March 11, 2008
UCF 3, SHSU 1
UCF 1, Penn State 2 (10)
Orlando, Fla. (www.ucfathletics.com) - The UCF softball team split a pair of non-conference games Tuesday afternoon at the UCF Softball Complex, defeating Sam Houston State, 3-1, before falling to Penn State, 2-1, in extra innings. Brittany Hipple (Venice, Fla.) led the Knights (16-13, 1-2 C-USA) in the win over the Bearkats (10-13), posting two hits and a RBI, while Hillary Barrow (Miami, Fla.) paced the Black and Gold offensive in the nightcap, recording a hit and the lone RBI against the Nittany Lions (11-7).
In game one, Sam Houston State struck first with a run in the top of the first inning, but Tiffany Lane (Moreno, Valley, Calif.) evened the score in the bottom half of the inning, lining a triple to left center field and scoring on a grounder by Breanne Javier (Castaic, Calif.).
The bats kept ringing in the second inning for the Knights as they plated two more runs off three hits and a walk. Lexi Gresham (Fresno, Calif.) led off the inning with a single, Lindsay Dean (Jacksonville, Fla.) walked and back-to-back singles from Hipple and Abby McClain (Waterloo, Iowa) allowed both runners to cross the plate, giving the Black and Gold a two-run advantage. That is all the home team would need to clinch the win, holding the Bearkat offense scoreless though the final six innings.
Ashleigh Cole (Pace, Fla.) picked up her seventh win of the season in the circle for UCF, allowing only one run on nine hits, while striking out five batters.
Lane started the scoring again for the Black and Gold in game two, reaching base on a single and getting knocked around on a RBI single up the middle off the bat of Barrow, but that would be the only run that would cross the plate for the Knights in the contest.
The Nittany Lions even the score in the sixth inning off a UCF error and a RBI single by Hollee Haines, and scored the winning run in the 10th inning. International tiebreaker rules took effect at the start of the frame, placing a Penn State runner on second base, who eventually scored on a single and a fielder's choice.
Allison Kime (Brandon, Fla.) was tagged with the loss in her second-consecutive extra-inning game. The senior threw all 10 innings, allowing only one earned run on nine hits, while striking out eight.
The Knights are back in action tomorrow afternoon at the UCF Softball Complex, facing Liberty at 3 p.m., before matching up with No. 14 Baylor at 5 p.m.
Season tickets for the 2008 season are still 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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