April 19, 2009
Game One Box Score | Game Two Box Score
HOUSTON, Texas (UCFAthletics.com) - Abby McClain (Waterloo, Iowa) belted her fifth home run of the season in the nightcap Saturday afternoon to help lead the UCF softball team to a split with Conference USA-rival Houston at Cougar Softball Stadium. The Knights fell in the first game, 6-4, before bouncing back with a, 3-1, victory in game two.
McClain paced the Black and Gold offense in the contest, going 2-for-2 with a home run, two runs scored and a RBI, while senior Lindsay Dean (Jacksonville, Fla.) also posted two hits for the visiting team, while scoring a run.
Fellow senior Breanne Javier (Castaic, Calif.) added a single and a RBI, while freshman Natalie Land (Mayo, Fla.) also recorded a hit.
Kristina DeMello (Mead, Wash.) earned her seventh win of the season in the circle for UCF, allowing only one run on three hits, while striking out seven in a complete-game outing. The junior is now 7-7 on the season and has totaled 79 strikeouts on the year.
Javier opened the scoring in the second game against the Cougars in the third inning, driving in McClain from third base with a single up the middle of the infield.
Two wild pitches from Houston reliever Baillie Lott allowed Dean to score after reaching on a single to right field to put the Knights up by two runs through three and one-half innings, before a solo home run off the bat of McClain to lead off the fifth inning extended UCF's lead to three runs.
Houston would plate its first and only run of the contest in the bottom of the frame to make the score, 3-1, but DeMello and the Knights' defense held the Cougars scoreless in the next two innings to clinch the victory.
The Knights fell down by two runs early in the opening contest, but cut the deficit in half with a RBI single from Dean in the top of the second inning. The Black and Gold then loaded the bases with two outs in the frame, with McClain evening the game with a RBI-single to centerfield, before Tiffany Lane (Moreno Valley, Calif.) put the Knights up by one run after reaching on a fielding error by the Cougars' shortstop.
Houston tagged on runs in both the second and fourth innings, and two more runs in the top of the seventh to take the lead back and gain a three-run advantage on the Black and Gold, 6-3, heading into its last at-bat. Houston held the Knights scoreless and went on to earn the win.
Perez led the Knights at the plate in the contest, going 2-for-3 with a RBI, one run scored and a walk, while five Knights added one hit apiece.
Lane and Dean combined a pair of RBI and a pair of runs to UCF's cause, while McClain also drove in a run.
Ashleigh Cole (Pace, Fla.) was tagged with the loss in the circle, giving up three runs on four hits in four innings of relief. Magon Paul (Virginia Beach, Va.) started the game, allowing three runs, only one of which was earned, on four hits in two innings of work.
The Knights are back in action Wednesday when they take on Bethune-Cookman on the road at 4 p.m.
The UCF softball team will play its final C-USA series of 2009 against UTEP at the UCF Softball Complex on May 2-3. 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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