ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFKnights.com) - UCF sophomore catcher Cassady Brewer sent the Knights' four seniors - Brittany Solis, Linnea Goodman, Willow Kalinen and Manami Calixto - off in style with a walk-off grand slam to cap a 9-0 six-inning victory over UConn. Brewer blasted a pair of homers and drove in a career-best six runs in the final home game of the season at the UCF Softball Complex.
"Our seniors did a great job today," head coach Renee Luers-Gillispie said. "[Manami] did a fantastic job of keeping us in the game and pitched into the sixth inning. Willow had three hits and was able to find a way on base. [Solis] had some fantastic plays at shortstop and really did some great things for us. Linny is always tough, making the plays and finding a way to get on."
The UCF (25-21, 9-6 The American) victory clinched the series vs. UConn (16-28, 2-12 The American). Calixto pitched into the sixth inning and improved to 4-3 on the campaign. Freshman Alea White, who earned her first save, induced a pop out to get the Knights out of a bases-loaded jam in the sixth inning.
Freshman first baseman Jazmine Esparza drove in a pair of runs with a single in the fourth inning. A 3-for-3 performance was tallied by Kalinen, while Goodman started the game off with a double. A total of one putout and five assists were recorded by Solis, who made a number of great plays at shortstop.
Brewer's Blasts
- Brewer started the game with a two-run homer and capped it with a walk-off grand slam.
- It was the first multi-homer game in her career and the first by a Knight since Solis accomplished the feat at Stetson (4/8/15).
- That game for Solis against the Hatters was also the last time that a UCF player drove in six runs and tallied eight total bases.
- Both round trippers went over the fence in right field, which is where the wind was blowing out.
"It was exhilarating to run the bases and know that I sent off the seniors with a run-rule win. Running straight into our group at home plate with Linny right there in the middle was just amazing. She is one of the players that I am hitting next to, so she is always calming me down and gives me a heads up on what the pitcher is throwing."
-Sophomore Cassady Brewer
"Cassady was the show today. We talked about having highlights in the game. She definitely won the highlight award with the grand slam to finish the game along with six RBI. We expect a lot out of her. She stepped up today and really honored the seniors.
-Head Coach Renee Luers-Gillispie
Senior Day Festivities
- Following the contest, the Knights recognized their four seniors for the contributions that they made to the program. Click here to watch the ceremony or click here for photos of the festivities.
- The quartet helped the Knights to three-consecutive NCAA Regional Finals, a pair of regular season championships in the American Athletic Conference and the 2015 American Athletic Conference Tournament title.
- Goodman and Solis are both California products and have each started over 220 games in a UCF uniform.
- Calixto is a transfer from Miami-Dade State College and notched her 13th-career victory as a Knight.
- Kalinen came to UCF as a sophomore after playing one season at New Mexico. The Scottsdale, Ariz., native has accumulated over 100 hits and is having a career season.
- The president of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) is Solis, while Goodman and Kalinen are also involved in the organization.
"The seniors brought so much leadership. They really bonded together and did a great job as seniors to help this program."
-Head Coach Renee Luers-Gillispie
"I am going to miss all of them. It was just a lot of fun getting the win under their belts as a sendoff. I wanted to make sure that their last time on this field was memorable. They deserve it, too, because they are great seniors. They have mentored all of us in a great way."
-Sophomore Cassady Brewer
Next Up
UCF travels to Bethune-Cookman for a Wednesday meeting in Daytona Beach, Fla. The first pitch of a doubleheader is set for 2 p.m.
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