March 27, 2009
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - The UCF softball team will take to the field for the first time after an eight-day hiatus this weekend when they travel to Greenville, N.C., for a Conference USA match-up against East Carolina. The three-game series kicks-off Saturday with a 1 p.m. doubleheader, before concluding on Sunday at Noon.
GAME DAY ESSENTIALS
? Schedule
Saturday, March 28
1:00 p.m. - UCF at East Carolina (Game one)
3:00 p.m. - UCF at East Carolina (Game two)
Sunday, March 29
12:00 p.m. - UCF at East Carolina
? The Coaches
UCF: Renee Luers-Gillispie
ECU: Tracey Kee
? Records
UCF: 16-17, 2-4 C-USA
ECU: 21-9, 6-3 C-USA
? C-USA Standing
UCF: 8th (2-4)
ECU: 2nd (6-3)
? Last C-USA Series
East Carolina 3 at UAB 0
UAB 1 at UCF 2
? Series
ECU leads UCF, 9-2
? Last Meeting
UCF 10, ECU 6 (2008)
? UCF's Last Time Out
3.19.2009
vs. Iowa, L, 1-2 (11)
? Live Video
Pirates All-Access
(ecupirates.com)
? Live Stats
Gametracker
(UCFAthletics.com)
? The Knights travel to Greenville, N.C., with a 16-17 overall record and a 2-4 Conference USA record after dropping a pair of non-conference games to FIU and Iowa on March 17 and 19. UCF's two wins in league play came against UAB in its last C-USA series on March 14-15, before having a bye-week last weekend.
? East Carolina enters the three-game league series this weekend with a 21-9 overall mark and a 6-3 C-USA record, which places them second in league standings. The Pirates swept UAB last weekend in their C-USA series, after posting one win vs. Southern Miss and taking two wins from Houston in league action.
? UCF trails East Carolina, 2-9, in the all-time series, but picked up a win in the team's last meeting in 2008. The Knights scored four runs in both the fifth and sixth innings to come from behind to down the Pirates, 10-6, at the UCF Softball Complex. Six different players posted at least two hits in the contest, with Hillary Barrow, Ashleigh Cole and Lindsay Dean all recording three RBI.
TRIPLE TIME
The NCAA National Rankings were released for the first time in 2009 this week, with Tiffany Lane pulling in the Knights' highest ranking. With seven triples this season, the sophomore ranks second among her Division I counterparts, only one behind national-leader Aud Phillips from Southern University. One more triple would tie Lane for the most in the nation and would also put the shortstop on the top of the UCF single-season record chart.
LAST TIME OUT...
The Knights dropped a pair of extra-inning contests on March 17 and 19 to FIU and Iowa at the UCF Softball Complex. In the contest with the Golden Panthers, UCF staged a seventh-inning rally to send the game into extra innings, but it was not enough as the Black and Gold fell, 8-6. Against the Hawkeyes, senior Magon Paul threw all 11 innings for the Knights, allowing only two runs on six hits, while striking out three batters. The senior improved her ERA from a 4.17 entering the contest, to a 3.55.
IN LEAGUE PLAY
With two C-USA series under its belt, UCF has two players rank in the league's top-10 in major offensive categories for games played against C-USA foes. Tiffany Lane is fourth in batting average (.524), slugging percentage (.905) and on-base percentage (.583), while tying for the league-lead in triples (1). Abby McClain sits in six in both batting average (.450) and slugging percentage (.700), and ranks eighth in on-base percentage (.542). McClain also ties for fourth in runs scored (7), while Lane is tied for sixth in hits (11).
MAKING HER MARK
Tiffany Lane made her mark in the UCF and C-USA record books in the C-USA series finale with UAB, when, in the first inning, the sophomore belted her 14th career triple. The RBI-triple gave Lane sole possession of the program's all-time record for triples, surpassing both Stephanie Best and Jania Shinhoster, who held the record together since 2005 and matched the third-highest mark in league history.
STREAKER
Sophomore Tiffany Lane has hit safely in the Knights' last seven contests, dating back to UCF's contest with Ball State on March 10. Since the streak began, the shortstop is batting .423 (11-for-26) with two doubles, a triple, a home run and six RBI. Lane also had two three-hit game and one multiple-RBI game. Freshman Vanessa Perez also holds an impressive hitting streak heading into the C-USA series at East Carolina, hitting safely in five-straight contests. Perez's streak is the longest of her career.
DOUBLE IT UP
C-USA's leader in double-plays turned, UCF has totaled 17 DPs this season, including one in each of their last two contests. The closest to the Knights in fielding double plays in the league are Memphis and UTEP, who have each turned 11 double plays this season. Not only do the Knights lead the league in double plays, but they also rank 17th nationally in the category with a 0.52 double-plays per game average. Oregon State is the NCAA leader, with a 0.78 average. Breanne Javier has had her hand in 14 of those DPs, which is also tops in the league. Shortstop Tiffany Lane has contributed to eight, which places her third in C-USA.
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