April 7, 2010
| UCF vs. No. 16 Florida State April 7, 2010 |
| Orlando, Fla. (UCF Softball Complex) | ||||||||||
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E |
| Florida State | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 7 | 2 |
| UCF | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 4 |
Game Notes
? WP: FSU - Sarah Hamilton (14-3)
? SV: FSU - Terese Gober (1)
? LP: UCF - Ashleigh Cole (14-10)
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? Tiffany Lane extended her season-high hitting streak to seven games with a RBI single in the second inning.
? Also extending her hitting streak in the contest was fellow junior Abby McClain. The catcher improved her season-best streak to five games.
? Ashleigh Cole's complete-game outing was the 20th of the season for the right handed pitcher, a mark that ranks ninth on the UCF season register.
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - The UCF softball team struggled defensively Wednesday night as it suffered a 6-1 loss to No. 16 Florida State in front of 511 fans at the UCF Softball Complex. The loss dropped the Knights' record to 22-17 on the year, while the Seminoles improved to 34-7.
The Black and Gold totaled four errors in the contest, all of which led to runs for visiting FSU.
In the circle, Ashleigh Cole (Pace, Fla.) tossed another gem of a game for the Knights, allowing only one earned run on seven hits, while striking out two in her 20th complete-game outing of the season. The hurler fell to 14-10 on the year with the loss, but dropped her ERA from a 1.63 to a 1.60 in the appearance.
"Ashleigh continues to do her job on the mound for us," head coach Renee Luers-Gillispie said. "She and (catcher) Abby (McClain) worked really well together tonight. I think this was the best I've seen from them in a while in regards to calling a game. Ashleigh had the numbers, but we have to make the plays behind her."
Freshman Marissa Menendez (Tampa, Fla.) paced the Black and Gold at the plate, going 2-for-3 with one run scored, while Abby McClain (Waterloo, Iowa), Tiffany Lane (Moreno Valley, Calif.) and Mary Helen Tyler (Marianna, Fla.) each tallied a hit for UCF.
Lane posted the only RBI for the Knights in the contest with a single to left field in the second inning and also extended her hitting streak to a season-high seven games with the knock.
"Tiffany can be such a leader when she is producing offensively," Luers-Gillispie said. "When she gets on base, a lot of great things can happen for us. About three weeks ago, she decided that she needed to focus on what she can do to help this program, and now she is starting to slap more and is putting the ball in play, which challenges the defense a little more. She's always had the defense, but now she is really starting to hit by going back to playing small-ball like she did as a freshman."
The Seminoles took an early five run lead after posting one run in the first and four in the second, but the Knights answered back in the bottom of the second inning with a run of their own. Menendez led off the frame with a single to the left side, before a fielding error by FSU's shortstop and a single by Tyler loaded the bases with no outs for the Black and Gold. Seminole starter Sarah Hamilton managed to post two strikeouts to put two outs on the board, but it was Lane who delivered the punch with a RBI single to left field to score Menendez from third to cut Florida State's lead to four runs.
After Arielle Palafox (Lakewood, Calif.) suffered an injury in the fourth inning on a bang-bang play at first base, Ashley Schmitt (Tampa, Fla.) entered the game for the Black and Gold at third base. The junior would prove to be a spark for UCF's defense as she made a diving play and served as a vocal leader in the field.
"Ashley did a great job at third base," Luers-Gillispie said. "Not only defensively, but her communication in the field really gave the team a lift. For her to come in off of the bench and be the spark we needed really put the team back in the game."
The Knights would hold the Seminoles scoreless through the next three innings, but tough-hitting FSU pushed another run across in the sixth inning on UCF's fourth error of the contest to extend its advantage to five runs, 6-1.
With a runner in scoring position with no outs, the Black and Gold had the opportunity to plate at least one more run in the bottom of the frame, but reliever Terese Gober managed to get out of the jam with three-straight outs to end the inning. The hurler would then retire the side in the seventh inning to pick up her first save of the year.
The Knights return to the diamond this weekend when they travel to Huntington, W.Va., for a Conference USA showdown with Marshall. The three-game series opens with a 1 p.m. doubleheader Saturday, before concluding with a 12 p.m. contest Sunday.
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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