C-USA Softball Championship Game Notes
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May 9, 2007
Orlando, Fla. (www.ucfathletics.com) - With the Knights' C-USA series sweep over UTEP April 28-29, UCF guaranteed itself a spot in the Conference USA Softball Championship presented by Coca-Cola at the UCF Softball Complex May 10-12. The No. 4 seeded Knights will begin postseason play on Thursday when they take on the No. 5 seeded Marshall Thundering Herd at 12:30 p.m.
Nationally Ranked
Cici Alvarez and Allison Kime stayed near the top the NCAA Division I rankings for the fourth-consecutive week. Alvarez ranks second in the nation with 0.5 sacrifice hits per game, while Kime claimed the sixth spot in the country with a 0.93 ERA.
Postseason Record
The Knights hold a 14-9 record in postseason play, appearing in the Atlantic Sun Conference Tournament in 2002-05, winning the crown in 2005 with victories over Lipscomb, Florida Atlantic, Jacksonville and Troy.
Much Improved
UCF inproved five places in the C-USA standings from a year ago. In 2006, the Knights finished in the ninth spot with a 4-20 record in conference play.
Home Field Advantage
With the 2007 C-USA Softball Championship presented by Coca-Cola played at the UCF Softball Complex, the Knights hold a signifcant advantage over the rest of the field. UCF has won nine of its 12 home games this season against C-USA teams and have only lost seven total at the UCF Softball Complex in 2007.
Best of the Best
In 2003, Stephanie Best recorded UCF's highest postseason batting average with a .583 mark, going 7-for-12 with a home run. The sophomore scored six runs and two RBI in five games, walking eight times.
Tournament Gold
UCF won the Atlantic Sun Tournament crown in 2005, earning the league's automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament. Five current Knights were instrumental in the postseason success of the squad that was 6-3 following regular-season play. Kacie Feaster, Amber Lamb, Cici Alvarez, Cat Snapp and Ashley Van Ryn hope to repeat the success they had two years ago when they take the field this weekend.
One is the Luckiest Number
Since its inaugural season in 2002, UCF has lost only one postseason game when it scores in the first inning, while winning seven. The Knights also hold an 11-2 record after regular-season competition when they score the first run of a contest, with four of those wins coming in 2005.
Batter Up
The Black and Gold have accumulated a .246 all-time team batting average in postseason play with the help of a .261 average in 2003.
Cici's Stats
In two conference tournament seasons, Cici Alvarez has recorded nine hits and four sacrifice bunts. The senior has also walked four times and scored six runs.
Keep `Em Coming
UCF has racked up 29 postseason awards since 2002, including two Louisville Slugger/NFCA All-Southeast Region First Team honorees in Jania Shinhoster in 2002 and Stephanie Best in 2003. The Knights have had nine All-Atlantic Sun First Team picks as well as an A-Sun Freshman of the Year in Amber Lamb and a three-time A-Sun Player of the Year in Best.
All-Time High
UCF scored nine runs against Jacksonville in the Atlantic Sun Tournament in Boca Raton, Fla., recording the highest number of runs scored by the Knights following regular-season play. Stephanie Best knocked out two home runs while Jania Shinhoster added one of her own to pace the scoring for the Black and Gold.
Postseason Strikeout Queen
Dottie Cupp fanned a postseason-high 21 batters back in 2002 in just 21.2 innings pitched. The hurler allowed only four walks while holding the opposition to a .187 batting average.
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