Oct. 14, 2005
ORLANDO - The UCF softball team opens the 2005 fall season against St. Petersburg College Saturday at Seminole Community College in Oviedo. The first pitch is slated for noon.
The Golden Knights, who finished last season with a 47-29-1 record, earned the program's first NCAA Tournament appearance after winning the Atlantic Sun championship. In the NCAA Tournament, UCF picked up its first postseason win when the squad eliminated Florida, 5-3, in Gainesville.
UCF lost seven seniors from the 2005 team, including three-time A-Sun Player of the Year Stephanie Best. Best ended her career with a .384 batting average, 71 homers, 213 RBI and a .756 slugging percentage.
The Golden Knights will also have to fill the void in the pitching circle left by Lindsay Enders and Kelly McIntyre. Enders had a career ERA of 1.74 in 83 appearances with 320 strikeouts, while McIntyre had an ERA of 2.09 in 44 appearances with 111 strikeouts.
The 2006 team will feature no seniors, five juniors, five sophomores and 11 freshmen. UCF returns four starters-outfielders Cici Alvarez, Kacie Feaster and Amber Lamb along with catcher Cat Snapp.
The Golden Knights will also play on Oct. 22 in the UCF Tournament and Nov. 5 at the Brevard Community College Tournament to round out the fall season.