Feb. 21, 2016
Final Stats
CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. (UCFKnights.com) - The No. 15 UCF softball team came up short in an offensive battle with No. 4 LSU. The Tigers outlasted the Knights for the 6-5 win at the Mary Nutter Classic on Saturday evening.
Junior Brittany Solis gave UCF (4-6) the 1-0 early lead. The West Hills, Calif., native stepped to the plate with one out in the top of the first and hit her second home run in as many days.
LSU (7-2) produced a three-run bottom of the frame to take a 3-1 lead, but it was short-lived.
Senior Samantha McCloskey worked a full count before drawing a walk to open the second inning. A base hit from junior Willow Kalinen put a pair of runners on, and redshirt Jasmine Acevedo's sacrifice bunt moved them into scoring position. Solis loaded the bases with a walk.
Sophomore Courtney Rotton's RBI single cut the lead to a run, but a bobbled toss to second base allowed Kalinen to score and tie the game.
Senior Jessica Ujvari doubled to left center, scoring Solis, and Rotton scored on a throwing error to put the Knights ahead 5-3.
The Tigers pulled within a run of the Knights in the bottom of the third on a sacrifice fly, and LSU used three hits to score a pair of runs in the bottom of the fourth to take the lead for good.
Willow Kalinen went 4-for-4 at the plate, tying a UCF Softball single game record for hits in a game. Brittany Solis finished 1-for-2 with two walks, two runs scored and an RBI. Courtney Rotton added a pair of hits, while Samantha McCloskey was walked three times.
The Knights close out the weekend on Sunday against No. 11 Washington at 2:30 p.m. ET.
Story by Megan Herboth; Photos by Bill Richardson and Simone Amaduzzi