Feb. 7, 2009
PHOTO GALLERY
UCF 8, Oklahoma State 5
UCF 1, Western Michigan 10 (5)
TEMPE, Ariz. (UCFAthletics.com) - The UCF (1-2) softball team used a four-run third inning and a two-hit, two-RBI performance from Natalie Land (Mayo, Fla.) to take its first victory of the 2009 season from Oklahoma State, 8-5, on the second day of the Kajikawa Classic Saturday, before falling to Western Michigan, 10-1, in five innings in game two.
With the split, the Knights moved to 1-3 on the season and will conclude their stretch of the tournament Sunday at 1 p.m. ET against No. 11 Stanford.
Magon Paul (Virginia Beach, Va.) earned the win in the circle for the Black and Gold in the opening game versus the Cowgirls (3-1), allowing only four earned runs on six hits in 6.1 innings of work.
Abby McClain (Waterloo, Iowa) and Breanne Javier (Castaic Calif.) both posted two hits in the contest, while Javier also contributed two runs and a RBI.
Javier gave the Knights a one-run advantage right off the bat against the Cowgirls, hitting a RBI single down the right field line to score Tiffany Lane (Moreno Valley, Calif.) from second base in the first inning. Lane led off the frame with a single through the right side and moved into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt from McClain.
Oklahoma State went one up on the Black and Gold with two runs in the second inning, but Land did not let that stand for long, taking the second pitch of the inning over the left field fence for her first career home run.
UCF broke the game open in the third inning, plating four runs on four hits, which included a RBI double from Hillary Barrow (Miami, Fla.) and a two-RBI single from Lindsay Dean (Jacksonville, Fla.). Also coming up big for the Black and Gold in the frame were McClain and Javier, who started the inning with back-to-back singles.
The score remained the same through the next three and one half innings, before Oklahoma State scored two runs in the bottom of the sixth, cutting the Knights' lead to one run, 6-5.
UCF gave itself some breathing room in its final at-bat, plating two runs to go up by three. McClain reached on a single with one out, before a fielder's choice put Javier in her place. Barrow was hit by a pitch to put Javier in scoring position, before Vanessa Perez (San Diego, Calif.) scored Javier with a single to right centerfield. Barrow scored the Knights' eighth run of the contest and sealed the victory on a wild pitch to the backstop.
In game two against Western Michigan (2-2), the Knights had an early deficit to overcome, as the Broncos scored five runs in the opening frame and five more in the third.
UCF plated a run in the fourth inning on a Cole single through the left side after Javier had reached on a lead-off walk and moved to third on two wild pitches.
Javier paced the Knights in the nightcap, posting a hit, a walk and scored the only run for the visiting team, while Cole had UCF's only other hit, a RBI single.
Diana Rojas (Miami, Fla.) took the loss in the circle, allowing five runs on three hits in 0.2 innings of work. Kristina DeMello (Mead, Wash.) tossed 2.1 innings of relief for the Black and Gold, allowing five runs on six hits, while striking out one.
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.
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