ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFKnights.com) - The Knights sealed a 2-1 victory over FAU with a bases-loaded 4-2-3 double play in the top of the seventh to kill the Owls rally and grab their 30th win of the season Tuesday night at the UCF Softball Complex. .
Erin Emanuel went 2-for-3 with an RBI, while Brooke Barlow went 1-for-1 with the go-ahead RBI in the sixth to secure the win for the Knights.
Cierra Word picked up her third win of the season coming in for Kamryn Toney in the fourth. Alea White picked up her third save of the season entering the game in the seventh.
The Knights improve to 30-16 on the season and remain 8-4 in the American Athletic Conference, while FAU drops to 22-22.
The Owls came out of the gate collecting three walks and one hit for one run to go up, 1-0 on the Knights.
It was a defensive battle through five-and-a-half innings with a combined five hits between the Owls and the Knights, but UCF broke through in the sixth to give the Knights' a burst of light.
Aubrey Johnson ignited the offense with a single down the left field line and junior Jazmine Esparza followed with a single up the middle to put runners on first and second for UCF. Courtney Rotton entered the game to pinch run for Johnson, and Rotton and Esparza were able to put themselves in scoring position off a pass ball.
With a 1-1 count, Emanuel ripped a ball into left field plating Rotton to knot the score at one-all. The Knights took the lead after Barlow hit a sacrifice fly to right field and Esparza beat the throw home to go up, 2-1 in the bottom of the sixth.
FAU loaded the bases in the top of the seventh after three walks and an error by the UCF defense. With one out, and three runners on for FAU, the Knights turned a game-ending double play when Tatum Buckley hit a grounder to Johnson at second who went home for one out and Brewer tossed it over to first for the third.
The 30 wins this season surpasses the Knights' win from last year when they went 29-23 overall.
Cassady Brewer, went 1-for-2 with a walk to make it 13 straight games the junior has reached base.
ON DECK
The Knights are on the road for six straight conference road games starting with a series with Wichita State from Friday, April 19 through Sunday, April 21 followed by a trip to USF for the War on I-4 series.
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