March 11, 2015
UCF Athletics Social Media Directory
By Megan Herboth
UCFKnights.com
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFKnights.com) - Senior Kahley Novak tied a UCF Softball record her 102nd career stolen base as the Knights earned a pair of wins in a doubleheader against Northern Illinois at the UCF Softball Complex on Wednesday.
"It was nice to tie the record at home," Novak said. "I knew that I was close, but it was great to be able to do it here. It's nice to share it with our fans that have been supporting us from the beginning."
UCF (22-4) opened the day with a 4-2 win over the Huskies and warmed up the bats for a 6-1 win in game two.
"It was a great doubleheader against Northern Illinois," UCF head coach Renee Luers-Gillispie said. "I was very excited about the team seeing some good at-bats and making some good decisions offensively."
Senior Mackenzie Audas started both games for the Knights, giving her 108 career starts, which set a new UCF Softball record. In the first game, she recorded her seventh game with 10 or more strikeouts as she finished with 12.
"I felt pretty good today, and I think that showed," Audas said. "It was hot; I was getting tired, but you've just got to battle through it. (Mackenzie Huhn) made her first appearance in the second game and she did awesome. She's a great pitcher."
Senior Farrah Sullivan put the Knights on the scoreboard early in the first game with an RBI single that got by the glove of the first baseman and allowed Novak to score. Junior Kalyn Cenal's leadoff hit in the bottom of the second was a solo homer to left field that made it a 2-0 game.
Three consecutive singles loaded the bases for senior Maddy Schroeder, who reached on a fielder's choice. Sophomore Brittany Solis scored on the play to extend the UCF lead to 3-0. Each team added a run in the fourth inning to make it a 4-1 ball game.
NIU plated a run in the top of the sixth inning to cut the deficit to a pair of runs, but a combination of the UCF pitching staff and the defense kept the Huskies from closing the gap and secured the UCF win.
Game 2: UCF 6, NIU 1
Sophomore Linnea Goodman got things started for the Knights in the second game, leading off with a double to left field. Sullivan drew a walk to put runners on the corners for freshman Courtney Rotton, whose sacrifice fly put the Black and Gold up 1-0 early.
With one out in the bottom of the third, Sullivan turned a 2-2 count into a home run over the right field wall. The senior gave the Knights a 2-0 lead with her first home run of the season.
UCF followed up a one-run third with a four-run fourth inning. Junior Jessica Ujvari led off with a solo homer just over the top of the wall in left center. The Knights loaded the bases again for Rotton, who walked in the second run of the inning for UCF. Cenal's single to center field scored another run, and Solis' hard hit to the outfield gave the Knights a 6-0 advantage over the Huskies.
NIU used a sacrifice fly to score its lone run of the game in the top of the fifth, but junior Mackenzie Huhn, who came on in relief in the top of the sixth, kept the Huskies to just one run in the game.
UCF Softball, which is presented by City Kia of Greater Orlando, closes out spring break with the UCF Spring Fling Tournament, which begins Friday. Monmouth, Fairfield, Butler, UIC and James Madison will all play at the UCF Softball Complex.