East Carolina University
UCF
ECU Falls To UCF Twice In Extra Innings
April 09, 2011 | Softball
April 9, 2011
UCF Game 1 Box Score | UCF Game 1 Box Score in PDF Format 
UCF Game 2 Box Score | UCF Game 2 Box Score in PDF Format
Live Chat Replay | 
Watch Highlights
GREENVILLE, N.C. - A series dominated by pitching lived up to the billing Saturday as UCF defeated East Carolina 1-0 in 11 innings and 3-2 in eight frames. During the opener, UCF's Diana Rojas held the Pirates to three hits and Patrice Fee drove in the game-winning run with a single to right field in the 11th. An eighth-inning single by Marissa Menendez plated the winner in the second game. ECU freshman Alex Fieldhouse had two hits in the opener and a double in the second contest to lead the offense. The losses snapped the Pirates' (28-13, 8-6 C-USA) seven-game winning streak against the Knights (15-22, 5-6 C-USA).
Senior Toni Paisley (21-6) suffered her first career loss to UCF in the opener after tossing all 11 innings, scattering five hits and allowing one walk. She struck out 11 for her 47th career game fanning 10 or more batters. Rojas (6-7) kept ECU off balance all game, inducing 21 groundouts and five pop outs to go along with six strikeouts. She also walked a pair in the complete-game victory.
In the second game, junior Faith Sutton (7-7) took the loss as she allowed the three runs on nine hits. She walked one and struck out three. Lacey Dinney (9-7) recorded the victory for the Knights after limiting the Pirates to a pair of runs and nine hits. She fanned six and walked one during the eight innings of work.
In the opener, UCF mounted a two-out threat in the top of the first as Natalie Land singled to left center. She stole second, but was left stranded after Abby McClain struck out looking.
ECU tallied its first hit of the game in the bottom of the third on a two-out single to right field by freshman Kristi Oshiro. Classmate Rebecca Lee followed with a grounder to the second baseman, but Oshiro was called out for interference on the play, ending the inning.
Both teams went quietly until the top of the sixth when Tiffany Lane hit a one-out single to center field and stole second. A sacrifice bunt by Allie Jest moved Lane to third with two outs. Paisley retired Tawny Swan on the first pitch of her at-bat with a pop out to freshman Chelsea Kaluhiokalani-Glackin at shortstop.
In the bottom of the sixth, the Pirates had a one-out base runner as Oshiro drew a walk. She advanced to second on a groundout by Lee, but was left stranded following another groundout.
UCF started the seventh with a walk to Land but did not score. After a fly out and strikeout, Land took off for second and was caught stealing to end the inning.
East Carolina had a chance in the bottom of the eighth, but did not convert. Fieldhouse led off with a single to right field and was replaced by pinch runner Mahrisch Medina. A sacrifice bunt by sophomore Cicely Lopez moved Medina to second with one out. Kaluhiokalani-Glackin laced one up the middle, but Rojas made the catch, turned around and doubled Medina off second to close the threat.
After not getting a runner on during the ninth or 10th innings, the Knights broke through for the game's only run in the top of the 11th. Menendez led off with a single up the middle, advanced to second on a groundout and scored on Fee's single. It was the first earned run UCF had scored against East Carolina since March 9, 2008. A fielder's choice and groundout ended the inning.
The Pirates did not go quietly in the bottom of the 11th as Fieldhouse led off with a double to the gap in right center. A groundout and pair of strikeouts, however, left her stranded on second base.
In the second game, UCF had a scoring opportunity in the top of the first but was held off the board. Swan singled to left field with one out and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Land. Swan tried to move to third on the play, but Oshiro, who was covering first, threw to Fieldhouse, who applied the tag at third base to end the inning.
The Knights scored a two-out run in the top of the second to take a 1-0 lead. After a strikeout started the inning, Kellie Todd walked and Menendez followed with a single to put runners on first and second. Vanessa Perez popped out to Oshiro in shallow right center, but Oshiro dove on the play and Todd tagged and went to third. With two outs, Fee came through with another single to right field, driving in Todd. Lane singled to load the bases, but Sutton retired Jest on a pop out to prevent further damage.
East Carolina had a chance to answer in the bottom of the inning. Junior Suzanne Riggs led off with a single, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt, advanced to third on a groundout but was left stranded after another groundout.
The Pirates got a two-out double from Lee in the bottom of the third, but a groundout ended the inning.
In the bottom of the fifth, the Pirates knotted the game at 1-1 with a two-out triple from Oshiro. A foul out and groundout started the inning, but Kaluhiokalani-Glackin doubled down the left-field line as the ball hopped over third base to stay fair. Oshiro sent an 0-1 offering from Dinney to the gap in right center to plate Kaluhiokalani-Glackin. Lee followed with a liner up the middle, but Dinney stuck out her glove and made the nice catch.
UCF retook a one-run lead at 2-1 in the top of the sixth. Land led off with an infield single and McClain followed with a single to center field to put runners on first and second with no outs. A sacrifice bunt by Todd moved the pair up a base. Menendez drove in Land with a sacrifice fly to left field. Sutton ended the threat with a foul out.
ECU threatened in the bottom of the sixth, but could not score. Sophomore Kai Clark singled to left field with one out and moved to second on a passed ball. Two strikeouts kept UCF in the lead.
Land got the UCF offense going in the top of the eighth, singling to right field. A sacrifice bunt moved her to second. After a pop out, Menendez singled to center field and the ball scooted past Riggs. Land came home on the hit to put the Knights up 3-2 and Menendez ended up on third. Sutton recorded a strikeout looking to close the half inning.
Again, ECU did not go down easily in its last at-bat, but it could not retie the contest. Fieldhouse doubled off the wall in left to lead off the bottom of the eighth and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Clark. A pair of groundouts left Fieldhouse on third.
The teams complete the series with a 12:00 p.m. game Sunday.
