March 5, 2010
| UCF vs. College of Charleston March 5, 2010 |
| Orlando, Fla. (UCF Softball Complex) | ||||||||||
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E |
| College of Charleston | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 2 |
| UCF | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 0 |
Game Notes
? WP: UCF - Ashleigh Cole (7-4)
? LP: CofC - Terri Mesko (2-4)
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? UCF's four-game winning streak is its longest stretch of 2010.
? Pitcher Ashleigh Cole has earned the win in the circle for UCF in its last four contests.
? After tallying both wins in the circle for the Black and Gold on the opening day of the UCF Tournament, Cole is only one win shy of match, and two wins from overtaking, the No. 2 spot on the UCF career register. Now in her fourth season, Cole has totaled 45 wins in her career.
? With her hit in the fifth inning, sophomore Natalie Land extended her hitting streak to four games, with her batting in the No. 2 spot for all of the contests. The streak is the longest for the Knights this season.
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - For the fourth-straight game, senior Ashleigh Cole (Pace, Fla.) was solid in the circle for the UCF softball team, as the hurler led the Knights to a 4-1 victory over the College of Charleston Friday night at the UCF Softball Complex.
The win over the Cougars at the UCF Tournament was the fourth-consecutive for the Black and Gold, with each of the contests being anchored by the consistent pitching of Cole.
After earning the win in four innings of work against Harvard earlier in the day, the senior recharged the battery to make the start in the nightcap against the College of Charleston, a move that paid off well for the Black and Gold.
"Because the first game was only five innings, we felt like Cole was strong enough to go out and start again in the nightcap," head coach Renee Luers-Gillispie said. "She really stepped up in that second game and got a big win over a tough College of Charleston team."
In her eighth complete-game of the season, Cole allowed only one run on four hits and stuck out six to earn her seventh win of 2010.
"Today was a good day for our team," Cole said following the contest. "If we can come out and play that way tomorrow, the way we know that we can, I don't think anyone will be able to beat us."
Offensively, Abby McClain (Waterloo, Iowa), Natalie Land (Mayo, Fla.) and Tiffany Lane (Moreno Valley, Calif.) each collected a hit for the home team, with McClain and senior Morgan Bullard (Columbia, S.C.) both tallying a RBI.
"I have started to get really comfortable hitting in the No. 2 spot in the lineup," Land said. "When I hit behind Abby I know that she is going to get on base, so my mindset is to move her over any way that I can."
On the day, Land went 3-for-5 with two RBI and two runs scored to pace the Knights at the plate.
The College of Charleston scored a run in the top of the first inning following a leadoff hit-by-pitch, a single and a RBI double to take an early lead on the Black and Gold.
But, after trailing by one run through the first four innings, the Knights finally turned on the offensive power switch in the bottom of the fifth inning, scoring all four of their runs in the frame on three hits, a walk and an error.
Marissa Menendez (Tampa, Fla.) led off the four-run inning with a walk and moved to second on a pinch-hit single down the left field line off the bat of Lane. The runners each advanced a base on a passed ball, before Bullard evened the game with a fielder's choice RBI to the right side. McClain drove in the go-ahead run with a single to left field, and two more runs would cross the plate for the Black and Gold in the inning on a dropped fly ball by the left fielder off the bat of Hillary Barrow (Miami, Fla.).
Cole would remain untouched in the final two frames to solidify the late-night win for UCF.
The Knights are back in action Saturday when they face Providence and Boston College at 1:30 p.m. and 6 p.m., respectively, on day two of the UCF Tournament at the UCF Softball Complex.
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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