March 31, 2007
Orlando, Fla. (www.ucfathletics.com) - The Golden Knights (26-16, 5-6 C-USA) pounded out 19 hits, including Breanne Javier's game-winning triple, to secure the 4-3 victory over the Marshall Thundering Herd (22-15, 6-5 C-USA) in the first game of Saturday's Conference USA doubleheader. The UCF bats fizzled out in the nightcap though, as they could only muster four hits against Marshall's Caitlyn Jackson to drop the second game, 7-0.
Game One
The Golden Knights went down three runs following the top half of the third inning. J.J. Bitner doubled to left field, moved to third on a wild pitch, and pinch hitter Marcena Bertoldo walked to put runners on first and third. Pitcher Allison Kime intentionally walked Rachel Folden to load the bases with two outs, and Jackson ripped a double down the right-field line to score all three base runners.
Amber Lamb answered back with a run of her own for the Knights in the bottom of the inning, when she demolished a delivery from Abby Harter over the left-field wall, putting UCF back in the game, 3-1. The senior's home run sparked the UCF bats for two more hits in the inning, along with a Marshall error, to load the bases with two outs. Harter got out of the inning though, getting Ashleigh Cole to foul out to first base.
A diving play by Barrow, on what should have been a single up the middle, ended the top of the fourth for the Thundering Herd and ignited the Golden Knights' sticks going into the hitting-half of the inning. Lindsay Dean led off with a double to the left-field wall, but was picked off straying too far from second base by Folden. Megan Murphy followed up with a double of her own but was left stranded as Harter got out of another jam, getting Feaster to fly out to left field and Cici Alvarez to strike out looking, ending the inning, 3-1.
UCF added one more run in the sixth inning when Cole singled and pinch runner, Morgan Bullard, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt from Dean. Bullard came around to score on a single off the bat of Murphy to put the Knights within a run, 3-2.
Barrow tied the game in the bottom of the seventh inning when she annihilated a 1-2 pitch from Amanda Luers over the left fielder's head to plate Lamb, who reached earlier on a single and moved to second base on Allison Kime's sacrifice bunt. The Black and Gold threatened to end the game after Barrow advanced to third on a ball past the catcher, but Luers got out of the jam, getting Cole to foul out to the left fielder.
With the score deadlocked in the eighth inning, 3-3, Kime did her part in the top of the inning sitting the Marshall batters down, 1-2-3. Dean led off the bottom of the inning, ripping her second double of the game to left field and Feaster was intentionally walked to put runners on first and third. Alvarez reached on a fielder's choice, but Dean was thrown out at third. So, with runners still at first and second and two outs, Lamb hit two long foul balls to left field, eventually hitting a deep ball fair, but Rachel Sofie tracked it down to get out of the inning.
Kime started things off in the bottom of the ninth with a single up the middle and Javier stepped up to the plate, lining the game-winning triple to left field, scoring Kime to secure the win.
Kime (15-6) went the distance in the circle for UCF, pitching her second-straight extra-inning game. The junior went all nine innings allowing two earned runs on six hits, striking out nine.
Lamb led the offensive onslaught, going 3-for-5 with a home run and scoring two runs.
Game Two
Marshall used a four-run fourth inning to take UCF off its game. It all started on an error by Barrow on a grounder by Gina Guzzo. Guzzo stole second and Caitlyn Jackson walked to put runners at first and second with nobody out. Rachael Sofie hit for Rachel Schimdt and sacrificed both runners over. Dee Tourville singled to center field to bring in Guzzo, making the score, 1-0. Three more runs scored on a sacrifice bunt single by Bertoldo when an errant throw made it past Feaster, rolling to the fence in center field. All three base runners scored on the play, upping the Thundering Herd's lead, 4-0.
Marshall tacked on three more runs in the sixth and seventh innings, putting the game out of reach for the Black and Gold.
Alvarez, Lamb, Barrow and Cole all had hits for UCF, all of which came in separate innings.
Cole (7-8) took the loss in the circle, allowing four earned runs on six hits while striking out four.
The Golden Knights are back in action on April 1 when they take on Marshall for the final game of its three-game Conference USA series. The game is set to get underway at Noon.
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