April 23, 2005
ORLANDO, Fla. - Lindsay Enders led UCF at the plate as the Golden Knights split with Atlantic Sun rival Jacksonville. UCF took game one by a score of 7-5 only to fall in the second game, 2-0. The Black and Gold go to 39-24-1 on the season and 11-5 in the A-Sun, while Jacksonville goes to 29-28 on the season and 8-9 in league action.
Enders was 4-for-7 on the afternoon with one double, three singles, two RBI and one run, while also earning the win in the circle for the Golden Knights in the first game. Ashley Baker earned the loss in the second game for UCF.
UCF jumped out the early lead in the bottom of the first when Stephanie Best ripped a triple to center field, scoring Cici Alvarez from second.
Jacksonville tied UCF in the third when Lauren Redfern reached first after being hit by a pitch. She moved over to second on a sac bunt only to score on a Shannon Jensen double to right field.
The Golden Knights added two more runs in the third on three hits and one error. Bryttani Lindheim reached on a single to left field followed by a Best single to left field. Lindheim scored from second when Enders singled to center field, while Best scored when Crystle Krafft reached on an error.
The Dolphins scored two in the fifth on three hits, an error and a walk.
The Black and Gold responded to Jacksonville's two runs with four of their own in the fifth. Alvarez led off the inning by being hit by a pitch and advanced to second when Lindheim reached on an error by the shortstop. Best reached on an error by the first baseman with Alvarez scoring from second and Lindheim moving to third. Enders then singled to center field, scoring Lindheim from third and moving Best over to third. Krafft laid down a bunt single, scoring Best with both Enders and Krafft advancing one base. Nikki Green then grounded out to the third baseman, scoring Enders for the fourth run of the fifth.
Jacksonville added two more runs in the seventh but it was not enough to overcome UCF's four-run lead.
Game one ended with UCF up, 7-5. The Golden Knights were led by Best who was 2-for-3 at the plate with a single, a triple, an RBI and two runs. Enders (20-11) picked up the win in the circle for the Black and Gold, pitching seven innings and giving up five runs on seven hits, four walks and six strikeouts.
The Dolphins were led by Jensen who was 2-for-4 at the plate, while Katie Dobson (13-15) was tagged with the loss going six innings and giving up seven runs on nine hits, two walks and four strikeouts.
In the second game, Jacksonville jumped out to the early lead in the top of the first by putting a one spot on the board.
The Dolphins added another run in the top of the fourth on a Jillian Mirante double to left center, scoring Lindsey Freitag from first, making it 2-0 in favor of Jacksonville.
The Golden Knights threatened in the bottom of sixth when Lindheim walked. Nicole Balogh came in to run for Lindheim only to be caught in a double play. Enders came up and lined a double into right field, but UCF was not able to bring her around to score.
At the end of the second game, Jacksonville was up, 2-0. Enders led UCF at the plate, going 2-for-3 with a single and a double, while Baker (5-6) had the loss in the circle after pitching two innings and giving up one run on two hits, one walk and three strikeouts.
Katie Pestrak led the Dolphins at the plate, going 2-for-2, while Jensen (11-9) earned the win, pitching all seven innings and giving up no runs on four hits, one walk and six strikeouts.
The Golden Knights return to the softball diamond tomorrow when the team hosts A-Sun leader Troy with the first pitch slated for 1 p.m. Admission is free to all UCF softball games.