Feb. 16, 2011
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By Sarah Tarasewicz
UCFAthletics.com
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - The UCF softball team fell to 1-4 on the season after dropping its home-opener to visiting North Florida, 2-0, Wednesday evening at the UCF Softball Complex. Freshman hurler Haley Douglas (0-2) allowed only two runs on seven hits with four strikeouts in 6.2 innings for the Knights despite getting tagged with the loss in the circle.
"Haley did a great job on the mound tonight," head coach Renee Luers-Gillispie said about her pitcher. "I was really happy that she was able to go so deep into the game so early in the season. I think that once she gets the endurance to pitch a full game she is going to be quite successful for us."
Diana Rojas (Miami, Fla.) would come in relief to face the final two batters of the contest, shutting the pair down in 0.1 innings pitched.
On the offensive side of the ball, the Black and Gold could only tally four hits off UNF (1-5) starter Cortney Radke, who was able to post 16 strikeouts in the contest.
"We really weren't aggressive at the plate and I think that North Florida did a good job of handling us with that outside pitch and we didn't make any adjustments," Luers-Gillispie said. "We got behind in the count a lot and were never able to see that pitches that we were looking for."
Junior Allie Jest (Stone Mountain, Ga.) once again paced the squad by reaching base three times, once on a hit and twice on a pair of Osprey miscues, while senior Lindsey Palulis (Orlando, Fla.) posted her first career-hit in the loss. Juniors Natalie Land (Mayo, Fla.) and Vanessa Perez (San Diego, Calif.) accounted for one hit apiece and Abby McClain (Waterloo, Iowa) reached base with a walk.
UCF has it best scoring opportunities in the first and fourth innings after putting runners at third base with less than two outs in each frame, but Radke had the Knights' number and was able to pitch her way out of the jams.
The score remained deadlocked at 0-0 through six innings, before North Florida was able to put two across in the top of the seventh on a pair of walks, a double and a single which would hold through the remainder of the game.
The Knights are back in action this weekend when they host the UCF/Courtyard by Marriott Invitational I at the UCF Softball Complex. The squad will take on UIC, Notre Dame, Miami (Ohio) and Delaware during the event. UCF's first contest will be against the Flames at 4:30 p.m. on Friday evening.
The Black and Gold will play 33 home games at the UCF Softball Complex, with season tickets for the 2011 season costing only $40. Tickets are available for purchase online at UCFAthletics.com and Ticketmaster.com, or by calling the UCF Athletics Ticket Office at (407) UCF-1000.