May 15, 2004
BOCA RATON - With the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh inning and two outs, UCF walked junior Jenn Piazza to give Florida Atlantic 1-0 victory in the 2004 Atlantic Sun Softball Championship game at FAU Softball Field on Saturday afternoon.
No. 1 seed FAU, which won its eighth consecutive tournament title, improved to 54-16 with the win and earned the conference's automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament, while the No. 2 Golden Knights fell to 42-21 on the year and must wait to see if they will earn one of the 37 at-large bids during the selection show on Sunday at 8:30 p.m.
Both teams loaded the bases early in the game but couldn't put any runs on the scoreboard. UCF senior Rachelle Schmidt caught junior pitcher and tournament MVP Candice Freel's fly to right field ending the top of the first inning. The Golden Knights had their own opportunity when a fielder's choice loaded the bases in the top of the third, but Freel struck out junior shortstop Stephanie Best to retire the side.
In the bottom of the fifth with senior Callie Piper and two outs for FAU, junior Jessica Braggins hit a blast that was heading over the right field fence. Schmidt made the catch before colliding with the wall. She would return to the UCF's defense.
The Golden Knights had another chance to score in the top of the sixth with two outs and Best at third and junior Jania Shinhoster at first. Junior Crystle Krafft bunted, but it was ruled that the ball hit the twice for the out.
After FAU's Amy Bellisari grounded out to the second baseman, UCF senior pitcher Taylor Sawyer gave up three straight hits and was relieved by junior Lindsay Enders. Enders struck out Braggins before walking Piazza on a 3-1 count.
Freel (27-8) gave up only three hits and struck out three batters, while Sawyer (11-6) allowed seven hits with no strikeouts.
Shinhoster and Whitley were both named to the all-tournament team along with FAU's Freel, Piper and Amanda Morin. Troy's Kacie Flinn and Tamra Howren, Stetson's Blake Hoorelbeke, Mercer's Kaite Rosentreter and Kerri Ryskamp, Gardner-Webb's Stacie Reichert also received honors.
UCF advanced to the championship game after escaping Stetson, 2-1, in the first game of the session. Neither team mustered any offense in the opening five innings as they left a combined 12 runners stranded. The Golden Knights finally got on the board with two runs in the top of the sixth inning. Freshman Cici Alvarez reached on a single to the left side that dropped short in the outfield and she advanced to second on a sac bunt by junior Bryttani Lindheim. Best was intentionally walked to put Golden Knights on first and second. A passed ball allowed both to advance a base. Shinhoster drove Alvarez and Best in with a double off the wall at right centerfield.
In the bottom of the inning, Sherilynn Wilder's single to the right side gap scored Lacey Prince and spoiled junior pitcher Kelly McIntyre's shutout. The Hatters (45-17) still had runners at first and third with one out when UCF turned a double play. Senior catcher Jennifer Whitley caught Angie Eguilior's foul ball then threw it to Lindheim to put out Carolyn Garliepp.
McIntyre (8-7) threw a complete game, allowing nine hits and striking out one, while Blake Hoorelbeke (23-12) struck out three and allowed four hits in seven innings for the loss.