JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (UCFKnights.com) - The UCF Knights softball team picked up a win and a loss in the first day of the Green and Gold Classic hosted by Jacksonville University.
The Knights dropped the first contest, 7-3, against the Western Carolina Catamounts then picked up a 4-0 shutout victory over Penn State for their first win against the Nittany Lions in program history to wrap up the day.
GAME ONE
The UCF Knights collected six hits and a three-run fourth inning against the Western Carolina in the first game of the doubleheader Friday afternoon, but the Catamounts prevailed over the Knights, 7-3. Hayley Bejarano recorded a hit, an RBI, and a run, while Megan Greenwell also registered a hit and an RBI.
The Catamounts struck first with a bases clearing double in the first inning, but the Knights answered with three runs of their own.
Aubrey Johnson got on with a single and advanced to second on a Kyra Klarkowski sacrifice bunt. Bejarano then doubled deep to left center field scoring Johnson to bring up Denali Schappacher who reached on an error moving Bejarano over to third. The Knights crossed the plate two more times on a Catamount miscue to knot the game at 3-3 to end the fourth.
Western Carolina clawed back in the bottom of the fifth with a three-run home run and a single to take the lead and the win, 7-3.
Damara Begin got the start for the Knights and threw 4.1 innings giving up five hits. With the loss, she fell to 2-1 on the season.
GAME TWO
Alea White picked up her fifth win of the season pitching a complete game allowing five hits and only one walk without giving up a run against the Nittany Lions.
Courtney Rotton produced a double and a run scored in the victory, while Brooke Barlow brought in two runs on one hit and Brewer and Kaitlyn Jensen each went 1-for-2.
The Knights' defense came out strong to start off game two with Rotton converting a double play at third base followed by Brewer picking off a Penn State runner at first to end the inning.
UCF threatened in the second inning after Rotton ripped a triple to right center to put the Knights in scoring position. However, Penn State ended the Knights' threat with a strikeout and the contest remained scoreless.
In the bottom of the fourth, the Knights got on the board first after Brewer scored on a wild pitch. In the next inning, the Knights took advantage of Penn State miscues after Rotton stole third base and scored on a throwing error by the Nittany Lions putting the Knights ahead, 2-0.
The Knights struck again in the bottom of the sixth after Barlow singled up the middle plating Kaylee Misiti and Kendyl Lange extending the Knights lead to 4-0.
Penn State would muster just one more hit against the Knights in the contest as White held the Nittany Lions in check to finish off UCF's seventh win of the season.
With the pair of Friday games, UCF sits at 7-5 overall.
On Deck
The Green and Gold Classic continues on Saturday with another two game slate for the Knights facing the Catamounts for a rematch at 9:30 a.m. followed by a battle with James Madison at 12 p.m.