Feb. 18, 2005
ORLANDO, Fla. - The UCF softball rolled past Longwood and North Dakota State in pool play on the opening day of the UCF Tournament on Friday afternoon.
In game one against Longwood, the Golden Knights struck quickly posting four runs in the first inning.
Bryttani Lindheim got UCF started with a single, and moved to third on a Stephanie Best double. Amber Lamb ripped a RBI single into leftfield putting the Golden Knights ahead 1-0.
The Golden Knights took advantage on a couple of Longwood miscues as Best came around to score on an error while Lamb scored on a wild pitch. Crystle Krafft drew a walk, and Jania Shinhoster reached on an infield single. Kelly McIntyre concluded the frame picking up a RBI single making it 4-0.
UCF added three more runs in the second. Kraft drove in two runs on a double, and Shinhoster added a RBI single platting Krafft.
The Golden Knights picked up two more runs in the third for the final margin of 9-0 in five innings.
McIntyre pitched a complete-game shutout, and struck out five batters. The UCF offense racked up a season-high 11 hits.
UCF got off to a fast start in game two against North Dakota State. This time the Golden Knights scored four runs in the second inning. A pair of doubles by Krafft and Lindheim fueled the UCF attack contributed to three of the four runs scored.
"Scoring first is something that we always want to do," head coach Renee Luers-Gillispie said. "Today we did it twice. It has kind of become our trademark over the last few seasons. A lot of success has come off of building big leads."
The Golden Knights added a pair of runs in the third and fourth inning busting the game open grabbing an 8-1 lead.
Krafft smashed her third double of the day in the third inning while Cat Snapp got into the act with a frozen rope down the leftfield line.
NDSU countered with a run in the bottom of the third manufacturing a run off a bunt single.
UCF went back on the offensive in the fourth. Krafft powered her first career triple that scored two more runs. Krafft finished the day with six RBI's
"Crystle was locked in and in the zone today," Luers-Gillispie said. "That ball was looking like a watermelon out there to her."
Jennifer Tomasetti made her first career start on the pitching circle, and picked up right where she left off after picking up a save against UNLV.
The freshman threw a complete game giving up only three hits and one run in six innings of action.
"Today was an all-around team effort," Luers-Gillispie said. "Our girls were so fired up to play at home, and I'm looking for them to bring that same intensity tomorrow."
UCF gets back to action at 11 a.m. opening up "Blackout Saturday" finishing pool play against Boston University. The Terriers went 1-1 in pool play knocking off North Dakota, but falling to Longwood.
The four teams will be reseeded as the No. 1 and No. 4 seeds play at 1 p.m. while the No. 2 and 3 seeds match-up directly afterwards. Admission is free to all games at the UCF Softball Complex.