Memphis Sweeps Series with 8-0 Run Rule Over UCF

Saturday, April 23

Memphis, Tenn.

1 PM

University of Memphis

31-10, 0

UCF

18-28, 0

UCF

Memphis

Kailey Kassner had a two-run homer in a 8-0 victory over UCF.

Apr 23, 2011 | Softball

Box Score

April 23, 2011

Box Score

PDF Box Score

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - The University of Memphis softball team run ruled UCF, 8-0, in five innings to earn the three-game series sweep on Saturday afternoon at the Tiger Softball Complex.

The victory is the 10th straight for Memphis (31-10, 11-6 C-USA) and fourth series victory in Conference USA play. The 11 C-USA wins are a program best in league play.

The Tigers scored eight runs on nine hits. Heather Mott, Maddie McKinley and Jessica Phillips all saw their hitting streaks increase with all three carrying streaks of 10 games or more. Mott has hit safely in 12-straight games, which ranks second in school history behind the record of 14 by Lindsay Kelso in 2007. The senior shortstop also has reached base in 17-straight games.

McKinley and Phillips both increased their hitting streaks to 10-straight games. Phillips has had at least one RBI in nine of the 10 games during the streak and in the past six-straight games.

Lelani Bernardino and Ashleigh King both paced Memphis with two hits in the game. Bernardino went 2-for-3 with a RBI and a run scored and King finished 2-for-2. Kailey Kassner hit the only home run in the game, her third of the season.

Carly Hummel earned her seventh-straight victory in the circle and improved to 18-4 on the season. The sophomore RHP scattered two hits to record her school record eighth shutout of the season. Hummel struck out five for the 14th shutout of the season for Memphis, which is also a school record.

After a scoreless two and a half innings, Memphis scored three runs on four hits in the third inning to take a 3-0 lead. Alyssa Palmieri led off the inning with a single and scored on a single by Bernardino. Mott then scored on a wild pitch from third and Bernardino came around on a RBI single from Phillips.

Kassner made it 5-0 Memphis in the fourth inning with a two-run shot to left to also bring around Alex Marshall.

Memphis then used a three-run fifth to complete the run rule. McKinley led off the inning with a single and later came around to score on a fielder's choice to second on a RBI by Marshall. Pinch runner Ijiah Hargrove and Marshall then came around to score on a two-base throwing error by UCF pitcher Ashley Schmitt.

Diana Rojas (7-11) suffered the loss for the Knights (18-28, 8-10 C-USA) in the circle. Rojas allowed five runs on eight hits in three innings of work and struck out three. Schmitt pitched an inning and a third and allowed three runs on one hit.

Memphis will next play a single midweek game at UT Martin on Wednesday in Martin, Tenn., at 5 p.m. The Tigers will then host its final home games of the season with a three-game conference series with UAB on Saturday and Sunday.