Feb. 8, 2008
Box Score | Quotes 
ORLANDO -
A three-hitter by Central Florida's Allison Kime was too much to overcome for the Illinois State softball team (1-1), as the Redbirds lost their first game of the 2008 season late Friday afternoon, 5-0, to host Central Florida (1-0) at the Central Florida Tournament at the UCF Softball Complex. The loss for the Redbirds marked the first time that was ISU was shutout by an opponent since May 11, 2007, when Southern Illinois' Ashley Hamby recorded a 3-0 victory over Illinois State in the State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Softball Tournament at the Redbird Softball Complex in Normal, Ill.
Junior pitcher Amber Smith made her much-anticipated 2008 debut in the circle for ISU against Central Florida. The Fairfield, Calif., native and 2006 Easton Second-Team All-American takes over this season as the Redbirds' No. 1 pitcher after having made just 11-career appearances in the circle with three-career wins prior to Friday's game.
The game was a pitcher's duel through the first half, as Smith shut down the Knights for four-plus innings. Kime, the preseason All-Conference USA selection, returned the dominant pitching to the Redbirds, as she mowed down ISU's first 11 batters of the game before the Redbirds were able to figure her out.
Smith was the first ISU batter to get to Kime after she doubled into the left-center field gap in the top of the fourth inning with two outs. Illinois State was unable to capitalize on the break in Kime's pitching dominance, as junior left fielder Jessie Buker followed Smith's double with a groundout back to the pitcher to end the threat.
Smith's dominance in the circle ended in the bottom of the fifth inning, as Central Florida used small ball to get to the Redbird right-hander for three runs on five hits. The Knights loaded the bases with just one out after Ashley Van Ryn and Tiffany Lane reached via singles and both were advanced thanks to a bunt single in front of home plate by Marquita Council. UCF then broke the scoring draught for both teams, as Abby McClain's double into right field scored both Van Ryn and Lance to put the Knights up, 2-0.
The Knights added another run in the bottom of the fifth inning after shortstop Kaprice Williams was unable to handle Kime's sharply hit groundball just to the right of second base, which allowed Javier to score, as the Knight's went up 3-0. After Smith was taken out of the game with no outs in the bottom of the sixth inning and two runners on, junior transfer pitcher Rachel Smith came in relief and gave up two more runs to the Knights, one of which was charged to Smith.
After consecutive singles by sophomore third baseman Kara Nelson and senior second baseman Tiffany Prager with two outs in the top of the sixth inning, ISU's offense was once again unable to take advantage of a prime scoring opportunity, as Smith grounded out to the UCF first baseman to end the Redbirds' biggest scoring opportunity of the game.
Smith suffered her first loss of the season in the circle, and second of her career, after she allowed four runs, all earned on seven hits over five full innings.
Day two of the Central Florida Tournament will resume for Illinois State at 8:30 a.m. CST Saturday from the UCF Softball Complex, as the Redbirds are set to take on Kansas.
