March 9, 2008
Orlando, Fla. (www.ucfathletics.com) - The UCF softball team scored four runs in both the fifth and sixth innings to come from behind to down Conference USA-foe East Carolina, 10-6, Sunday afternoon at the UCF Softball Complex. Six different players posted at least two hits in the contest, with Hillary Barrow (Miami, Fla.), Ashleigh Cole (Pace, Fla.) and Lindsay Dean (Jacksonville, Fla.) all recording three RBI.
Barrow's sacrifice fly in the third inning was her third this season and sixth of her career, giving her sole possession of second place all-time in program history. The sophomore needs only two more to claim sole possession of first place.
Cole picked up the win in the circle for the Knights to move her record to 6-5 on the season and 1-1 in C-USA action. With the victory over the Pirates, UCF moves to 15-12 on the season and 1-2 in league play. The win also marks the second all-time against East Carolina and the first this season when the Knights are trailing after the fourth inning.
"It took us while to get warmed up offensively today," head coach Renee Luers-Gillispie said. "But, by the fifth inning everyone in the lineup contributed to out offensive production and helped secure the win."
East Carolina totaled four runs in the first three innings, getting one in both the first and second and two in the third to take the 4-0 lead.
UCF put two runs across in the bottom of the third to cut the Pirates' lead in half. Marquita Council (Orlando, Fla.) and Tiffany Lane (Moreno Valley, Calif.) led off the inning with back-to-back singles, before Breanne Javier (Castaic, Calif.) nailed a deep double to left-center field to score Council. Lane then scored on a sacrifice fly by Barrow, to make the score 4-2.
The Knights continued to chip away at the East Carolina lead, with Javier scoring her second run of the afternoon in the fifth inning on a single to centerfield by Barrow. Lexi Gresham (Fresno, Calif.) lined a single through the left side to put the go ahead run on first base, before Dean singled down the right field line to even the score, 4-4, and put two runners in scoring position. Cole used the opportunity to help herself out, nailing a two-RBI double to right centerfield to give the Knights a two-run advantage at the conclusion of five innings.
The Pirates answered back with two runs in the sixth inning on a two-RBI single down the right field line by Erin St. Ledger.
But the UCF bats stayed hot, with Council reaching on an infield single, Lane moving her to second and Javier getting an intentional free pass to put two runners on. Barrow plated her third run of the game with a single to centerfield to give the Knights the 7-6 lead. The Black and Gold were not done there though, scoring three more insurance runs thanks to a hit-by-pitch to Gresham and consecutive singles from Dean and Cole.
The Knights continue their seven-game home stand Tuesday when they host Sam Houston State in a doubleheader at the UCF Softball Complex, with game one schedule to get underway at 1 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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