April 22, 2012
UCF Athletics Social Media Directory
By Andrew Jenette
UCFAthletics.com
ORLANDO, FLA. (UCFAthletics.com) - Senior Tawny Swan went 3-for-5 with a triple and two RBI as the UCF softball team won the conference series over Memphis by splitting a doubleheader at the UCF Softball Complex on Sunday.
The Knights (34-13, 12-6 Conference USA) defeated the Tigers (19-33, 7-14) 7-4 in a continuation of Friday night's second game before falling 3-0 in the afternoon contest.
Game 2 - UCF 7, Memphis 4 - Box Score
Before play was suspended Friday due to rain, freshman Hayley Barrow hit the first home run of her career off the foul pole in left in the bottom of the second to tie the game at one. Later in the inning, Swan hit an RBI triple that bounced off the wall and put the Knights up 2-1. Freshman Madeline Schroeder then followed with an RBI groundout that scored Swan and increased the lead to 3-1.
When play resumed Sunday in the bottom of the third inning, the Knights first three batters loaded the bases, and the Knights scored two runs when freshman Kahley Novak hit an RBI infield single. A throwing error by the Tigers' pitcher allowed another run to come in unearned on the play.
After the Tigers scored three in the top of the fifth to cut the lead to one, the Black and Gold responded as Novak singled and eventually advanced to third on a stolen base, her 16th of the season. Swan then plated Novak with an RBI infield single. UCF tacked on another unearned run after another Tigers' error in the bottom of the sixth.
Ali Schmidt picked up her 11th victory of the season as she scattered 10 hits and five walks in seven innings. Schmidt recorded eight strikeouts in a season-high 139-pitch effort.
Game 3 - Memphis 3, UCF 0 - Box Score
UCF's hitters could not get anything going at the plate as the Knights offense managed just two hits and five total base runners in a 3-0 defeat in the series finale.
The Knights had a pair of singles, two walks and one batter reach on a hit by pitch, but they could not take advantage of the few opportunities they had as they were unable to break through on the scoreboard.
Senior Vanessa Perez was hit by a pitch for the 10th time this weekend, breaking the single-season school record held by Abby McClain. Perez is also the UCF career-leader in being plunked with 23.
Freshman Mackenzie Audas picked up the loss, dropping her record to 18-7. Audas went seven innings and allowed six hits and one earned run with three walks and five strikeouts. Despite the loss, Audas maintained her conference lead in wins (18), ERA (1.13) and strikeouts (218).
The Knights have four home games remaining, including senior day on April 29 against Houston. Tickets are available online at UCFAthletics.com and Ticketmaster.com or by calling the UCF Athletics Ticket Office at (407) UCF-1000.