ORLANDO, Fla. (Interstat) — The UCF Knights exploded for seven runs in the first inning and never looked back, cruising to a 13-1 victory over the Siena Saints in a nonconference baseball game Saturday at Jay Bergman Field.

The game, which started in the afternoon and concluded in the evening, was effectively decided in its opening frame. Siena (0-2) managed a brief lead, scratching across a run in the top of the first on Nick Bergamotto’s leadoff single and an RBI fielder’s choice from Jake Sparks.

That advantage vanished immediately as UCF (2-0) sent 12 batters to the plate in the bottom half. The Knights strung together six hits, a hit-by-pitch and capitalized on a Siena error to post a seven-spot. Matt Skinner’s two-run double gave UCF the lead for good, and Andrew Rogers later delivered a two-run single. An error by Siena shortstop Steven Ramirez allowed another run to score, highlighting a defensive struggle for the Saints that saw them commit two errors leading to three unearned runs.

UCF starter Cade Trombley settled in after the shaky first inning support, earning the win. He worked five innings, allowing just the one run on three hits while striking out four. The Knights’ offense provided relentless pressure, amassing 15 hits. Skinner finished with two hits and four RBIs, while Braden Lodise added three hits, including a solo home run in the fifth inning, and three RBIs. Mikey Rogers and Andrew Williamson each contributed two hits as part of a balanced attack.

Siena’s offense, which mustered only three hits in a 16-0 loss to UCF on Friday, was similarly quiet in the rematch, managing just three hits again. Bergamotto, Aidan Paradine and pinch-hitter Scott Lynch had the singles for the Saints. Siena used four pitchers, with starter Jack Murtagh taking the loss after being charged with seven runs, five earned, in just two-thirds of an inning.

The most important part of the game was unquestionably the bottom of the first inning. After Siena seized early momentum with a run in the top half, UCF’s immediate and overwhelming response—a prolonged, seven-run offensive barrage—squelched any Saints’ optimism and established a commanding tone for the remainder of the contest. The Knights batted around, demonstrated clutch hitting with runners on base and exploited defensive miscues, turning a one-run deficit into a six-run lead before Siena could record a third out. This inning rendered the final seven innings a formality, as UCF’s pitching staff easily protected the large cushion.

UCF added three runs in the third, one in the fifth on Lodise’s homer and a final run in the sixth on a sacrifice fly. The Knights grounded into two double plays and recorded two sacrifice flies. Siena, after their first-inning run, advanced only one runner as far as second base for the rest of the game and hit into a double play themselves in the seventh.

The teams conclude their three-game series Sunday afternoon. Siena will seek its first win before a road trip to Wake Forest next weekend, while UCF prepares for a Tuesday matchup at Miami (FL). According to Interstat’s ELO system, UCF had a 90.90 percent probability to win Saturday’s game.