UTEP Game Notes
Download Free Acrobat Reader
April 27, 2007
Orlando, Fla. (www.ucfathletics.com) - The Golden Knights will host their final regular-season series this weekend when they challenge UTEP in a must-win Conference USA series at the UCF Softball Complex. Saturday's league doubleheader is scheduled to get underway at 1 p.m., while Sunday's series finale will begin at Noon.
Previewing UTEP
UTEP holds a 27-18 record on the 2007 season and a 6-11 record in Conference USA, good for eighth in the league standings. The Miners are led offensively by Amber Bennett, who leads her squad in runs scored (45), total bases (84), slugging percentage (.627), walks (29), on-base percentage (.500) and stolen bases (6). UTEP has eight different players batting over .300 and six players with five or more home runs. Sharing the pitching duties are Nichole Tunget (9-4) and Stacie Townsend (9-6), who hold a 2.69 ERA and 2.89 ERA respectively.
Remember When...
The Golden Knights and the Miners last clashed on April 22-23 of last year in El Paso, Texas, with UCF winning the C-USA series, 2-1. Ashley Van Ryn led the Black and Gold at the plate going 3-for-7 with a RBI and two runs scored. Kacie Feaster also scored two runs on the weekend, including a home run in game three for one of the Knights' two RBI. Allison Kime registered both wins as she allowed only one earned run in 14 innings of work, striking out 20.
Weekend Leader
Cici Alvarez led the Knights at the plate in UCF's C-USA series at Houston last weekend, going 4-for-6 with a walk and two sacrifice hits.
Eight is Great for Dean
The Black and Gold hold a 10-3 record when catcher Lindsay Dean hits in the eight spot. Dean has recorded 10 hits while in the eighth position, which includes three multi-hit games.
Hit Me Baby One More Time
The Golden Knights have yet to be held hitless this season through 53 contests. UCF has been held to one hit only once this season at the hands of East Carolina, but had a school record 21 hits against Bethune-Cookman.
Nationally Ranked
Cici Alvarez and Allison Kime have positioned themselves among the elite softball players in the country as they are both ranked in the top 10 in the NCAA national rankings.
Alvarez is tied for first in the nation in sacrifice hits with 0.51 per game (Jessica Hejna, UCSB, 0.51). Alvarez recorded her season high in sacrifce hits against George Mason when she laid down three in the victory.
A dominating second half of the season has helped propel Kime to sixth in the nation with a 0.94 earned run average (Monica Abbott, Tenn., 0.54).
Cool as a Cucumber
Breanne Javier stays cool under pressure, as 10 of the first baseman's 18 total RBI have come with two outs this season.
Senior Level History
? Cici Alvarez recorded her first hit as a Golden Knight in the second game of a doubleheader against Bethune-Cookman on Jan. 27, 2004.
? Kacie Feaster's first start at UCF was at first base.
? Amber Lamb was the Atlantic Sun Conference Freshman of the Year in 2004.
? Feaster scored the game-tying run against USF in the NCAA Tournament with a double to left-center field.
? Alvarez's first RBI of her career was on Feb. 29, 2004, when she drove in Kacie Feaster.
? Lamb went 6-for-12 during the opening weekend at the Triple Crown Tournament on Feb. 10-11 last season.
The Three Amigos
Not only is Allison Kime the sixth-ranked pitcher for ERA in the country, but the fire-baller, along with Ashleigh Cole and Lexi Gresham, have combined to produce one of the most feared pitching staffs as well. The trio pitched its way to the ninth spot in the NCAA national rankings with a 1.41 team ERA (Tennessee, 0.64).
Three Hits Ms.
Amber Lamb's 3-for-3 showing at the plate on April 14 was the sixth three-hit performance for the senior this season. In her four years as a Golden Knight, Lamb has accumulated a total of 12 three-hit performances.
Done in a "Snapp"
Junior Cat Snapp tied the UCF single-game record for sacrifice flies on April 10 after she launched two RBIs into the outfield against Jacksonville. The feat was last accomplished by Jennifer Whitley in 2003.
Give Me Two
Kacie Feaster had the Knights only extra-base hit last weekend against Houston, getting a double in the second game on Saturday.
1, 2, 3 Strikes You're Out
Ashleigh Cole recorded a career-high nine strikeouts despite taking the defeat in UCF's 1-0 loss to FAU on April 11, up from her previous high of five whiffs.
This Day in UCF Softball History
April 28 - Back in 2002, the Golden Knights swept a doubleheader with Florida A&M in a non-conference match-up. UCF won the first game, 8-0, and followed up with another solid performance, sealing the 7-3 win in game two. April 29 - The Black and Gold took two games from Stetson in an Atlantic Sun Conference doubleheader in 2004, winning the first contest, 4-3 before taking the nightcap, 2-1.
Triple Shot
Kacie Feaster hit her third triple of the season and fifth of her career on April 14 in UCF's 5-2 win over UAB to take sole possession of the third spot on the UCF career charts.
First in a Career
With a stellar performance from the circle on April 14, Ashleigh Cole recorded the first Conference USA win of her career. The freshman limited UAB to three hits and allowed only one earned run in her five-inning outing.
Top of the Charts
Allison Kime tops the C-USA competition in ERA (0.94) and opposing batting average (.154) for the fifth straight week in overall games. Kime also leads the field in opposing batting average against league teams with a .158.
Future's So Bright...I Gotta Wear Shades
Numerous members of the UCF softball team have earned recognition on the Conference USA Commissioner's Honor Roll during the 2006-07 academic year, the league office announced on April 17. Members of the honor roll must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better. Members named to the honor roll include:
*Cici Alvarez
*Ashleigh Cole
*Kacie Feaster!
*Shelly Frick
*Lexi Gresham
*Amber Lamb
*Megan Murphy
*Cat Snapp!
*Ashley Van Ryn!
! C-USA Comissioner's Academic Medal Recipient
(Recipients must maintain a 3.75 GPA or better)
For the latest news and information on the Knights, tickets or apparel log on to www.ucfathletics.com - the official site for UCF varsity sports.
- UCF -