WACO, Texas (Interstat) — UCF pitcher Mateo Gray continued his recent resurgence Friday night, throwing 4 1/3 hitless innings as the Knights shut out Baylor 8-0 at Baylor Ballpark.

Gray, who allowed six earned runs in 2 2/3 innings against Arizona State a week earlier, rebounded with a dominant outing. He struck out one and walked none before giving way to Max Murray. Murray fanned five over 2 1/3 hitless frames, and Anthony Lariz closed with 2 1/3 hitless innings, striking out two, as three UCF pitchers combined on a five-hit shutout.

The Knights improved to 28-18 overall and 13-11 in the Big 12. Baylor dropped to 25-24 and 12-15.

UCF broke the game open in the second inning. After Javier Crespo singled and Landon Moran singled to put runners on first and second, Jordan Lodise crushed a 1-0 pitch over the left-center field wall for his second home run of the season, a three-run shot that gave the Knights a 3-0 lead.

The Knights added four more runs in the fourth. Crespo walked and Moran singled with one out. After a strikeout and a groundout, Braden Calise walked to load the bases. DeAmez Ross then singled through the right side, scoring Crespo and Moran and moving Calise to third. Ross advanced to second on the throw. John Smith followed with a single through the left side, driving in Calise and Ross for a 7-0 advantage.

UCF tacked on an unearned run in the fifth. Crespo singled and Moran singled again, and both moved up on a passed ball. JD Rogers lifted a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Crespo.

The Knights finished with 12 hits. Moran led the way with three hits in five at-bats. Lodise drove in three runs. Ross and Smith each had two RBIs.

Baylor managed only five hits, all singles. Tyce Armstrong, Brytton Clements, Travis Sanders, Cole Lanclos and Pearson Riebock each had one hit. The Bears’ best scoring chance came in the fifth when Lanclos was hit by a pitch and Sanders singled to put runners on the corners with one out. But Murray entered and retired Armstrong on a popup and struck out Brady Janusek to end the threat.

Baylor reliever Charlie Atkinson pitched three scoreless innings, allowing four hits and striking out one. Luke DeVasher and Cayden Baker also threw scoreless innings.

The game was the first of a three-game series. UCF and Baylor meet again Saturday and Sunday. The Knights return home Tuesday to face Bethune-Cookman, then host Kansas State for a three-game series starting Thursday. Baylor travels to Utah for a three-game series beginning May 14.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of UCF 6, Baylor 3, and its ELO system gave the Knights a 57.10 percent probability to win.