June 8, 2012
UCF Athletics Social Media Directory
By Andrew Jennette
UCFAthletics.com
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - UCF players recorded many impressive individual hitting performances during the 2012 season. Several Knights had big contests at the plate during the season as UCF hit 19 home runs and recorded 103 stolen bases as a team.
Here is a look at the top individual performances of the year:
Honorable Mention
• Lindsay Selmer vs. Eastern Michigan (2/25): 1-for-1, 1 RBI, 2 walks
• Vanessa Perez vs. East Carolina (3/31): 2-for-3, 2 runs, 3 RBI
• Hayley Barrow vs. Florida (5/19): 2-for-3, 1 double, 1 RBI
• Tawny Swan vs. Memphis (4/20): 2-for-2, 1 triple, 1 run, 2 RBI, 1 walk
• Danielle Brewer vs. Bethune-Cookman (2/11): 2-for-4, 1 double, 1 home run, 2 RBI
5. Alena Murgatroyd vs. Eastern Michigan (2/26): 2-for-3, 2 triples, 3 RBI
With UCF trailing 1-0 in the second inning, Murgatroyd ripped a two-run triple off the wall in right center to put the Knights up 2-1. Later in the game, the Knights' catcher stepped in again and blasted another triple into the same spot. Not known as the speediest player, Murgatroyd later joked that the extra base hits were the first two first of her career. The win clinched the UCF & Courtyard by Marriott Invitational for the Black and Gold, the first of two home tournament victories.
4. Madeline Schroeder at UTEP (4/6): 3-for-6, 3 runs, 1 RBI, 1 double, 2 triples, 3 walks, 1 stolen base
The Knights put together their best offensive performance of the season on April 6 as they scored 27 runs on 27 hits in a doubleheader sweep of UTEP. UCF had several big performances that day, specifically from three of the next four people on the list. Schroeder had a big day as she picked up the first double and first two triples of her career to go along with three walks, three runs scored and three stolen bases.
3. Kahley Novak at UTEP (4/6): 6-for-7, 2 RBI, 2 runs, 2 sacrifices, 1 stolen base
Novak started the year as the Knights' leadoff hitter before settling into a more comfortable role lower in the order. Hitting sixth, Novak put together the best two-game stretch of her career on April 6 in El Paso. Novak hit six singles in seven at bats while also dropping two sacrifice bunts. Novak, a C-USA All-Freshman teamer, increased her season batting average from .254 to .295 with her performance in the Friday doubleheader.
2. Natalie Land vs. Northern Colorado (3/13): 3-for-4, 1 run, 1 RBI, 1 triple, 3 stolen bases
Land, an All-C-USA First Team member, showed her versatility all season long as she led the Knights in batting average and home runs while breaking school records for stolen bases. Land's dynamic combination of speed and power was on full display against Northern Colorado. Land turned an error and a pair of singles into doubles by stealing second base three times. She also smoked an RBI triple off the wall in the second. That RBI would prove to be the difference as the Knights defeated the Bears 5-4 to snap a two-game losing streak.
1. Farrah Sullivan at UTEP (4/6): 5-for-11, 3 home runs, 2 doubles, 5 runs, 9 RBI
The top hitting performance of the season came from one of the youngest players on the Knights' roster. Sullivan, an All-C-USA Second Teamer and All-Freshman player had a monster doubleheader against UTEP. After starting out 0-3 on the day, Sullivan exploded with a three-run homer in the sixth and a two-run homer in the seventh of game one. In game two, Sullivan again started 0-2 and came back with a double in the fifth, an RBI double in the sixth and a two-run homer in the seventh. The nine RBI helped propel Sullivan to the team lead in RBI with 35. Sullivan's 35 RBI was also tops amongst all freshman in C-USA.