ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFKnights.com) - The Knights relied on their defense on Saturday to earn a doubleheader split at the UCF Knights Invitational. UCF scrapped out a 2-1 victory over Florida A&M behind a complete-game effort from freshman Kamryn Toney, but dropped a 6-3 decision to No. 20 Kentucky.
After FAMU started off the game by scoring an unearned run, a two spot was tallied by the Knights in the second inning. Freshman third baseman Tamesha Glover led off the frame with a single up the middle and scored on a double down the left field line by sophomore catcher Cassady Brewer. A wild pitch led to Brewer scoring the eventual game-winning run.
In the seventh inning, the Rattlers had the potential game-tying run in scoring position before the Knights' defense fielded a pair of ground balls to clinch the victory.
Against the Wildcats, junior designated player Courtney Rotton blasted her first homer of the season in the sixth inning. The Knights made a late charge and had the game-winning run at the plate before the Wildcats secured the victory.
#PlayGold Defense
- The Knights' defense was phenomenal throughout the doubleheader and made a number of momentum-changing plays.
- The defense registered all 21 putouts as Toney, who did not notch a strikeout, trusted them against the Rattlers.
- Both catchers, freshman Autumn Gillespie and Cassady Brewer, picked off runners that were caught too far off bases. Brewer's pickoff erased a Rattlers' runner that singled to start the seventh frame.
- A run-saving diving catch by third baseman Glover, who dove towards the outfield to catch a liner, limited the Kentucky damage to one run in the second inning.
- Sophomore center fielder Megan Greenwell came in and made a diving catch against FAMU in the third frame to rob a base hit.
- Brewer caught a Rattler attempting to swipe a bag. It was the third runner erased on the base paths by a UCF catcher in two days.
"We know defensively that we are going to get a lot more action. We are going to need to make the big plays to cut the other team's momentum down. Our defense has worked really hard in practice, where we are always under pressure, which is helping us now in the games."
-Sophomore catcher Cassady Brewer
Late Rally Comes Up Short
- The Knights had the game-tying run against No. 20 Kentucky with two outs in the bottom of the seventh, but were unable to come up with a key hit.
- UCF loaded the bases with no outs on two hit batters and a walk. Senior shortstop Brittany Solis drove in the lone run on a sac fly.
- Heads up base running led to the first Knights run of the game by senior centerfielder Willow Kalinen, who singled and then took three bases on a groundout.
- The difference in the game was a three-run homer by Kentucky's Kierston Moore in the fourth inning that broke a 1-1 deadlock.
- Freshman Alea White (0-2) tossed her first complete game and notched four strikeouts.
"That's what I love about this team, because they just kept fighting. The walks were incredible [in the seventh inning], because a lot of times you want to press in that situation. I was very impressed with their composure. It shows they have grown mentally and they are not trying to do too much at the plate. "
-Associate Head Coach Corrie Hill
Next Up
The UCF Knights Invitational concludes on Sunday with the Black and Gold facing Pittsburgh at 11:30 a.m. Admission is free for all students, while tickets for adults start a $7. For more information about season and single-game tickets click here.
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