May 13, 2005
BOCA RATON, Fla. - Stephanie Best hit two home runs as UCF eliminated Jacksonville from the 2005 Atlantic Sun Softball Tournament Friday afternoon 9-5. The Golden Knights improved to 43-27-1 on the season, while the Dolphins completed their season with a 35-32 mark.
Best was 2-for-3 with two home runs, one walk, three runs and two RBI, while Kacie Feaster was 2-for-4 with one single, one double and two RBI. Kelly McIntyre picked the win for the Golden Knights, pitching four innings and giving up one run on two hits, one walk and two strikeouts.
UCF opened the game with a 2-0 lead on two solo homers by Jania Shinhoster and Best. Shinhoster took Jacksonville's Katie Dobson's first pitch for a ride over the left field fence for her fifth home run of the season. Two batters later, Best sent her first pitch into the parking lot behind left field for her 24th home run of the season.
In the bottom of the first, Jacksonville chipped away at UCF's lead scoring one run on two hits.
In the top of the second, Jacksonville replaced Dobson with Shannon Jensen in the circle only to have the Golden Knights add two more runs on three singles. Feaster capped off the inning when she sent a shot into left field plating two runs.
Jacksonville closed the game by putting a three spot on the board in the bottom of the fourth on four hits and one error.
The Golden Knights regained the lead in the top of the fifth when Best belted her second homer of the game and 25th of the season over the left field fence to make the score 5-4.
Amber Lamb cranked a triple into the gap in right center plating two more UCF runs in the top of the seventh. Lamb later scored on a wild pitch. Nikki Green drew her second walk of the afternoon and scored on a Feaster double over third base. In the seventh, the Knights had five runs on two hits and three walks.
The Dolphins were not ready to head home when Stephanie Farabee led off Jacksonville's half of the seventh with a home run, her second of the season, over the left field fence.
UCF defeated Jacksonville by a score of 9-5. Farabee and Janine Palumbo were each 2-for-4 at the plate for the Dolphins, while Jensen (13-11) was tagged with the loss after pitching six innings and giving up seven runs on seven hits, six walks and five strikeouts.
The Golden Knights return to the softball diamond this evening vs. Florida Atlantic in an elimination game. All of UCF's games at the tournament will be broadcast live via the internet at www.ucfathletics.com along with live stats.