oklahoma | L. Dale Mitchell Park | L 2–14$^7$ | J. Hitt (1–1) | D. Stagliano (0–1) | None | 1,621 | 9–4 | 0–3 |
| March 13 | Stetson | John Euliano Park | W 7–1 | W. Hartley (1–1) | J. Modugno (0–1) | None | 1,569 | 10–4 | – |
| March 15 | Oklahoma State | John Euliano Park | W 13–2 | B. Vespi (2–0) | S. Garcia (2–2) | None | 2,256 | 11–4 | 1–3 |
| March 16 | Oklahoma State | John Euliano Park | W 4–3 | C. Centala (2–0) | G. Davis (1–1) | None | 2,189 | 12–4 | 2–3 |
| March 17 | Oklahoma State | John Euliano Park | L 10–16 | T. Molsky (2–0) | C. Boxrucker (1–1) | None | 1,746 | 12–5 | 2–4 |
| March 19 | Florida Atlantic | John Euliano Park | W 3–2 | C. Centala (3–0) | D. Trehey (1–1) | None | 1,811 | 13–5 | – |
| March 22 | at Kansas | Hoglund Ballpark Lawrence, KS | L 3–13 | R. Dutton (5–1) | B. Vespi (2–1) | None | 654 | 13–6 | 2–5 |
| March 23 | at Kansas | Hoglund Ballpark | W 6–2 | K. Kramer (3–0) | T. Cain (0–2) | C. Centala (5) | 323 | 14–6 | 3–5 |
| March 23 | at Kansas | Hoglund Ballpark | W 4–1 | W. Hartley (2–1) | G. Brasosky (1–1) | D. Castellano (1) | 705 | 15–6 | 4–5 |
| March 26 | at Jacksonville | John Sessions Stadium Jacksonville, FL | W 4–1 | C. Boxrucker (2–1) | B. Barquin (0–2) | None | 244 | 16–6 | – |
| March 28 | Texas Tech | John Euliano Park | W 5–4 | K. Kramer (4–0) | J. Sanders (1–1) | None | 1,908 | 17–6 | 5–5 |
| March 29 | Texas Tech | John Euliano Park | W 2–1 | D. Stagliano (1–1) | K. Robinson (3–3) | C. Centala (6) | 2,106 | 18–6 | 6–5 |
| March 30 | Texas Tech | John Euliano Park | L 2–3 | M. Heuer (3–2) | W. Hartley (2–2) | C. Kaase (1) | 2,024 | 18–7 | 6–6 |
April (9–8) :
| Date | Opponent | Rank | Stadium Site | Score | Win | Loss | Save | Attendance | Overall Record | Big 12 Record |
| April 2 | at Bethune–Cookman | No. 20 | Jackie Robinson Ballpark Daytona Beach, FL | W 14–1 | C. Boxrucker (3–1) | C. Lipovsky (0–1) | None | 263 | 19–7 | – |
| April 5 | Kansas State | No. 20 | John Euliano Park | W 7–4 | K. Kramer (5–0) | J. Frost (2–1) | C. Centala (7) | 2,109 | 20–7 | 7–6 |
| April 6 | Kansas State | No. 20 | John Euliano Park | L 3–4 | O. Boerema (3–2) | D. Stagliano (1–2) | T. Neighbors (2) | 2,185 | 20–8 | 7–7 |
| April 7 | Kansas State | No. 20 | John Euliano Park | W 6–1 | D. Castellano (3–0) | B. Dean (2–3) | None | 1,847 | 21–8 | 8–7 |
| April 10 | at Stetson | No. 17 | Melching Field at Conrad Park DeLand, FL | L 3–5 | D. Jacobs (1–1) | K. Kramer (5–1) | B. Walker (1) | 1,473 | 21–9 | – |
| April 12 | at West Virginia | No. 17 | Monongalia County Ballpark Granville, WV | L 6–7 | C. Estridge (1–1) | K. Kramer (5–2) | D. Hagaman (2) | 2,259 | 21–10 | 8–8 |
| April 13 | at West Virginia | No. 17 | Monongalia County Ballpark | L 5–7 | D. Clark (4–0) | D. Stagliano (1–3) | None | 3,913 | 21–11 | 8–9 |
