What to know about UCF, Auburn baseball’s next opponent

Auburn baseball kept its postseason dreams alive with a crucial victory over North Carolina State on Saturday. However, the road ahead remains steep as the Tigers must string together three more wins to navigate their way out of the regional.

Standing in their way is Central Florida. The Knights, who entered as the two-seed, find themselves in an identical position to Auburn after suffering a setback against the fourth-seeded Milwaukee Panthers on Saturday night. UCF's tournament path has been anything but smooth; after a weather-delayed win over NC State that spanned from Friday into Saturday morning, the Knights were caught off guard by the Panthers.

The UCF Offensive Threat

If Auburn is looking for the primary threat in the UCF dugout, look no further than right fielder Andrew Williamson. He has been a force to be reckoned with during regional play, boasting an impressive 4-for-8 performance at the plate. That run includes four home runs and seven RBI. Williamson, who leads his team with 16 home runs on the season, provided six of UCF's nine runs in their win over NC State and added another blast in the loss to Milwaukee.

While Williamson is the clear headliner, left fielder John Smith III offers additional power as one of only two Knights with double-digit home runs this year. Meanwhile, catcher Zak Skinner enters Sunday looking to break out of a slump; despite leading the team with a .358 average, he has managed only one hit in seven trips to the plate this weekend.

The Mound Dilemma

UCF’s pitching strategy for Sunday is currently shrouded in mystery. Their ace, Camden Wicker, is unavailable after logging 93 pitches on Friday, and Evan Jones likely needs rest after his 62-pitch effort against Milwaukee. With primary relievers Max Murray and Kaniel Rosado utilized in both previous games, the Knights are scraping for fresh arms.

Names to watch include Kris Sosnowski, who holds a 2.10 ERA but has not appeared in a game since May 2, and Roman Kimball, who has five starts under his belt this season. Anthony Lariz and Mateo Gray remain options as well, having been used sparingly so far. While the Tigers may appear to have the pitching advantage on paper, they will need to execute better than they have in their previous tournament matchups to secure a victory.

As the pressure mounts, Auburn head coach Butch Thompson is emphasizing a simple, singular focus for his team. "Our phrase is 'we've got to.' We don't have a choice," Thompson said. "We've got to keep fighting and find a way through this regional."