March 11, 2016
Final Stats
No. 25 UCF - Utah stats | No. 25 UCF - FGCU final stats
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFKnights.com) - The No. 25 UCF softball team swept Friday action at the UCF Spring Fling to extend its winning streak to 14 games. The Knights topped Utah, 4-3, and defeated FGCU, 5-3, at the UCF Softball Complex.
There were a lot of great plays today, head coach Renee Luers-Gillispie said. The team was into it today. You could see that their energy level was good and they were really working hard for each other.
UCF used timely hits from freshman Cassady Brewer and junior Willow Kalinen to improve to 18-8 on the season.
Brewer's game-winning hit against the Utes brought her RBI total to two in the game. Senior Samantha McCloskey knocked a pair of hits in the win.
Friday's nightcap saw Brewer and redshirt junior Jasmine Acevedo go 2-for-3 at the plate, while Willow Kalinen drove in a pair of runs to spark a five-run fifth inning against the Eagles.
Brewer's Big Hit
* Freshman Cassady Brewer provided her second game-winning hit of the season, this one coming against Utah, who is receiving votes in the ESPN/USA Softball Top 25 poll.
* The Knights opened Friday's action against the Utes, and struck first, scoring on an RBI single from senior Samantha McCloskey.
* Utah used a solo home run to tie the game in the top of the third, and scored a go-ahead run in the top of the fourth on an RBI single.
* The Knights evened things up in the bottom of the fifth on an RBI single from sophomore Courtney Rotton, and took a 3-2 lead as Brewer drew a bases-loaded walk. Utah made it a 3-3 ball game heading to the seventh inning.
* With two outs in the bottom of the seventh, Jessica Ujvari and Samantha McCloskey were intentionally walked, bringing Brewer to the plate. She worked a 2-2 count before sending the ball over the centerfielder's head for the walk-off win.
Brewer on the hit: (Utah) shifted me a lot - the centerfielder was playing in the left centerfield gap. I knew they weren't going to come in on me. I knew if I could get it over her head, we would win, and it was a great position to be in for my teammates.
Five-Run Fifth Against FGCU
* Playing for the second time in as many days, the Knights and the Eagles were locked in a 0-0 battle heading to the bottom of the fifth inning.
* UCF went through its entire lineup in the bottom of the fifth to break the game wide open.
* Junior Willow Kalinen drove in a pair of runs with a single through the right side, and the Knights walked in the next three runs to take a 5-0 lead.
* FGCU plated a pair of runs in the sixth and tacked one on in the top of the seventh, but the Knights held off the rally and earned their 18th win of the season.
Next Up
The Knights close out the UCF Spring Fling on Saturday. UCF faces Indiana State at 5:30 p.m., and wrap up the weekend against Purdue at 7:30 p.m.
Story by Megan Herboth; Video by Chip Fontanazza