April 25, 2008
Orlando, Fla. (www.ucfathletics.com) - Knight fans will have one last chance to see the UCF softball team in action this season, as the Black and Gold concludes its regular home schedule Sunday at 2 p.m. at the UCF Softball Complex. A multitude of promotions are on tap for the contest, mostly to honor the career of All-American candidate, Allison Kime.
The first 250 fans to enter the gate will receive a commemorative Allison Kime strikeout poster, while the first 100 fans will also receive a UCF mini softball helmet. After entering the gates, spectators can pick up a Kime trading card along with any other of your favorite Knights, while watching Pegasus trot the field during the starting lineups. Kids' Club Members can also get their parents through the gate free of charge for the event with the presentation of their Kids' Club card at the gate, sponsored by Chic-Fil-A.
Throughout the contest, fans will have the opportunity to catch a free UCF t-shirt after every strikeout that Kime registers.
Previewing Stetson
The Hatters make the short trip to Orlando with a 37-20 record on the season, which includes an earlier-season loss to the Knights on Feb. 20, a 6-0 defeat at the Patricia Wilson Softball Field. But, Stetson has gone on to win 31 games since that time and has won six of its last eight contests.
Andrea Migliori leads the Hatters at the plate, posting a .337 batting average, 57 hits, 13 doubles, 16 home runs, 55 RBI and a .698 slugging percentage. In the circle, Amanda Lindsey has seen the most time for Stetson, recording a 20-13, 1.21 ERA and 12 shutouts in 225.1 innings pitched.
The Knights are 10-5 all-time when facing the Hatters.
Over the Hill....Almost
With one more win, the UCF softball team will have reached 40 wins in a season for the fourth time since its inception in 2002. In their inaugural season, the Knights posted a 46-19 record and went 42-21 in 2004. Its 47-29-1 clip in 2005 saw the Black and Gold make its first trip to the NCAA Tournament, as feat the 2008 team looks to accomplish this season.
Breaking Records Like Its Her Job
Allison Kime holds almost every program pitching record at UCF and clinched another in the series finale with Memphis on Sunday. After fanning 23 batters over the weekend, Kime broke her single-season strikeout record of 266 Ks from 2007, totaling 270 this season. Her 2007 mark broke her previous single-season strikeout record of 222 in 2006. Kime also moved up to No. 5 on the Conference USA all-time strikeout register, while distancing herself from the pack at the top spot on the UCF career record charts.
Her 8.3 strikeouts per seven innings this season also rank first in UCF single-season history, an improvement of 1.31 whiffs from her 6.99 strikeouts per seven innings at the conclusion of last season.
Keepin' the Hit-Train Coming
Junior Breanne Javier is currently riding a 10-game hitting streak going into the contest with Stetson Sunday, a stretch that began on April 5 in the final game against No. 9 Houston. Since that game, the first-baseman is hitting .515 with 17 hits, two doubles, eight runs, four RBI, a walk, a stolen base and one hit-by-pitch. The streak also includes six multiple-hit games, including a 3-for-3 performance against Florida State in game two of the doubleheader at the UCF Softball Complex on April 9. On the season, Javier has totaled 24 multiple hits games, six more than she had in 2007.
Hanging Tough
The UCF softball team received nine votes in the USA Today/NFCA Division I Top 25 poll released April 22, placing them at No. 33 in the nation. The Knights sit at 39-17 on the season following a C-USA series sweep over Memphis last weekend.
The votes this week mark the fourth time this season that the Knights have been given at least one tally in the coaches' poll, receiving seven votes on April 8 after defeating No. 9 Houston, two votes last week and also garnering a single vote in the poll on March 25.
Season's Greetings
Breanne Javier needs 13 more hits this season to surpass Stephanie Best for the single-season hits record of 83 the shortstop set in 2003. Javier is averaging 1.27 hits per game this season, meaning she would need to play 10 more games this season to reach the mark. But, considering the first baseman is riding a 10-game hitting streak and has posted 24 multiple-hit games this season, it just may be possible in less.
The Knights look to clinch a spot in the NCAA Tournament when they compete for the Conference USA Softball Championship title May 8-10 at Houston. For tickets, visit c-usa.org. 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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