Feb. 17, 2012
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By Andrew Jennette
UCFAthletics.com
SAN DIEGO, Calif. (UCFAthletics.com) - The UCF softball team (4-2) dropped both games its doubleheader vs. No. 7 Washington and UC Davis on the opening day of 22nd Annual Campbell/Cartier Classic at San Diego State. The Knights dropped a hard-fought 10-inning game to the Huskies 1-0 in the opening contest before falling 6-4 to the Aggies in the night cap.
Game One - Washington 1, UCF 0 (10 innings) - Box Score
Freshman Mackenzie Audas (Plant City, Fla.) took a tough loss in the circle despite not allowing a single earned run in 9.2 innings as the Knights fell 1-0 in 10 innings to the Washington Huskies in their first game of the 22nd Annual Campbell/Cartier Classic at San Diego State.
In a game dominated by starting pitching and sturdy defense, the young ace of the Knights pitching staff took a no-hitter into the fifth inning before giving up a leadoff single. Audas only allowed four hits and her first two walks of the season while striking out four in the 125-pitch effort.
Despite the loss, Audas lowered her season ERA to 0.89. She has allowed just 18 hits, two walks, and three earned runs while striking out 23 hitters in 23.2 innings pitched this season.
The Knights outhit the Huskies 6-4 and had multiple chances to score during the game. Senior Tawny Swan (Gilbert, Ariz.) recorded the first hit of the game for the Knights with a single through the middle in the third inning. Swan went 2-4 for the game with an opposite-field double down the left-field line in the seventh.
The Knights best chance to score came in the fourth inning as they loaded the bases with just one out thanks to a walk by junior Danielle Brewer (Apopka, Fla.), a single up the middle by senior Natalie Land (Mayo, Fla.) and a perfectly placed infield single by junior Marissa Menendez (Tampa, Fla.). However, the Black and Gold's scoring opportunity went by the wayside as the next two hitters grounded out to end the threat.
In the bottom of 10th inning, Washington plated the game winning run with a two-out RBI single.
Game Two - UC Davis 6, UCF 4 - Box Score
A four-run comeback was not enough for UCF as it dropped the second game of its Friday double header 6-4 to UC Davis at the 22nd Annual Campbell/Cartier Classic at San Diego State.
Finding themselves in an early 4-0 hole thanks to four unearned runs, the Knights battled back in the third and put up a four spot of their own in the third inning to tie the game. Senior Lindsey Selmer (Pembroke, Pines, Fla.), making her first-career start, provided the first run of the game for the Knights with her first-career hit. Selmer's RBI double into the right center gap plated a hustling junior Alena Murgatroyd (Lancaster, Calif.) all the way from first base. Murgatroyd barely slid in under the tag much to the delight of the UCF dugout after a strong relay throw from the Aggies.
Later in the inning, the Knights loaded the bases with none out thanks to Swan reaching on an error and a bunt single by leadoff hitter Kahley Novak (Clermont, Fla.). Brewer then knocked in Swan and pinch runner Lauren Aldridge (Vero Beach, Fla.) with an RBI single. Brewer's two RBI moved her into second place on the team for the season with five. Novak, who was 2-3 for the game, scored from third on a wild pitch during the next at bat.
Senior Ali Schmidt (Cordova, Md.) got the start for the Knights and scattered 10 hits in seven innings while only allowing two earned runs. The bats, however, went cold down the stretch as the Black and Gold was unable to get a hit during the final four innings as the Aggies went to their bullpen. The Aggies plated two runs in the top of the seventh inning to seal the two-run victory.
The Knights return to action at the 22nd Annual Campbell/Cartier Classic on Saturday with games against both No. 12 UCLA and host San Diego State at 1:30 p.m. and 4 p.m., respectively.
The Black and Gold will play 30 home games at the UCF Softball Complex, with season tickets for the 2012 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.