May 5, 2007
Memphis, Tenn. (www.ucfathletics.com) - The UCF softball team dropped two heartbreakers Saturday at the MU Softball Complex, losing two 2-1 ballgames to Conference USA foe Memphis (34-23, 9-12 C-USA) despite a flawless 3-for-3 outing at the plate for Cat Snapp in game two. The junior catcher recorded three of the Black and Gold's five hits and recorded UCF's only RBI of the game.
The Knights fell to 35-23 on the season and 11-12 in C-USA match-ups with the pair of losses.
Allison Kime (21-10) pitched her second-longest game of the season, going all 11 innings despite taking the loss in UCF's first game against Memphis Saturday. The hurler allowed two runs on 10 hits, while striking out 11 batters.
Kacie Feaster highlighted the Knights' offense in game one, getting two hits, one being the game-tying RBI in the fifth inning. The Black and Gold had three different scoring opportunities in the game, but stranded eight runners on base.
Game One
Memphis got on the board first in the third inning. Lindsey Pridgen led off the inning with a single to right field before she advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt. Two pitches to the backstop from Kime allowed the center fielder to score, putting the Tigers up, 1-0.
Memphis loaded the bases the next inning with a single, double and an intentional walk. But the Knight defense held its ground. Breanne Javier cleanly fielded a grounder and retired the runner at home for the first out. Kime registered her fourth strikeout of the day for out number two and Javier caught an infield pop-up to get out of the inning unscathed.
UCF took that momentum into the top of the fifth inning as Lindsay Dean reached on a throwing error by the Tigers' shortstop and advanced to second as the ball rolled out of play. An Ashley Van Ryn sacrifice bunt moved Dean to third base and a RBI single to center field off the bat of Feaster brought her in to score, tying the game, 1-1.
The score remained in a deadlock for six more innings, as both Kime and Memphis pitcher Jenna Kubesch kept pitching their way out of jams.
But in the Memphis half of the 11th, Tori Gross led off the inning with a walk and Leila Dolfo moved her to third on a double to right-center field. With runners at second and third, Kimmi Hayden reached base on an error and was credited with the game-winning RBI with one out in the frame.
Game Two
Memphis manufactured the game's first run in the second inning off a lead-off double and a RBI single. The Tigers registered another run in the fourth inning to go up, 2-0, on the Knights. UCF reliever Ashleigh Cole pegged Lindsay Kelso with a pitch and Kelso eventually scored on back-to-back left-field singles.
UCF moved within one run following a RBI single by Snapp in the fifth to score Morgan Bullard. Cole singled to right field and Bullard came in to pinch run for the pitcher. Megan Murphy laid down a sacrifice bunt to put Bullard in scoring position for Snapp, who roped a single to right, putting the Knights back in the game, 2-1.
Neither team could get another runner across, as Memphis held on for its second win of the day.
Lexi Gresham fell to 5-4 of the season as she took the loss in game two. The redshirt freshman surrendered one run on four hits in two innings of work. Cole gave up one run on three hits in four innings pitched, while striking out two batters.
The Knights are back in action Sunday for their final regular-season contest at the MU Softball Complex. Game time is set for 1 p.m.
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.
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