Feb. 21, 2008
Orlando, Fla. (www.ucfathletics.com) - The UCF softball team (7-6) finally returns to the comforts of home this weekend as it welcomes five teams to the UCF Softball Complex to take part in the UCF Tournament Feb. 22-24. The Knights' second home tournament of the season will be highlighted by the 6 p.m. match-up with No. 12 Michigan on Saturday.
The Black and Gold will also face Auburn, Birmingham-Southern, George Mason and Drake during the course of the three-day event.
Making a Mark
Thanks to her 15 hits during the Black and Gold's trips to Hawaii and Stetson, junior Breanne Javier leads Conference USA with 19 his on the season. The first baseman also ranks in the top five in the league in four additional offensive categories, including second in batting average (.487), fourth in total bases (25), and fifth in on-base percentage (.533).
Run Producer
Hillary Barrow's three RBI in UCF's win over Stetson Wednesday were the most of her career. The thirdbaseman drove in the Knights' first run of the game with a sacrifice fly in the first inning, before hitting a line-drive double to left center field to plate the final two runs of the game in the seventh.
Tournament Opponents
Auburn
The Tigers have started the 2008 season on a six-game winning streak, posting a 6-0 record and securing the Tiger Invitational Championship. They have recorded wins over teams such as Gardner-Webb, Marshall and, most recently, a road game against South Alabama.
Auburn is led at the plate by Tatiana Fernandez with a .600 batting average with two doubles. Her .800 slugging percentage and .706 on-base percentage also top her squad. Anna Thompson has seen the most action for the Tigers in the circle, pitching 21.2 innings. The sophomore holds a 3-0 record, allowing only two earned runs in 21.2 innings pitch. She has also totaled 33 strikeouts and one shutout on the season.
Birmingham-Southern
The Panthers travel to Orlando with a 4-2 record, posting a pair of wins over both Huntingdon and Mid-Continent, while falling to Lipscomb and South Alabama.
Lindsay Creighton paces Birmingham-Southern with a .500 batting average, 10 hits, four doubles, nine RBI and a .700 slugging percentage. Bethney Reynoldson holds a 3-1 record in the circle for the Panthers, with two of the wins being shutouts.
George Mason
The Patriots open their 2008 campaign at the UCF Tournament this weekend, welcoming 11 newcomers to this season's roster. In 2007, George Mason finished the season with a 19-34 overall record and a 5-16 Colonial Athletic Association record.
Becky Anderson is the Patriots' top returner, coming off a season in which she was named to the conference's first team and all-rookie team as a utility player, Anderson led the team in runs batted in (25) and home runs (4), as well as wins (9), appearances (33), and strikeouts (74) from the pitcher's circle.
No. 12 Michigan
The Wolverines open the UCF Tournament with a well-earned No. 12 ranking in the USA Today/NFCA Division I poll after posting a 7-1 record. Michigan has recorded wins against No. 17 Cal State Fullerton and No. 24 Texas, as well as Maryland and Florida Atlantic.
A trio of sophomores are at the helm of Michigan's success, as Molly Bausher and Maggie Viefhaus lead their team with .357 batting averages, both going 10-for-28 over the seven-game span. Classmate Nikki Nemitz is 4-0 in the circle with a 0.72 ERA, allowing only three earned runs in 29.0 innings of work as the Wolverine's number one pitcher.
Drake
Drake posted a 2-3 record at the Metrodome Tournament last weekend, earning wins past Western Illinois and Tennessee Tech. The Bulldogs had strong showings in losses to Arkansas, host Minnesota and Iowa.
Seniors Jaci Faidley and Susan Slycord earned All-Tournament honors for the Bulldogs for their stellar performances at the Metrodome Tournament Feb. 15-17. Faidley turned in a .400 batting average, with six hits, two of which were doubles, a home run three RBI and five runs scored. Slycord notched a .250 BA with three hits, a home run, four RBI and four runs scored.
Season tickets for the 2008 season are now available and can be purchased by calling 407-UCF-1000. 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. Also check out UCFPhotos.com, the exclusive fan source for UCF action sports pics
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