Barton Helps Owls Earn Split With UCF

Wednesday, April 11

Orlando, Fla.

7:30 PM

Florida Atlantic

UCF

4/11/2007 12:00:00 AM | Softball

April 11, 2007

Box Score

ORLANDO, FL - Amber Barton threw a three-hit shutout to help the Florida Atlantic University softball team split a doubleheader with UCF on Wednesday at the UCF Softball Complex.

Jenna Lopez had two singles but the rest of the Owls couldn't muster any sort of attack against UCF starter Allison Kime, as the Golden Knights took a 1-0 decision in game one.

Lopez singled with one out in the first before she was doubled off to end the inning. Her other hit came in the third, when FAU mustered its lone rally of the game.

In the third, Lauren Crandall was hit by an 0-2 pitch from Kime and took second on a sacrifice bunt by Melissa Moore. Charlotte Baird walked to put two aboard for the top of the order, but Kime got Becky Brandies on strikes for the second out of the frame.

Lopez' second single to left in the game followed, but Crandall was cut down at the plate on a perfect relay by the Golden Knights. Kime would retire the next 12 batters in order to end the game. With one out, Blair Bodenmiller had the hardest struck ball of the game with one out in the seventh when she sent UCF center fielder Kacie Feaster to the wall, and Feaster made a nice running grab to rob the Owl shortstop of extra bases.

It was the 10th time this season FAU lost a one run decision. Brandies was 0-3 in game one, snapping a nine-game hitting streak.

In game two, FAU could only muster a two-out single through the first four innings off UCF's starter Ashleigh Cole. The Owls' best early scoring threat came when Ambar Jones was hit by a pitch to lead off the third and Lopez reached on an error trying to sacrifice her to second. Mandie Fishback would sacrifice both runners up, but with the infield in a ground ball off the bat of Bodenmiller allowed the Golden Knights to cut down Jones at the plate, and Brandies was retired on a grounder to short to end the threat.

FAU would threaten once again in the fifth when the top of the order came around. With Jones at first and two out, Fishback hit a ball hard that was snared off a hop by UCF's third baseman Cici Alvarez. Fishback would beat the throw, and alert and aggressive base running allowed Jones to get into third, but Bodenmiller bounced into a fielder's choice to end the inning.

An error and a hit batter would once again give the Owls a threat in the sixth. Brandies reached on an error and after a strike out Bukovich was hit by the pitch to put runners on first and second with one out. Crandall would follow with a single to left to load the bases, but Vanessa Suarez bounced into a fielder's choice as Brandies was thrown out at the plate and Jones grounded out to second.

Meanwhile, Amber Barton was throwing perhaps her best game as an Owl, shutting out UCF on two hits through the first six innings and finished the game with a three-hit shutout. The Golden Knights were able to muster two two-out singles in the first but Barton escaped unscathed. A two-out walk in the third and a two-out error in the sixth were the only other runners through the first six innings.

Barton would allow a leadoff double to start the seventh and the runner would move up on a sacrifice bunt. FAU's freshman hurler would retire the next two batters on easy ground balls to retire the threat, stranding the tying run on third.

FAU (25-20) will have some time off after 11 road games in 12 days. The team will return to the road to face an old rival in Stetson on April 19 in DeLand, FL.