March 13, 2009
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - The UCF softball team will host UAB in its 2009 Conference USA home-opener this weekend at the UCF Softball Complex. The three-game league-series will kick-off with a 1 p.m. doubleheader on Saturday, before concluding with a Noon contest on Sunday. Fans coming to the games on Saturday will be able to pick up the Knights' limited-edition 2008 C-USA Championship poster and will have the opportunity to get it signed by the team at the conclusion of the day's contests.
GAME DAY ESSENTIALS
? Schedule
Saturday, March 14
1:00 p.m. - UCF vs. UAB (Game One)
3:00 p.m. - UCF vs. UAB (Game Two)
Sunday, March 15
12:00 p.m. - UCF vs. UAB
? The Coaches
UCF: Renee Luers-Gillispie
UAB: Marla Townsend
? Records
UCF: 14-14, 0-3 C-USA
UAB: 9-12, 2-1 C-USA
? Series
UAB leads UCF, 5-4
? Last Meeting
UCF 2, Ball State 0 (2008)
? UCF's Last Time Out
3.10.2009
vs. Kennesaw State, L, 1-3
? Radio
Stretch Radio
(UCFAthletics.com)
? Live Video
Knights All-Access
(UCFAthletics.com)
? Live Stats
Gametracker
(UCFAthletics.com)
? The Knights welcome UAB to the UCF Softball Complex this weekend for their Conference USA home-opener with 14-14 record on the season, including a 0-3 league-mark. The three-game series with the Blazers gets underway with a 1 p.m. doubleheader on Saturday, before concluding with a single game at Noon on Sunday.
? UAB leads the all-time series with the Black and Gold, 4-5, despite UCF taking two of three games from the Blazers on the road last season. The Knights opened the weekend with an opening-game loss, before bouncing back to take two-straight from the home team in Birmingham.
? Last season's first victory against UAB marked a major milestone in the career of head coach Renee Luers-Gillispie, as the skipper recorded career-win No. 500 in the, 3-2, victory on March 15.
? UCF looks to pick up its first league-victory of 2009 this weekend when the Blazer's travel to Orlando. The Knights opened their C-USA schedule with three losses on the road to Tulsa last weekend.
? After taking two of three games from Southern Miss in its C-USA-opening series last weekend, UAB boasts a 9-12 overall record in 2009 and a 2-1 league-mark. The Blazers are led offensively by redshirt junior Martina Landrum. The outfielder is hitting .377 (23-for-61) with three doubles, two triples and 17 runs scored. On the mound, Lindsey Croft has logged the most time, posting a 3.67 ERA and 61 strikeouts in 84.0 innings pitched.
THE QUEST FOR 300
With 14 wins on the season, the UCF softball team and Renee Luers-Gillispie need only eight more wins in 2009 for the duo to reach the 300-win mark at the Division I level. Gillispie and the Knights currently hold a 292-197-1 all-time record.
MAKING HER WAY BACK
With her pinch-running appearance Tuesday against Ball State, Morgan Bullard saw action in a contest for the first time since Feb. 7, when she suffered an injury at then-No. 2 Arizona State. Before being sidelined, the junior was batting .600 (3-for-5) with a double, two RBI, one run scored and a stolen base in two-games started.
TURNING TWO
With 15 double plays on the season, the Knights rank tops among their C-USA counterparts by seven DPs. The closest league team to the Black and Gold in the category is UTEP, who has turned eight double plays this year. UCF also leads the C-USA in four additional defensive categories, including chances (887), putouts (583), assists (267) and number of runners caught stealing (12).
TWO FOR ONE
Mary Helen Tyler posted two hits and a double in the Knights' loss to Kennesaw State Tuesday to pace the UCF offense. The transfer from Tallahassee Community College has hit a team-leading .350 with 14 hits, four doubles, a triple, seven RBI and six runs scored in games played at the UCF Softball Complex this season, while also pacing the offense with a .458 on-base percentage.
HOLDING ON AFTER SIX
When the Knights hold the lead heading into the seventh inning this season, they are flawless. The Black and Gold has recorded a perfect 12-0 record when leading after the sixth inning, giving up only nine runs to the competition in the seventh inning, while scoring 20 in the sixth frame.
STREAKER
With her single in the fifth inning against Kennesaw State on Tuesday, Hillary Barrow extended her hitting streak to five games. The junior's five-game stint is her longest of 2009, while she needs to hit safely in two more contests to match her career-high of seven games.
SEASON-HIGH
Juniors Kristina DeMello and Ashleigh Cole combined for 11 strikeouts in the circle for UCF in its loss to Kennesaw State on Tuesday. DeMello, who threw 4.0 innings, paced the pitching staff with six strikeouts, while Cole added five in 3.0 innings of work.
KEY TO SUCCESS
If the Knights are able to score before their opponents this season, they are more likely to hold on for the win. Through 28 games this season, the Black and Gold is 8-3 when it plates the first run of the contest, but holds a 6-11 record when its opponent scores first.
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