Though the second half of the season didn't go according to plan, UCF baseball coach Terry Rooney prefers to stress the positives when looking back on the season.
Still, it was a disappointing finish which Rooney readily admits. Ranked as high as sixth in the country following a start that included a tournament championship in Mobile, Ala., series wins against Ole Miss and Houston plus a signature midweek victory against Florida, it seemed the Knights were on a collision course with not only participating in a NCAA Regional, but possibly hosting one.
On March 30, UCF was 22-7 and ranked in the top 10 of several national polls, including a No. 6 mark in Baseball America.
But the second half of the season told a different story. The offense, which in the beginning had been posting numbers that ranked at the top of the NCAA, began to slump. Combined with a lack of pitching depth, the Knights would struggle through the meat of their conference schedule, finishing 9-18 in their last 27 games. Late home series wins against Memphis and USF were bright spots, but the damage was already done. A league record under .500 and a dropping RPI meant the Knights were out of at-large regional contention. Two-and-out in the American Athletic Championship in Clearwater meant UCF would miss out on the postseason for the third consecutive year.
Late last week, Rooney recapped the year and looked ahead to the future. UCF will see a major roster turnover in 2016 after graduating 13 seniors.
Link: https://ucf.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1770691
