East Carolina University
No. 25 UCF
East Carolina Takes Down No. 25 UCF, 2-1
May 06, 2016 | Softball
Box Score | East Carolina 2, No. 25 UCF 1 
ORLANDO, Fla. - The East Carolina softball team broke a 1-1 tie in the top of the seventh inning Friday on the way to a 2-1 victory over No. 25 UCF in the team's series opener at the UCF Softball Complex.
ECU has won three league games in a row and moved into sixth place temporarily in the league standings thanks to UConn's 8-0, five-inning loss at Tulsa.
The Knights (33-19, 10-4 AAC) recorded seven of the game's 11 hits but the Pirates used an efficient complete-game performance by junior RHP Lydia Ritchie (13-10) who needed just 88 pitches to earn the victory in the circle. Jamie Ujvari (7-3) threw 6.1 innings allowing two runs on four hits with two walks and five strikeouts.
Junior first baseman Ali Ramirez tallied two hits and scored the game-winning run to lead East Carolina offensively while Linnea Goodman and Cassady Brewer notched a pair of hits apiece for the home side.
How it Happened: East Carolina put up a big threat in the top of the first inning, loading the bases with outs when Ramirez singled up the middle. However, the UCF right fielder made a running catch on a Nicole Cheek fly ball to leave the bags full. The Knights used a Brewer single and Samantha McCloskey walk to open the bottom of the second. A sacrifice bunt by Kalyn Cenal moved both runners into scoring position before a fielder's choice play erased pinch runner Tiffany Lower at home and a pop out ended the inning.
The Pirates broke onto the scoreboard first in the top of the third thanks to a leadoff triple by Ervin and an Alcorn sacrifice fly. UCF attempted to answer in the home half, getting a runner to third base, but a phenomenal grab in right center by Mitchell eliminated the threat.
Things settled down for much of the middle portion of the contest, but the Knights were able to knot the score in the bottom of the sixth thanks to a RBI double off the bat of McCloskey. Unfazed, ECU was back in business in the top of the seventh when Ramirez roped a 1-2 pitch into the left center gap for a leadoff double. She would move to third on a wild pitch and score on a Cheek sacrifice fly to make it a 2-1 game. Ritchie needed just five pitches to complete the job in the home half, inducing a lineout, groundout and flyout to seal the victory.
Bits and Pieces: East Carolina improved to 18-13 in the all-time series against UCF, including a 10-5 mark in Orlando ... The Pirates knocked off a ranked team for the first time since April 12, 2014 when they defeated then No. 15 Tulsa 10-2 in run-rule fashion (five innings) ... ECU is now 3-11 in true road games this season while UCF falls to 24-7 at home ... East Carolina improved to 18-8 when scoring first in a game ... The Pirates won for the second time this campaign when recording less hits than their opponent.
Up Next: East Carolina and UCF will play the middle game of their series Saturday at 6 p.m.
