May 8, 2015
UCF Softball vs. USF (AAC Semifinals) - Images by UCF Knights
UCF Athletics Social Media Directory
By Megan Herboth
UCFKnights.com
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFKnights.com) -- Bases loaded, two outs and a tied game in the seventh inning -- who else but Jessica Ujvari would the UCF softball team want at the plate?
The 2015 American Athletic Conference Player of the Year delivered with a clutch single to left center to send home two of her teammates, propelling the No. 15 Knights to a 3-1 victory over rival USF in The American semifinals at the UCF Softball Complex on Friday evening.
The Knights now have a chance to snag their first conference tournament championship in seven years in Saturday's title game at 1 p.m. against Tulsa, which will be shown on ESPN2.
"I was really just looking for a good pitch on that at-bat," Ujvari said. "I thought that the whole game we had been making great adjustments, no matter who the pitcher was. We just wanted to see good pitches and hit it hard."
The Knights, the visiting team in the contest, took an early lead over the Bulls. With two outs in the top of the first, senior Farrah Sullivan hit a single to right field. Sophomore Brittany Solis followed with a single up the middle to put a pair on for Ujvari. Her hit landed just over the shortstop's head, scoring Sullivan to give the Knights a 1-0 lead.
Senior Mackenzie Audas and the UCF defense maintained the lead as Audas fanned five batters and the Knights kept the Bulls off the scoreboard heading into the bottom of the sixth inning.
Junior Shelby Turnier opened the bottom of the frame with a strikeout, but D'Anna Devine's single to left field gave the Bulls a runner. She advanced to second on a groundout and came around to score on an RBI single from Lee Ann Spivey. USF knotted the game at 1-1 heading to the seventh inning.
Senior Maddy Schroeder opened the final inning with a single through the left side. Schroeder stole second and a fielder's choice put a pair of runners on with no outs in the inning. Senior Kahley Novak's perfectly placed bunt rolled around the foul line before landing in fair territory, giving her ample time to reach first and load the bases. A pair of UCF strikeouts put the Knights down to their final out of the game, setting up Ujvari's game-winning hit.
USF's Kristen Wyckoff extended the bottom of the seventh with a double down the left field line, but Sullivan caught a line drive to end the game and send the Knights to the championship.
UCF Softball, which is presented by City Kia of Greater Orlando, advances to the American Athletic Conference Championship for the second straight year. In The American's inaugural campaign, the Knights came up short in the title game, falling to Louisville, 3-2.