March 2, 2007
Altamonte Springs, Fla. (www.ucfathletics.com) - The UCF softball team hit its way to a 5-0 win against Jacksonville State and dropped a 2-1 decision to Virginia Tech on day one of the Altamonte Springs Tournament Friday. Amber Lamb (West Palm Beach, Fla./John I. Leonard) paced the offense for the Golden Knights getting four hits with two RBI and scoring two runs.
Game One Recap
Jacksonville State pitcher Karla Pittman held UCF scoreless through the fifth inning before the Golden Knights broke through in the sixth with two runs. Lamb led off the inning with a walk and moved to second on a Gamecock error caused by a Breanne Javier (Castaic, Calif./Valencia) bunt. With two on and two away, Hillary Barrow (Miami, Fla/Felix Varela) smacked a single though the infield to plate both base runners.
The Golden Knights held the Gamecocks scoreless in the bottom of the inning and carried their momentum into the seventh when Kacie Feaster (Jacksonville, Fla./Trinity Christian Academy) reached first on a two-out Jacksonville State error. The center fielder moved to second thanks to a Cici Alvarez (Pembroke Pines, Fla./McArthur) single through the left side and eventually scored when Lamb belted a signature two-run double to left center to put UCF up, 4-0. Javier sealed the victory for the Black and Gold, plating Lamb with an infield single to end the scoring.
Allison Kime (Brandon, Fla./Hillsborough CC) moved to 7-5, earning her fourth shutout from the circle this season, allowing only five hits and striking out six.
Game Two Recap
Virginia Tech opened the scoring in the first inning with a lead-off walk to Callie Rhodes. She moved over to second on a sacrifice bunt and eventually scored on a single to left center off the bat of Stephanie Savre to go up, 1-0.
The Golden Knights answered back in the third inning when Alvarez walked and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Lamb stepped up and hit her second single of the game down the right field line, moving Alvarez to third. The next pitch went to the backstop, scoring Alvarez and tying the game, 1-1. Lamb would then try to score from second on a Javier single, but was gunned out by the Hokies' center fielder for the second out of the inning. Heather Lowry would eventually get out of the inning, forcing Shelly Frick to line out to third base.
After Lowry allowed a walk to Barrow in the fourth frame, Virginia Tech went to the bullpen for Angela Tincher. The right-hander struck out the next three UCF batters, ultimately finishing the game by pitching 4.0 hitless innings of relief, striking out 10 in the process.
The Hokies would score one more run off two consecutive singles and a UCF error in the sixth, and that was all they would need to take the win from the Knights.
Ashleigh Cole (Pace, Fla./Pace) took the loss (5-4) for UCF giving up only five hits and fanning five while going all seven innings in the circle.
The Golden Knights travel back to Altamonte Springs Saturday for a single-game rematch against Villanova at 5 p.m. The Wildcats defeated the Black and Gold, 1-0, in the championship game of the UCF Tournament Feb. 25. For the latest news and information on the Golden Knights, tickets or apparel log on to www.ucfathletics.com - the official site for UCF athletics.