April 12, 2008
El Paso, Texas (www.ucfathletics.com) - The bats of the UCF softball team had trouble with the high altitude in El Paso, falling to UTEP in a Conference USA doubleheader at the Helen of Troy Field Saturday night. The Knights dropped the first game, 1-0, before falling just short in a 6-5 loss in the nightcap.
Allison Kime (Brandon, Fla.) took the loss in the circle for UCF in game one, despite allowing only one run on four hits and striking out 12 batters. The senior's record fell to 20-9 on the season and 8-2 in C-USA action with the defeat.
Breanne Javier (Castaic, Calif.) had two hits and a double for the Black and Gold, while Lindsay Dean (Jacksonville, Fla.) also posted a double. Tiffany Lane (Moreno Valley, Calif.) and Hillary Barrow (Miami, Fla.) both added singles in the contest.
Despite outhitting the Miners, 5-4, the Knights left eight runners stranded on base in the game, including two in both the first and seventh innings.
Ashley Ellis's home run in the fourth inning gave the Miners its first run of the contest and would become the eventual game-winning run.
In game two, the Knights rallied in the sixth inning for five runs, but fell just two runs short of pulling off the come-from-behind win.
Ashleigh Cole (Pace, Fla.) suffered the defeat in the nightcap, allowing six runs on 10 hits, striking out two batters.
Kime paced the Knights at the plate, posting two hits and a run, with Barrow adding a double.
UTEP plated six runs in the first three innings, including three in the first. The Miners totaled eight of its nine-total runs, which included two home runs, in the first three frames, while registering two walks and a hit-by-pitch.
The Knights finally strung some hits together and scored five runs in the sixth inning, loading the bases on a Javier single, a Barrow double and a Kime single. Cat Snapp (Niceville, Fla.) watched ball four go by from the Miner's starter Kelly Curran, plating UCF's first run of the day, before Ashley Van Ryn (Atlanta, Ga.), Abby McClain (Waterloo, Iowa) and Lane plated three more runs with UTEP's relief pitcher, Nichole Tunget, throwing three-consecutive walks. Renee Dipiccio replaced Tunget in relief, tossing the Miners' fifth-straight walk to Marquita Council (Orlando, Fla.), and plating the Knights fifth run of the inning.
Nine runners were left on base in game two for the Black and Gold. On the day, UCF stranded 17 runners on the base paths.
UCF concludes its three-game C-USA series with the Miners Sunday at 2 p.m. ET.
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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