Feb. 27, 2016
Final Stats
No. 22 UCF - Syracuse Stats | No. 22 UCF - Charlotte Stats
KISSIMMEE, Fla. (UCFKnights.com) - The No. 22 UCF softball team swept Saturday action at the Citrus Classic II. The Knights shutout Syracuse, 4-0, before handing Charlotte its first loss of the season in a 4-1 game at the ESPN Wide World of Sports.
It's good to get on a winning streak again, head coach Renee Luers-Gillispie said. It feels really good to have confidence in each other to get these two wins today.
The seniors stepped up for the Knights in the first game. Jamie Ujvari tossed a four-hit complete game for UCF, while Kalyn Cenal went 3-for-3 at the plate.
Charlotte took an early 1-0 lead on a solo home run in the second game of the day, but an 11-strikeout performance from senior Shelby Turnier, partnered with a three-run homer from freshman Cassady Brewer proved to be too much for the 49ers.
Squeezing The Orange
* The Knights opened the day with their second shutout of the season. UCF previously defeated Fordham 4-0 on Feb. 13, and posted the same score against Syracuse.
* UCF went right to work, scoring a pair of runs in the first inning. Junior Goodman scored on a wild pitch to start the string of UCF runs. An error allowed senior Jessica Ujvari to make it a 2-0 game.
* The Knights added a run in the second on an RBI single from freshman Taylor Bell, and made it a 4-0 game on an RBI single from senior Samantha McCloskey in the fifth.
* Kalyn Cenal went 3-for-3 at the plate to lead the UCF offense, while Linnea Goodman was 2-for-3 with a walk and a run scored.
* Jamie Ujvari tossed the complete game to earn her first win of the season. The Pensacola, Fla., native fanned seven batters while holding Syracuse to four hits.
Knocking Off Charlotte
* The Knights were locked in a pitching duel in the second game of the day. Both Shelby Turnier and Charlotte's Lexi Betancourt dominated the early game in the circle.
* The 49ers took the first lead of the game with a solo home run in the bottom of the fourth inning. Charlotte carried the lead into the sixth inning.
* Junior Brittany Solis hit a one-out double to start the sixth-inning rally for UCF. The West Hills, Calif., native came around to score and tie the game on an RBI single from Jessica Ujvari.
* With two outs and runners on first and second, Cassady Brewer delivered the game-winning hit. Her three-run homer down the right field line gave the Knights a 4-1 lead.
* The UCF defense held Charlotte scoreless for the final two innings, and the Knights handed the 49ers their first loss of the season.
Cheers for Cassady
* Cassady Brewer's first collegiate home run proved to be the difference maker in the ball game.
* The Apopka, Fla., native's three-run homer came with two outs in the top of the sixth inning with the Knights trailing 1-0.
Brewer on the home run: There was a lot of pressure, but I knew my teammates had put me in a great position. I've been hitting the ball hard, it just hasn't found a hole. Today it did, and it just happened to go over the fence.
Next Up
UCF plays its first true road game of the season, traveling to North Florida for a 5 p.m. meeting with the Ospreys. The Knights kick off a 15-game home stand on March 4, hosting Middle Tennessee in the UCF Tournament.
Story by Megan Herboth; Photos by Brad Helton and Simone Amaduzzi