Feb. 8, 2008
Orlando, Fla. (www.ucfathletics.com) - Allison Kime (Brandon, Fla.) pitched a complete-game shutout and went 3-for-3 with two doubles from the plate to lead the UCF softball team to a 5-0 victory over Illinois State Friday afternoon, before the Knights dropped a 10-6 decision to NC State in the nightcap of the opening day of the UCF Tournament.
Kime had six strikeouts in the win over the Redbirds, while allowing only three hits and a walk. She also paced the Black and Gold with four hits on the day. Freshman Abby McClain (Waterloo, Iowa) chipped in three RBI, while fellow freshman Tiffany Lane (Moreno Valley, Calif.) scored three runs in the pair of contests.
Game One Neither team could produce a run in the first four innings of game one, but a lead-off single to left-center field by senior Ashley Van Ryn (Atlanta, Ga.) sparked the Knights' offense to score three runs in the frame. Morgan Bullard (Columbia, S.C.) sacrificed Van Ryn over to second, before Lane hit a line-drive single through the left side to put two runners on for the home team. Marquita Council (Orlando, Fla.) laid down a bunt single to load the bases for McClain, who jacked a RBI single up the middle to put the Knights up 2-0. A walk to junior Breanne Javier (Castaic, Calif.) loaded the bases for the second time in the inning and Kime hit a single, her third hit of the game, to make the score 3-0 at the end of five innings.
Van Ryn started the scoring again in the sixth inning by reaching first base on a walk. Bullard hit an infield single to move her over and a wild pitch put runners on second and third. A walk to Lane loaded the bases, before a free pass to Council brought in the Knights' fourth run of the contest and left the bases loaded with no outs. Javier put the ball in play to score Bullard and the final run of the game.
Game Two Game two started on a sour note for UCF as NC State's Shanna Smith led off the game with a home run over the center field fence.
But, the Knights answered back with five runs of their own in the opening inning after Lane walked, Council sacrificed her to second base and McClain smacked a booming double to center field to drive in the Knights' first run of the game. A single to right center by Hillary Barrow (Miami, Fla.) put the Black and Gold ahead 2-1 and a walk to Kime loaded the bases for Van Ryn with one out. The Atlanta, Ga., native was given a free pass, allowing the third run of the inning to score. A single to left-center field off the bat of Lindsay Dean (Jacksonville, Fla.) drove in two more runs, giving UCF a 5-1 lead at the conclusion of the first inning.
The Wolfpack kept chipping away at the Knights' lead, scoring its second run in the top of the second and added their third in the third inning. Four more runs came across the plate for NC State in the sixth inning following a base-clearing triple by Allison Presnell to put the Wolfpack up, 7-5.
UCF had one more run cross the plate in the sixth inning, but NC State added three more in the seventh inning to make the final score, 10-6.
Dean paced the Black and Gold offense in the game with two hits, with six other players adding a hit for the home team.
Ashleigh Cole (Pace, Fla.) took the loss for UCF giving up seven runs on 11 hits while striking out four.
The Knights continue play in the UCF Tournament Saturday at 11:30 a.m. against Kansas, before facing Central Arkansas at 6 p.m. at the UCF Softball Complex.
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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