Freshman Shelby Turnier pulled off a unique double-dip on Wednesday
night at the UCF Softball Complex. The highly-touted freshman from Palm Beach
Gardens got the start in the circle and earned the victory after allowing just
two hits and no earned runs in four innings of work as the Knights defeated
Seminole State College, 8-3, in a 10-inning contest.
If that wasn't enough, Turnier batted in the five spot for the first time this fall and responded by
going 3-for-4 with an RBI at the plate. She just missed her first
collegiate home run as she ripped a double off the wall in left-center. Turnier is looking to become the first Knight since Ashleigh Cole in 2010 that is a starting pitcher that also bats in each game.
"We certainly like having pitchers that can hit, but we haven't really had the depth on our pitching staff in past years to really allow our pitchers to risk getting hurt swinging the bat," head coach Renee Luers-Gillispie said after the win. "This year, with five pitchers, we've got the depth and I can definitely see Shelby in the lineup when she's not on the mound, her bat is that good."
For the first time this fall, the Knights trailed in a game
as Seminole jumped out to an early 1-0 lead on an unearned run in the top of
the first. UCF quickly responded in the bottom half of the frame, putting up a
four spot thanks to a sacrifice fly by sophomore Farrah Sullivan, an RBI single
by sophomore Hayley Barrow, an RBI single by Turnier and an RBI double by
freshman Samantha McCloskey.
In the top of the third, redshirt freshman Brooke Scott
crushed a two-run homer to the left to put the Knights up 8-1. It was a weight off the shoulders for
Scott as she came into the game 0-for-9 at the plate in fall action.
Sophomore Mackenzie Audas continued her buzz saw of opposing
hitters as she struck out five in two perfect innings of relief.
The Knights will play one more fall game on Monday at 6 p.m.
against Florida State College of Jacksonville before wrapping up their fall
camp next week with the UCF Softball World Series on Tuesday-Thursday.

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