Softball takes UTEP series 2-1

Allie Jest set the school record for the longest consecutive hit-streak at 16 games as the Knights defeated UTEP 6-0 Sunday afternoon, finishing its first Conference USA series two games to one.

"I have been pretty confident at the plate so far this season," Jest said.

Lacey Dinney took the mound allowing three hits with eight strikeouts in seven innings pitched.

UCF (9-17, 2-1) got on board first after Jest singled. Tawny Swan got on base with a walk and then Swan and Jest initiated a double steal. Natalie Land doubled to left field, scoring Jest.

"When Allie leads off the game with a hit it's almost like, ‘Oh yeah, we've got this', and it is almost automatic," said senior Abby McClain.

This was Jest's first C-USA series as a Knight, after transferring from Tallahassee Community College.

McClain singled to center field, scoring Land and Swan. The Knight's offense didn't strike again till the sixth inning when first baseman Marissa Menendez crushed a one run homer to right field to put the Knights up 4-0.

"I didn't start off too good, but I was just thinking that this girl is not going to get me out three times in a row and make me look like an idiot," Menendez said.

That was Menendez's first home run at the UCF Softball Complex in regular season play.

Menendez who follows Jest and McClain in the batting order says she feels good knowing there are always people in front of you that are going to get on base.

The Knights split their C-USA opener on March 12 with a 2-1 win and a 3-2 loss against the Miners.

"Today I was just going up there every time taking a deep breath, looking at the pitcher and hitting the ball as hard as I could up the middle," Jest said. "As long as I keep putting the ball in play they have to work hard to get me out, because I'm pretty fast."

In Game Two of Saturday's doubleheader, Diana Rojas gave up six hits and was tagged with the loss.

The Miners (11-13, 1-2) scored all three of their runs in the second inning on five hits and one error. The Knights scored one in the third and Vanessa Perez picked up the only RBI of the game with a single in the fourth. The Knights left three on base in the fifth and two on in the seventh but didn't score any runs either time.

In UCF's win earlier in the day, the Knights held the lead the entire game. Jest hit an RBI-single in the second and Marissa Menendez added one of her own RBI-singles in the third.

"I wasn't trying to do much, I was just going up there wanting to hit the ball hard into play," said Menendez, who had the game-winning hit. "And it turned out that it fell in the right spot."

Dinney struck out four and gave up four hits in her fifth win of the season.

"It was a good game today," Dinney said. "My pitches were really moving and I was doing my best to keep their hitters off balance, and it turned out successful."

Notes

— The Knights played two games on March 8 against Ball State and North Carolina, both of which were lost, 7-5 and 7-6.

— In UCF's final in the Courtyard by Marriott Invitational, the Knights won two and lost two. UCF dropped both games on March 4 to South Alabama and Virginia Tech (both 7-3 losses) but won both games on March 5. The Knights beat Monmouth 11-10 in 11 innings and they beat Florida A&M 5-1.

— Coach Gillispie's 600th career victory came in the win over Florida A&M.