| April 14 | at West Virginia | No. 17 | Monongalia County Ballpark | L 10–11$^{11}$ | V. Kempen (6–1) | S. Bauer (0–1) | None | 3,451 | 21–12 | 8–10 |
| April 16 | North Florida | | John Euliano Park | W 10–3 | T. Nesbitt (1–1) | J. Wimpelberg (1–3) | None | 1,622 | 22–12 | – |
| April 19 | Central Michigan | | John Euliano Park | L 0–2 | B. Vitas (2–4) | B. Vespi (2–2) | None | 1,759 | 22–13 | – |
| April 20 | Central Michigan | | John Euliano Park | W 17–2 | D. Stagliano (2–3) | T. Miller (1–4) | None | 1,725 | 23–13 | – |
| April 21 | Central Michigan | | John Euliano Park | W 23–3$^7$ | D. Castellano (4–0) | E. Waters (2–3) | None | 2,017 | 24–13 | – |
| April 23 | Florida Gulf Coast | | John Euliano Park | W 10–3 | S. Bauer (1–1) | J. Bunz (1–2) | None | 1,542 | 25–13 | – |
| April 26 | Cincinnati | | John Euliano Park | L 4–9 | C. Marsh (3–2) | K. Kramer (5–3) | None | 1,661 | 25–14 | 8–11 |
| April 27 | Cincinnati | | John Euliano Park | W 23–3 | D. Castellano (5–0) | C. Mitchelle (0–3) | None | 2,120 | 26–14 | 9–11 |
| April 28 | Cincinnati | | John Euliano Park | L 2–8 | C. Horst (3–0) | C. Boxrucker (3–2) | G. Hugus (2) | 1,763 | 26–15 | 9–12 |
| April 30 | at North Florida | | Harmon Stadium Jacksonville, FL | W 6–2 | T. Kozera (4–2) | C. Boroski (0–3) | K. Sosnowski (1) | 525 | 27–15 | – |
May (6–3) :
| Date | Opponent | Stadium Site | Score | Win | Loss | Save | Attendance | Overall Record | Big 12 Record |
| May 3 | at Houston | Schroeder Park Houston, TX | W 4–1 | B. Vespi (3–2) | C. Citelli (3–2) | D. Castellano (2) | 2,094 | 28–15 | 10–12 |
| May 4 | at Houston | Schroeder Park | W 6–4 | K. Kramer (6–3) | J. Torrealba (0–1) | K. Sosnowski (2) | 1,958 | 29–15 | 11–12 |
| May 5 | at Houston | Schroeder Park | Canceled (rain) | Canceled (rain) | Canceled (rain) | Canceled (rain) | Canceled (rain) | Canceled (rain) | Canceled (rain) |
| May 7 | North Florida | John Euliano Park | W 7–4 | K. Kramer (7–3) | L. Bolton (0–4) | K. Sosnowski (3) | 1,486 | 30–15 | – |
| May 10 | Texas | John Euliano Park | L 3–6 | M. Grubbs (5–4) | B. Vespi (3–3) | G. Boehm (6) | 1,989 | 30–16 | 11–13 |
| May 11 | Texas | John Euliano Park | W 5–4 | D. Stagliano (3–3) | A. Whitehead (4–1) | D. Castellano (3) | 2,141 | 31–16 | 12–13 |
| May 12 | Texas | John Euliano Park | L 7–10 | C. Hurley (5–0) | N. Victor (0–2) | G. Boehm (7) | 1,605 | 31–17 | 12–14 |
| May 14 | Bethune–Cookman | John Euliano Park | Canceled (rain) | Canceled (rain) | Canceled (rain) | Canceled (rain) | Canceled (rain) | Canceled (rain) | Canceled (rain) |
| May 17$^1$ | at Baylor | Baylor Ballpark Waco, TX | W 6–4 | B. Vespi (4–3) | M. Marriott (3–7) | K. Sosnowski (4) | | 32–17 | 13–14 |
