Feb. 26, 2007
Defending Their Turf
After taking runner-up honors with a 3-2 record at the UCF Tournament this past weekend, the Golden Knights will look to avenge an earlier season loss when they play North Floida this Tuesday. The single game is set for 5:30 p.m. at the UCF Softball Complex.
Previewing North Florida
The University of North Florida has opened its 2007 season with a 6-6 record posting wins over teams including Pittsburgh, Miami (Ohio) and James Madison. The Ospreys' losses have come to such teams as Florida and South Carolina. North Florida has already met with UCF twice in 2007 at the Miken FAU Invitational resulting in a 2-0 UCF victory in the first game and a 2-1 North Florida win in the second. Coming off of a 28-29 season in 2006, the Ospreys have five returning starters and welcome 10 newcomers to the squad, two of which are transfers.
UCF Tournament Recap
UCF grabbed runner-up honors at the UCF Tournament last weekend after getting shutout by the Villanova Wildcats, 1-0, in the championship game Feb. 25. Junior Allison Kime took the loss for the Black and Gold despite throwing her eighth complete game of the season. Kime (5-4) surrendered only four hits, while fanning eight and allowing one unearned run.
Friday
UCF split the first two games of its 2007 home tournament Feb. 23, knocking off Albany, 1-0, before falling to Boston, 6-5. In game one, Kime pitched a gem as she allowed only one hit, while striking out eight Albany hitters. Shortstop Amber Lamb started the scoring when she laced a two-out double down the left-field line and moved to third on the play after an errant throw from the outfield. Kime then hit a ground ball to short that could have ended the inning, but fell out of first baseman Leanne Tillman's glove allowing Lamb to score the only run of the game. In game two against Boston, senior Kacie Feaster went 4-for-4 with a home run and three RBI, but six late unanswered runs by the Terriers gave the visitors from the North the victory. Ashley Van Ryn and Feaster accounted for six of the Golden Knights' nine hits in the game, while Lexi Gresham and Ashleigh Cole only allowed four hits to the opposition.
Saturday
Day two of the tournament brought with it better fortune for UCF as the team posted two shutouts in victories over George Mason and Alabama State. In game one of day two, Feaster recorded three hits and scored three runs, while Cole tossed a six-hit shutout to lead UCF to the 4-0 victory over George Mason. In game two, the Knights grabbed a 5-0 lead in the fourth inning, posting four consecutive two-out hits in the frame. UCF then added four more runs in the fifth to secure the nine-run lead. Sophomore Magon Paul did not need much help from the circle as the righthander recorded the first shutout of her career. She allowed four hits in the five-inning affair to pick up her first win of the season.
Owning the Bases
Senior Kacie Feaster had an impressive run this past week going 12-for-25 from the plate scoring nine runs and plating three base-runners. In a loss to Boston University, Feaster smashed her second lead-off home run of the year and was a perfect 4-for-4, tying her own record for hits in a game. In the following contest against George Mason, the center fielder had three straight hits giving her a string of seven consecutive hits. Feaster also stole five bases on the week bringing her season total to seven.
First in a Career
Sophomre pitcher Magon Paul recorded her first career shutout against Alabama State on Feb. 24. Paul allowed four hits and struck out three in five innings of work to get her first win of the season.
Hot Streak
Shortstop Amber Lamb is currently on a 10-game hitting streak. The senior's streak began at the UNLV Louisville Slugger Desert Classic on Feb. 17 against Colorado State. During the streak, Lamb has recorded three multi-hit games and knocked in five runs. The current record for a hitting streak in a season is held by Jania Shinhoster with 14.
Career High
Sophomre Breanne Javier had a career high 3-for-3 performance from the plate in the championship game at the UCF Tournament o n Feb. 25. Javier belted three singles off Villanova starter Laura Determan leading the Golden Knights' seven-hit attack.
Inching Closer
With nine steals on the season and 73 in her career, Cici Alvarez keeps moving closer to becoming UCF's career leader. Jania Shinhoster currently holds the record in that category with 74, but Alvarez needs just two more to claim sole possession of first place.
200 Wins at UCF
With a victory over George Mason University on Feb. 24, head coach Renee Luers-Gillispie moved her UCF win total to 200 in only six seasons with the Golden Knights. She accummulated 86 wins at Bradley, 119 at Texas Tech and has 201 at UCF in 13 seasons in the dugout. Luers-Gillispie has a total of 406 NCAA Division I wins following the win over Alabama State.