No. 17 UCF softball knocks off No. 5 Alabama
The No. 17 UCF softball team scored one of the biggest wins in school history in front of a standing-room only crowd of 787 Friday night, rolling past No. 5 Alabama 8-1.
The Knights (3-0) also notched a 4-1 win over Rutgers during the first part of a doubleheader Friday.
“What a great day with two great wins,” UCF coach
Renee Luers- Gillispie
said. “We were not expecting this type of outcome, but I knew that our players were ready to play them [Alabama]. The entire season was set up to have good competition and give ourselves the chance to play these kind of teams at home. We knew coming out that we were ready.” Sophomore Courtney
Rotton had a career-best day, going 4-for-4 with five RBIs to pace the UCF of- fense against Alabama. Knights senior Shelby Tur
nier (2-0) delivered a nine strikeout performance during the win over the Tide.
UCF jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the first inning and Turnier kept Alabama scoreless through five innings.
“It was insane. The crowd was there for us. It was a true team effort,” Turnier said. “We had the pitching, the defense, the hitting and I think it showed.”
Luers-Gillispie also credited the rowdy crowd for giving the team a boost.
“We can’t thank the fans enough,” she said. “When they come out, they are loud. They are bringing us energy and our players feed off that. Our fans were fantastic. We just have to keep them coming out and keep that excitement on the field like we did tonight.”
The Knights host Fordham today at 2 p.m. and James Madison at 6:30 p.m. as the UCF Invitational continues at the softball complex.
“We celebrated out there, but we know that the next game is a new game,” Tur- nier said. “We are not going to fixate on beating Alabama or the No. 5 team in the nation. There is much more to the season. Our coaches are telling us over and over again in the offseason, ‘It is not about how you start; it is about how you finish and we want to finish far in the postseason.’”
UCF hoops takes on Houston
The UCF basketball team is aiming to snap a twogame losing streak when the Knights play at Houston. Tipoff is at 3 p.m. and the game will air on ESPNews.
UCF (11-11, 5-6 AAC) has won the past three meetings and five of the past seven matchups with the Cougars (17-7, 7-5), including vacated wins in 2010.
Brandon Goodwin and B.J. Taylor hit buzzer beaters last season to help the Knights score two wins over Houston. Both players will miss this season’s game, with Goodwin transferring during the offseason and Taylor out due to injury.
A.J. Davis has led UCF all season with 13.0 points and 6.2 rebounds.
Winter Park’s Montgomery out
Iowa State wide receiver
D’Vario Montgomery, a former Winter Park High standout, and running back
Joshua Thomas won’t return to the team for next season.
The Cyclones announced Montgomery has been dismissed for violating team rules. Thomas intends to transfer to another school.
Montgomery was fourth on the team with 27 receptions for 335 yards and three touchdowns last season.
Thomas ran for 295 yards as a freshman.