March 30, 2008
Huntington, W.Va. (www.ucfathletics.com) - Abby McClain (Waterloo, Iowa) posted three hits, a double and drove in two runs to lead the UCF softball team to its second-consecutive Conference USA series sweep with a 7-1 win over Marshall in eight innings Sunday afternoon at Dot Hicks Field.
The Knights scored six runs in the eighth inning to get the victory, with the score remaining deadlocked at 1-1 through the first seven innings.
Breanne Javier (Castaic, Calif.) and Tiffany Lane (Moreno Valley, Calif.) added two hits for the Black and Gold, with Lane registering two RBI.
Allison Kime (Brandon, Fla.) earned the win in the circle for UCF, allowing only one run on six hits, while fanning 10 batters. The win is the 10th-straight for the senior and her 17th of the season.
UCF scored early in the top of the first inning, with Marquita Council (Orlando, Fla.) reaching on a walk, moving to second on a groundout and scoring on a RBI double down the right field line off the bat of Javier.
Marshall tied up the game in the bottom of the inning, with Rachel Folden hitting Kime's first delivery of the game over the right centerfield fence.
With both teams scoring in the opening frame, it looked like fans would get to see a high-scoring game, but it turned out just the opposite. The score remained deadlocked, 1-1, through seven innings, with each teams' defense working hard to keep runners from scoring. Both teams stranded a total of 14 runners on base through regulation, registering seven apiece.
UCF took advantage of the extra frame, loading the bases with nobody out. Javier reached on a fielding error by Marshall's second baseman, Hillary Barrow (Miami, Fla.) moved her to second with a bunt single, before Lexi Gresham (Fresno, Calif.) was hit by a pitch for a full deck of runners. A slow roller to first base by Kime allowed Javier to score and a fielder's choice from Brittany Hipple (Venice, Fla.) plated Barrow to give the Knights a 3-1 lead. The bases remained loaded for McClain, who knocked in two runs with a single through the right side and a single by Tiffany Lane (Moreno Valley, Calif.) tacked on two final runs for the visiting Knights and put the game out of reach for the Herd.
The Knights continue play on the road Wednesday, traveling to Jacksonville for a match-up with North Florida.
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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