Feb. 23, 2008
Orlando, Fla. (www.ucfathletics.com) - The UCF softball team used 17 hits from its offense and 13 strikeouts from senior pitcher Allison Kime (Brandon, Fla.) to defeat George Mason, 10-1, in six innings Saturday night at the UCF Softball Complex. With the win the Knights improve to 9-7 on the season and 2-1 in the UCF Tournament.
Kime held the Patriot bats at bay the entire game, allowing only two hits while striking out 13 batters, a career-high for six innings. The hurler had six-straight strikeouts in the second and third frames, while fanning 12 of the last 17 batters she faced.
Kime, Abby McClain (Waterloo, Iowa) and Ashley Van Ryn (Atlanta, Ga.) all recorded three hits in the game, with Van Ryn falling a home run short of hitting for UCF's first cycle. Marquita Council (Orlando, Fla.), Breanne Javier (Castaic, Calif.) and Tiffany Lane (Moreno Valley, Calif.) added two hits a piece for the Knights. Javier posted a triple and a double, while Council also had a double.
"Our leadoff hitters came out and did exactly what they needed to do tonight," head coach Renee Luers-Gillispie said. "They were able to get on base so our big hitters could produce runs. That is something we have been stressing to the team this weekend."
As a team, UCF fell one triple and one double short of program single-game records, registering five doubles and two triples in the win.
The scoring started early for the Black and Gold, with Council leading off the first inning with an infield single, Lane moved her to second with a sacrifice bunt and Javier lined a double to right-center field to plate the Knights first run of the game. At the conclusion of one-half inning, UCF led 1-0.
George Mason answered back in the bottom of the first following a pair of walks, a stolen base and a throwing error by the Knights.
Council started off the third inning by reaching base on a double down the right field line. Lane followed with single and stole second base. In an attempt the throw out Lane on the steal, the Patriots allowed Council to score from third. Javier stepped to the plate and crushed a triple over the right fielder's head, before a double from Kime scored Javier and made the score 4-1 in favor of UCF. Two more runs crossed the plate in the inning thanks to a single by McClain and a triple down the right field line by Van Ryn.
The Black and Gold tacked on two runs in both the fifth and the sixth innings, combining for six hits and three walks in the pair of frames to go up 10-1 and end the game due to the eight-run rule.
The Knights conclude play in the UCF Tournament Sunday with a 10 a.m. game against Drake, before facing No. 12 Michigan at 4 p.m. Schedule, scores and statistics for all games of the UCF Tournament can be found by visiting the softball page at UCFAthletics.com.
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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