Feb. 25, 2009
Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - The UCF softball team used a stellar hitting performance from sophomore Abby McClain (Waterloo, Iowa) and solid pitching from Magon Paul (Virginia Beach, Va.) and Ashleigh Cole (Pace, Fla.) to sweep a mid-week doubleheader from both Bethune-Cookman, 2-0, and Eastern Michigan, 5-4, Wednesday night at the UCF Softball Complex.
McClain hit .667 on the evening with four hits, a home run, a double, three RBI, two runs scored and a 1.333 slugging percentage.
Also coming up clutch for the Knights in the pair of contests were senior Breanne Javier (Castaic, Calif.) and freshman Vanessa Perez (San Diego, Calif.). Both posted three hits, a RBI and scored a run, while Javier added two more doubles to her resume.
The Knights improved to 11-7 on the season with the pair of victories and have now won five of their last six games, all at the friendly confines of the UCF Softball Complex.
VS. BETHUNE-COOKMAN (5-12)
The Knights picked up their first shutout victory of 2009 in their opening game against Bethune-Cookman. Javier was 2-for-3 with a double and a RBI to pace the Knights at the plate, while McClain once again swung a hot bat, belting a home run and scoring both of UCF's runs in the contest.
"Once again, Bre and Abby provided the offensive sparks that we needed to lock down the victory," head coach Renee Luers-Gillispie said.
Lindsay Dean (Jacksonville, Fla.) and Paul each also registered a hit in the win, with Dean hitting a double off the centerfield wall in the second inning.
Paul picked up her second win of the season in the circle for UCF, scattering seven hits and striking out one batter to post her first shutout of the season.
"Magon showed great tenacity in the circle in the opener against Bethune-Cookman," Gillispie said. "Her senior leadership shined on both the defensive and offensive side of the game."
UCF took the lead in the third inning after McClain took it upon herself to put the first run on the board with a solo home run to right centerfield.
The Black and Gold tacked on another run in the bottom of the fifth frame when McClain reached on a walk, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Natalie Land (Mayo, Fla.) and was knocked around with a booming double to left centerfield by Javier.
Javier's hit in the fifth put her in sole possession of third on the UCF all-time register with 208 career hits. The senior now trails only Stephanie Best (285) and Jania Shinhoster (268) in the category.
VS. EASTERN MICHIGAN (3-5)
Clutch hitting and timely defensive stops allowed UCF to pick up a come-from-behind win against Eastern Michigan in the nightcap. The Eagles, who were receiving votes in the latest USA Today/NFCA Top-25 Coaches Poll, held the lead through four innings, before the Black and Gold charged back in the bottom of the fifth with three runs and the win.
McClain paced the Knights at the plate again, going 3-for-4 with a double and two RBI, while Perez contributed a 3-for-3 performance with a RBI and a run scored. Javier, Dean and Hillary Barrow (Miami, Fla.) also posted key hits for UCF, with Javier and Barrow blasting doubles and Dean posting the game-winning RBI.
"It was the solid contributions from Abby, Bre, Hillary, Lindsay and Vanessa that helped us come back and win this game," Gillispie said. "The team was unstoppable at the plate and never gave up even though we trailed the majority of the contest."
The Eagles jumped on the home team early, scoring three runs in the top of the first inning on three hits, a walk and some fielding miscues by the Knights.
But, UCF loaded the bases with two outs in the bottom of the second for McClain. The sophomore continued to deliver at the plate, hitting a strike down the right field line to score both Mary Helen Tyler (Marianna, Fla.) and Dean to cut Eastern Michigan's lead to only one. Tyler reached earlier in the inning on a walk, while Dean reached base on a fielder's choice.
A run in the top of the fourth extended the Eagles' lead back to two, but back-to-back doubles by Javier and Barrow to lead off the bottom of the fifth gave the Knights another run with nobody out in the frame. Perez stepped up to the plate and evened the score, 4-4, with a single up the middle to score Barrow from third, before the scoring continued with two outs when Dean plated the go-ahead run with a single through the left side, bringing in Perez from the top of the diamond.
The Knights will host their final tournament of the season beginning Feb. 27-March 1. UCF will face Syracuse and Tennessee State on Friday at 4 p.m. and 6 p.m., respectively, before concluding their part of the tournament with a pair of contest against both Florida A&M and Maine at the same times on Saturday.
Season tickets are on sale now for the 2009 softball season, which features 34 home games at the UCF Softball Complex. For the latest news on the Knights, log on to www.UCFAthletics.com - the official site for UCF varsity sports. The site, which also contains ticket and Golden Knights Club donor information, is also the home of UCF's new online apparel store. Also visit www.UCFPhotos.com, the exclusive fan source for UCF action sports pictures.
-UCF-