| May 17$^2$ | at Baylor | Baylor Ballpark | L 2–4 | E. Calder (5–3) | D. Stagliano (3–4) | A. Petrowski (1) | 1,676 | 32–18 | 13–15 |
| May 18 | at Baylor | Baylor Ballpark | W 10–8 | W. Hartley (3–2) | C. McKinney (3–6) | K. Sosnowski (5) | 1,613 | 33–18 | 14–15 |
Post-Season :
Big 12 Tournament (2–1) :
| Date | Opponent | Seed | Site/stadium | Score | Win | Loss | Save | TV | Attendance | Overall record | Tournament Record |
| May 21 | vs. (5) Cincinnati | 8 | Globe Life Field Arlington, TX | W 6-5 | S. Bauer (2-1) | G. Hugus (0-3) | K. Kramer (2) | ESPN+ | | 34–18 | 1–0 |
| May 23 | vs. (2) Oklahoma State | 8 | Globe Life Field | W 10-8 | D. Castellano (5–0) | G. Davis (1–4) | None | ESPNU | 6,791 | 35–18 | 2–0 |
| May 24 | vs. (2) Oklahoma State | 8 | Globe Life Field | L 1–10 | B. Holiday (6–3) | W. Hartley (3–3) | None | ESPN+ | 8,540 | 35–19 | 2–1 |
NCAA tournament: Tallahassee Regional (2–2) :
| Date | Opponent | Seed | Site/stadium | Score | Win | Loss | Save | TV | Attendance | Overall record | Tournament Record |
| May 31 | vs. (2) Alabama First round | (3) | Dick Howser Stadium Tallahassee, FL | W 8–7 | K. Sosnowski (1–0) | A. Davis II (4–2) | None | ESPN+ | 4,152 | 36–19 | 1–0 |
| June 1 | vs. (1) No. 8 Florida State Second round | (3) | Dick Howser Stadium | L 2–5 | J. Arnold (11–3) | B. Vespi (4–4) | B. Oxford (1) | ESPN+ | 5,246 | 36–20 | 1–1 |
| June 2 | vs. (4) Stetson Consolation | (3) | Dick Howser Stadium | W 5–2 | D. Castellano (7–0) | C. Stallings (3–1) | K. Sosnowski (1) | ESPN+ | 4,003 | 37–20 | 2–1 |
| June 2 | vs. (1) No. 8 Florida State Regional Final | (3) | Dick Howser Stadium | L 4–12 | C. Hults (2–1) | N. Victor (0–3) | None | ESPN+ | 4,772 | 37–21 | 2–2 |
    Schedule Source:
*Rankings are based on the team's current ranking in the D1Baseball poll.

## Rankings

Ranking movements Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking — = Not ranked RV = Received votes :
| | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week |
| Poll | Pre | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | Final |
| Coaches' | — | —* | — | RV | — | RV | RV | RV | 19 | RV | RV | — | — | — | | | | | |
| Baseball America | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 19 | — | — | — | — | — | | | | | |
| NCBWA† | — | — | RV | RV | RV | RV | RV | RV | 16 | RV | RV | — | RV | RV | | | | | |
| D1Baseball | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 25 | 17 | — | — | — | — | — | | | | | |
| Perfect Game | — | — | — | RV | — | — | RV | 20 | 17 | RV | — | — | — | — | | | | | |
† NCBWA ranks 35 teams in their preseason poll, but only ranks 30 teams weekly during the season. * A new poll was not released for this week, so for comparison purposes, the previous week's ranking is inserted in this week's slot.