Jan. 28, 2005
ORLANDO, Fla. - UCF heads to Daytona Beach, Fla. to open the 2005 season at Bethune-Cookman. This will be the second consecutive season, and the third time in the last four years that the Golden Knights have opened the season against the Wildcats.
This will be the eighth time that UCF and Bethune-Cookman have met on the softball diamond. The Golden Knights have won six of the seven meetings in the overall series. UCF swept last season's doubleheader 5-1 and 3-1 on January 27, 2004.
The Golden Knights return eight starters in the field, a pair of pitchers and add five talented newcomers to a squad that finished 42-21 a season ago. The Golden Knights had their best regular season Stephanie Best returns for her senior campaign entering the season with a career .397 batting average, while Jania Shinhoster has yet to miss a start in her UCF career. Pitcher Lindsay Enders won 20 games last season compiling seven shutouts, and holding opposing batters to a .192 average.
BCC won its fifth consecutive MEAC title last season, and made an appearance in the NCAA Regionals. The Wildcats lost two close games to Oregon and Ohio State in the Tallahassee Bracket. Shortstop Amber Jackson returns after hitting .447 last season, and leading the MEAC in virtually every offense category. Her .784 slugging percentage was good enough for 11th in the nation. Pitcher Lauren McCoy anchors the Wildcat staff with a 23-13 record, while throwing 30 complete games in 40 starts.
UCF continues to the 2005 season next weekend at the Clearwater Invitational. The Knights will not play at home until February 18th against Longwood at the UCF Tournament.