TULSA, OKLA. (UCFKnights.com) – After dropping Friday's season opener, UCF used stellar defense behind a confident pitching staff to post a 2-0 victory at No. 24 Tulsa on Saturday. Sophomore Cassady Brewer's two-run double in the third inning was the difference in the contest at Collins Softball Complex.
"We had some momentum going into today," head coach Renee Luers-Gillispie said. "Our team could see that they were right on Tulsa [yesterday] and knew they had the opportunity to take them. There was a different mentality and feel to our team today. They knew that they were going to win this game."
The confidence started in the circle. Freshman Kamryn Toney tossed 4.1 frames and notched two strikeouts to earn the victory and improve to 5-4 on the campaign.
"Kam did a great job," Brewer said. "She got ahead of the hitters and her pitches were moving. She was effective and threw big pitches when we needed them."
When Tulsa threatened with two runners on in the fifth inning, senior Manami Calixto came in to induce a pair of groundballs to end the threat. The Curitiba, Brazil, native also had some fantastic defense behind her as junior Courtney Rotton made a diving stop at third base and threw out the batter at first to complete the sixth frame.
"We played some great defense today," Coach Gillispie said. "You could tell that they were having fun out there. They were going after it and laying out for everything. They went out there, played the game and had fun doing it."
No play defensively was more important than the stop that senior shortstop Brittany Solis made to keep Tulsa off the board in the second inning. The West Hills, Calif., native dove to the left and made a strong throw from her knees to get the runner at first by a half-step, stranding a pair in scoring position.
The Knights took the momentum to the next frame. Freshman Aubrey Johnson, a product from Muskogee, Okla., stretched a leadoff base hit into a double when the outfielder wasn't able to come up with a diving catch. A walk drawn by senior Linnea Goodman put two on base.
After a sac bunt by junior Megan Greenwell moved the runners into scoring position, Brewer came through with a double to left center field that put the Knights on the board, 2-0.
"My teammates kept things light before I went to bat and took the pressure off," Brewer said. "I was really happy to do it for Kam, who was pitching at the time, and Manami. It was important to get them those runs, so that they could breathe in the circle."
Next Up
The rubber match between UCF and Tulsa is set for 1 p.m. ET on Sunday at Collins Softball Complex.
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