March 21, 2012
UCF Athletics Social Media Directory
By Andrew Jennette
UCFAthletics.com
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - Freshman Mackenzie Audas set a UCF home record with 14 strikeouts as she helped lead the UCF softball team past Kent State 2-1 on Wednesday.
The Knights (22-10) jumped out early on the Golden Flashes (12-14) as senior Natalie Land led off the game with a solo home run to deep left field. Kent State tied the game at one in the fourth before the Knights took the lead for good in the fifth on an RBI single by senior Vanessa Perez.
From the opening inning at the UCF Softball Complex, Audas dominated. The young ace from Plant City struck out two batters in every inning on her way to a UCF home record 14 punch outs. Audas finished the complete-game victory only allowing three hits, two walks and one unearned run to lower her Conference USA-leading ERA to 1.22.
Audas' 14 strikeout performance has only been topped twice in UCF school history. Allison Kime struck out 15 at UTEP in 2008 and 18 at Florida State in 2007.
The offense was provided by the two senior leaders who hit at the top of the Knights' order. Land's leadoff long ball was her second of the season and moved her into a tie for first on the team in home runs. Perez went 2-for-3 and picked up her first game-winning RBI of the season as Land scored from second on a solid hit down the right-field line in the fifth.
UCF returns to action at 1 p.m. Saturday at Jacksonville University in a non-conference matchup.
Upcoming home games include an April 11 contest against in-state rival Florida. Season tickets are now $25 and are available online at UCFAthletics.com and Ticketmaster.com or by calling the UCF Athletics Ticket Office at (407) 823-1000.
UCF fans can follow all of the action on UCF All-Access with live video and audio. Fans also can follow UCFAthletics.com's Gametracker as well as www.twitter.com/UCF_Softball.