Feb. 23, 2012
Read John Denton's Knights Insider | Follow us on Twitter | Get social with the Knights on Facebook
By Andrew Jennette
UCFAthletics.com
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - Having played tournaments on both coasts the first two weekends of the season, the UCF softball team is excited to be back in Orlando to finally play in front of its home fans at the UCF & Courtyard by Marriott Invitational at the UCF Softball Complex.
The Knights begin play with a double header on Friday beginning with a 3:30 p.m. matchup against future BIG EAST conference foe Seton Hall, followed by a 5:30 p.m. contest with Jacksonville University. The tournament continues on Saturday with another double header, as the black and gold face Florida Gulf Coast at 1:30 p.m. followed by a showdown with Eastern Michigan at 6 p.m. The tournament concludes for UCF on Sunday as head coach Renee Luers-Gillispie's squad will again play Eastern Michigan at 1 p.m.
Fans can follow all of UCF's tournament games via UCF All-Access for streaming video, via UCFAthletics.com Gametracker, and on the Knights official twitter feed www.twitter.com/UCF_Softball. For additional information regarding the UCF & Courtyard by Marriott Invitational fans can click here.
Despite their 4-6 record, UCF has played well this season and has battled many nationally ranked opponents down to the final at-bat. UCF has dropped four games this season in their opponents' last chance, the most recent loss being a 6-2 defeat at No. 25 Florida State in nine innings.
The black and gold have showcased elite pitching all season as they hold a Conference USA best 1.90 team ERA. The Knights pitching staff has been paced by freshman Mackenzie Audas (Plant City, Fla.) and senior Ali Schmidt (Cordova, Md.). Audas currently leads the Knights with two wins, six complete games and 41 strikeouts in 45 innings. Schmidt is the team-leader in ERA with a sterling 1.05 mark in four appearances. Schmidt has one win and one saves for the Knights.
"We've lost six in a row and whenever that happens, it's very difficult on the players and coaches alike," Gillispie said. "That said, we know that we can play with anyone in the country right now. We just have to figure out the one or two things that have been missing so we can close out these wins. We really could be 9-1 or 8-2 right now and on our way to being ranked in the top 25. We just have not learned how to finish games yet."
On Friday, the black and gold will face Seton Hall in their first game. The Pirates are currently 1-2 and are led by freshman P/OF Danielle DeStaso both at the plate and on the mound. DeStaso is hitting .556 with two home runs and four RBI and also holds 1.80 ERA in five innings pitched. UCF holds a 1-0 mark all-time against Seton Hall with the last meeting coming February 2007. The second matchup on Friday will pit the Knights against Jacksonville University. The Dolphins are currently 4-7 and are led by senior 2B Melissa Morales, who has a .500 batting average in four starts. The Dolphins pitching staff is led by junior Dale Townsend, who is 1-2 with a 2.28 ERA in three starts this season. UCF has an 11-1 all-time record against the Dolphins.
On Saturday, UCF goes head-to-head with Florida Gulf Coast. The Eagles are currently 4-6 and are coming in on a one-game winning streak. The Eagles are led by freshman 1B/OF Kelsey Carpenter, who is hitting .400 with two home runs and seven RBI in seven starts this season. The Eagles pitching staff is led by freshman Shelby Morgan, who is 3-1 with a 2.16 ERA in four starts this season. UCF has never competed against Florida Gulf Coast. The second matchup of the day will feature the Knights against Eastern Michigan. This weekend will mark the first time the Eagles have seen action this season. UCF has a 3-0 all-time record against Eastern Michigan with the last meeting coming in February 2009. On the final day of the event, the black and gold will take on the Eagles for the second time.
The Black and Gold will five of their 30 scheduled home games this weekend at the UCF Softball Complex. The next home game following this weekend's UCF & Courtyard by Marriott Invitational will be Tuesday, February 28 against Eastern Michigan. Season tickets for the 2012 season cost only $40 and are general admission. Single-game tickets are also available for $5 for adults, $2 for UCF faculty/staff, youth and seniors, and $3 for groups of 20 or more. To purchase single game or season tickets, call the UCF Ticket Office at (407) 823-1000.