May 20, 2005
GAINESVILLE, FLa. - In its inaugural NCAA Regional appearance, UCF dropped a 14-3 decision in five innings to USF at the Florida Softball Stadium on Friday afternoon.
"They just beat us," Head Coach Renee Luers-Gillispie said. "There is no other way to say it. We played a good first two innings, but they had two big innings on offense."
Carmela Liwag set a school record driving home six runs for USF on two bases clearing doubles in the third and fourth innings as the Bulls knocked an NCAA Tournament game record 20 hits for the game.
UCF grabbed a 1-0 lead on an RBI single by Amber Lamb in the first inning. Cici Alvarez and Bryttani Lindheim started the frame for the Golden Knights with back-to-back singles.
USF responded with a run of their own in the second as Christie Chapman hit a double to left field off the glove of a diving Kacie Feaster. Lindsay Enders rebounded striking out Liwag on a change-up to leave the bases loaded, and the score even at one.
The Golden Knights took that momentum as Crystle Krafft starting the home half of the second with a double. Krafft would score the go-ahead run on a fielding error by USF second baseman Sarah Watson.
The Bulls used two home runs to take the lead, 4-2, in the third inning. Tiffany Stewart and Danielle Urbanik provided the damage. Later in the frame, USF stretched the advantage to 8-2 on a bases clearing double by Liwag.
Liwag struck again in the fourth with another bases clearing double, while Stewart poked an RBI single. Ray added an RBI single in the fifth giving USF 14 runs.
UCF scored one more in the bottom of the fifth when Stephanie Best hit an RBI single into left field for the final score of 14-3.
"Tomorrow is a new day with a new set of opportunities," Luers-Gillispie said. "We know that we can compete with these teams."
The Golden Knights continue regional action tomorrow afternoon against Florida in an elimination game. First pitch is slated for 3:30 p.m. You can follow all the action live from Gainesville via radio webcast on UCFathletics.com
Game Notes: UCF fell to 36-6-1 this season when scoring first...22 of the 47 hits for Amber Lamb this season have produced a run...Crystle Krafft's leadoff double in the second inning tied her with Stephanie Best for the team with 13 doubles...Jania Shinhoster picked up her 25th stolen base of the season later in the second inning...The Bulls batted around in both the third and fourth innings.