Feb. 27, 2012
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By Andrew Jennette
UCFAthletics.com
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - Fresh off a very successful 4-1 showing during its first home tournament, the UCF softball team looks to extend its three-game winning streak as it faces Eastern Michigan at 5 p.m. on Tuesday at the UCF Softball Complex.
This will be the third meeting of the season between the Knights and the Eagles with UCF holding a 2-0 edge thus far. The Knights downed the Eagles 7-2 on Saturday night before narrowly winning 4-3 the following afternoon. Head coach Renee Luers-Gillispie told her players to treat this unique early-season scheduling as a preview for what it will be like when the Knights open conference play.
"We talked to our players about how this is going to be the same situation we'll be in when we get to conference," Gillispie said. "We play a three-game series for each of our conference games and now that we're doing that here with Eastern Michigan, it gives us a really nice preview as to what that's going to be like. When you see the same team three times, you begin to know them inside and out and you have a pretty good scouting report on each player. So it comes down to make those small adjustments to win that third game."
UCF fans can watch and listen to the action online via Knights All-Access with the play-by-play radio voice of the Knights, Eric Lopez. Fans can also follow all the action on UCFAthletics.com Gametracker as well as www.twitter.com/UCF_Softball.
The Black and Gold enters the contest against EMU with an 8-7 record on the season. The Knights have showcased elite pitching throughout the entire season with freshman Mackenzie Audas (Plant City, Fla.) and senior Ali Schmidt (Cordova, Md.) leading UCF to a Conference USA-best 1.87 team ERA.
Schmidt, the reigning C-USA Pitcher of the Week, currently leads the team with a 1.00 ERA in seven appearances. Schmidt turned in the best performance of her career against Eastern Michigan on Saturday as she pitched a complete-game victory and only allowed five hits and one earned run while setting career-best marks with 12 strikeouts and no walks. Audas currently leads UCF with four victories, 59 innings pitched, 56 strikeouts and a .201 batting average against. Audas also defeated Eastern Michigan on Sunday as she tallied her eighth complete game of the season. Audas struck out seven to increase her C-USA leading total.
Eastern Michigan (2-4) opened their season this weekend at the UCF and Courtyard by Marriott Invitational. The Eagles defeated Seton Hall and Jacksonville, but dropped two games each to Florida Gulf Coast and UCF. EMU will likely pitch junior Jenna Ignowski against the Knights on Tuesday. Ignowski made three starts over the weekend and picked up both of the Eagles' victories on her way to a 2-1 record. However, none of her three starts came against UCF.
The Black and Gold have 25 home games remaining 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.