March 8, 2015
UCF Athletics Social Media Directory
By Megan Herboth
UCFKnights.com
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFKnights.com) - A bases loaded walk gave the No. 15 UCF softball team an 8-0 run-rule win over Michigan State to close out the UCF Knights Invitational on Sunday afternoon. UCF improved to 18-4 on the season with the win at the UCF Softball Complex.
"Earlier this week we were definitely being a little anxious with runners on, trying to do too much almost," UCF head coach Renee Luers-Gillispie said. "I think today they did a much better job of relaxing and looking for the pitch they could drive. With (as many walks as we had in the game), you could see they were a little more focused on finding a good pitch and I thought their at-bats were better today."
Senior Mackenzie Audas recorded her sixth shutout of the season and was inches away from the fifth no-hitter of the career. Michigan State's McKinzie Freimuth reached first base just ahead of the throw in the lone Spartan hit of the game. Making her 125th appearance as a Knight, Audas posted her fifth game with 10 or more strikeouts, fanning 10 batters in six innings.
"I felt like my stuff was moving and I was hitting my spots," Audas said. "I just try to tell myself to focus on the next pitch and control the things you can control."
Sophomore Linnea Goodman started the UCF offense early, leading off with a single in the bottom of the first. Senior Kahley Novak followed with a base hit and moved within three of tying the UCF Softball career record by stealing second. Senior Farrah Sullivan reached on her first of three walks in the game to load the bases.
"We saw the ball very well, even though we had a slow start," Sullivan said. "We finished it off well, putting the ball in play."
A fielder's choice allowed Goodman to push the first run across for the Knights and UCF led 1-0 after an inning of action. The Knights loaded the bases in the bottom of the fourth as Novak walked, Sullivan singled and freshman Courtney Rotton was hit by a pitch. A walk for junior Kalyn Cenal sent Novak home, increasing the UCF lead to 2-0.
The patience of the UCF offense came through in the fifth inning. With two outs, senior Maddy Schroeder drew a walk and advanced on a base hit from Goodman. Novak loaded the bases with a bunt. Back-to-back walks scored a pair of runs for the Knights to make it a 4-0 game.
Cenal scorched a three-run single out to right field to extend the UCF lead to 7-0 after five innings of action.
The UCF defense kept the Spartans off the scoreboard in the top of the sixth to hold the shutout. Junior Taylor Wagner's first hit of the season was a single up the middle to lead off the bottom of the inning. Junior Jessica Ujvari drilled a ball out to right center for a double and sophomore Andrea Neswiacheny loaded the bases with a walk.
Redshirt junior Blaire Kelley gave the Knights the run-rule win as she drew a bases loaded walk to end the game.
UCF drew 11 walks in the game, while knocking nine hits. Novak went 2-for-2 with a pair of walks and a stolen base. Sullivan drew a game-high three walks, while Cenal batted in a game-best four runs.
UCF Softball, which is presented by City Kia of Greater Orlando, returns to action on Tuesday, hosting Mercer at 4:30 p.m. The Knights welcome South Dakota for a 7 p.m. game at the UCF Softball Complex on Tuesday as well.