ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFKnights.com) - Kyra Klarkowski and Aubrey Johnson each homered Friday night in the first game of the three-game series with Memphis, but the Knights dropped the evening matchup, 8-3.
Cassady Brewer reached base for the tenth game in a row, while Denali Schappacher and Erin Emanuel added two hits each.
UCF moves to 27-16 overall and 6-4 in the American Athletic Conference, while Memphis improves to 30-12 overall and 6-4 in conference play.
The Friday duel was a defensive battle to begin with each team collecting just one hit until the fourth inning.
In the fourth, the Tigers' leadoff batter reached on a UCF miscue and moved around the horn to go up 1-0 on the Knights.
UCF answered in the bottom of the fourth when Klarkowski blasted a home run to straight-away center to knot the score, 1-1.
In the top of the fifth, Memphis collected three runs on three hits to retake the lead, 4-1.
The Knights answered again with a two-run home run from Johnson, her sixth on the season, to make a 4-3 game heading into the sixth.
UCF got the bats going again in the bottom of the sixth loading the bases with two outs, but the threat was over with a routine ground ball to second to retire the side.
The Tigers tacked on four more runs on five hits in the top of seventh to make it an 8-3 final.
Alea White was charged with the loss to move her to 21-11 on the season giving up six earned runs on ten hits in 6 1/3 innings pitched, while collecting four strikeouts.
ON DECK
UCF softball action continues Saturday, April 14 at 2 p.m. as the team holds their annual Strike Out Cancer Game wearing pink jerseys and the program will honor the 2008 UCF Softball team for their stellar season as they were crowned Conference USA Champions and made it the championship game of the 2008 NCAA Regional tournament in Gainesville.
STRIKE OUT CANCER
Saturday, April 14th, will be "Strike Out Cancer" Game for softball. They will be wearing pink jerseys and we will be auctioning them off during the game. All proceeds will go to Friends of Jaclyn Foundation. The Friends of Jaclyn Foundation is a 501(c)(3), non-profit, charitable organization that improves the quality of life for children with pediatric brain tumors and their families by matching each child with a collegiate or high school athletic team.
The auction will begin at 1 p.m. on Saturday when gates open. If you cannot make it out to the game, but would like to bid on a jersey, please contact Kyle Sheppard 321-749-4585. Auction will close after the last pitch of the 5th inning.
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