March 19, 2010
| Game Day Essentials UCF vs. Houston |
| Where ? UCF Softball Complex (600) Orlando, Fla. Schedule Team Records Series Record Promotions |
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - Coming off a mid-week loss to Drake, the UCF (14-11, 1-1 C-USA) softball team looks to return to its winning ways when it hosts Houston (15-9, 3-0 C-USA) in a Conference USA series this weekend at the UCF Softball Complex. The three-game tilt kicks off Saturday with a 1 p.m. doubleheader, before concluding Sunday with a single game slated for 12 p.m.
Once again, the Knights will have many exciting promotions for the series. For Saturday's doubleheader, the first 150 fans will receive a free UCF stretchy headband, while UCF Softball Bingo will also be taking place on both days.
In Wednesday's contest against Drake, the Knights looked as if they would take the lead early in the first inning, putting runners on second and third with two outs, but the Bulldog's defense was able to hold the Black and Gold scoreless throughout the game.
UCF was able to tally three hits in the defeat, one of which extended Natalie Land's (Mayo, Fla.) season-best hitting streak to six games. The sophomore has paced the Knights' offense during the stretch with a .529 batting average, nine hits, three doubles, four runs scored, three stolen bases, a .706 slugging percentage and a .600 on-base percentage.
The Cougars also took to the field for a pair of mid-week contests against North Dakota State Tuesday, sweeping the Bison in the doubleheader, 4-3 and 6-3, respectively, to extend their winning streak to eight games. In the pair of victories, Houston belted out five home runs, which included two from sophomore Melissa Gregson. The catcher would have had three round-trippers, but one was called back due to a lineup card error.
In the all-time series, the Knights trail the Cougars, 3-9, but have won two of the team's last three meetings, which included a doubleheader split last season and a 4-2 victory at Cougar Softball Stadium to claim the C-USA Championship crown in 2008. The series sits at 1-5 when the games are played in Orlando and at 2-4 when playing in Houston.
Season tickets for the 2010 season are only $40 and are on sale now, while single-game tickets are also available for purchase. Tickets can be purchased online at UCFAthletics.com or through the Athletics Ticket Office by calling (407) 823-1000.
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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