Feb. 11, 2015

Box Score | Photo Gallery

COLUMBIA, S.C. – The first four UCF players had hits and scored, and the Knights (5-0) made it stand despite a South Carolina (4-2) attack that drew six walks in a 4-1 win on Wednesday afternoon at Carolina Softball Stadium at Beckham Field.

UCF leadoff hitter Kahley Novak tripled on a 1-1 pitch and scored on Linnea Goodman’s single to start the first. Jessica Ujvari added a single before Samantha McCloskey drove a 3-2 pitch out to left center for a three-run blast, handing the Knights the 4-0 lead.

South Carolina loaded the bases on three occasions, scoring a run in the sixth in that spot on junior left fielder Alaynie Page’s fielder’s choice.

Knight starter Shelby Turnier (3-0), who ranked in the top 15 in NCAA Division I in ERA and strikeouts per seven innings last year, tossed a complete game, fanning 11 while scattering five hits and six walks. Gamecock redshirt senior Julie Sarratt (2-2) was charged with the loss, allowing four earned runs on seven hits and a walk in 2.2 innings. She struck out three.

Game Changer:
UCF blasted the Gamecocks early with the first five hitters reaching via a hit.

Key Stats:
South Carolina left 12 runners on base and struck out 11 times, four times looking.

Notables:
• Gamecock sophomore Nickie Blue shut down the Knights when she entered, giving up one hit and one walk in 4.1 shutout innings. She struck out three.
• Freshman shortstop Krystan White went 2-for-2 in her first two at-bats as a Gamecock.
• Both senior catcher Sarah Mooney and redshirt sophomore second baseman Lauren Masters drew two walks in the game.
• UCF’s Farrah Sullivan went 2-for-3, the only Knight with multiple hits.

Up Next:
South Carolina hosts the Gamecock Invitational this weekend at Carolina Softball Stadium at Beckham Field, opening its portion of the event on Friday at 3 p.m. vs. Presbyterian. On Saturday at 3 p.m., the Tar Heels of North Carolina are the foe for the Gamecocks, while on Sunday, the Garnet and Black face Appalachian State and College of Charleston at 12:30 and 3 p.m., respectively.