May 12, 2007

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ORLANDO, Fla. - Jessica Johnson's league-leading 17th home run of the season powered No. 2 seed East Carolina to a thrilling 1-0 victory over host and No. 4 seed UCF in a 12-inning affair in game nine of the 2007 Conference USA Softball Championship presented by Coca-Cola. The Pirates will move on to face top-seeded Houston in the championship game at 3:30 p.m. EST live on CSTV.

Johnson stepped to the dish with one out in the top of the 12th and ripped a home run down the left field line that cleared the fair pole and gave her team the eventual win.

C-USA Freshman of the Year Toni Paisley was locked in a pitcher's duel with UCF's Allison Kime as both pitchers only gave up five hits and pitched all 12 innings.

Charina Sumer and Johnson both went 2-for-5 for the Pirates, while Breanne Javier led the Knights also going 2-for-5.

The Knights had their best chance to take their first lead of the game in the bottom of the 11th.

Lindsay Dean reached on an error to lead off the inning after she popped up directly above home plate. Joyce Roodenburg and Christen Aona both charged, but neither could make a clean play on and the ball and it glanced off Roodenburg's glove.

Dean took second on the play and was eventually bunted to third. Amber Lamb later came to the plate with two outs, but fouled out to end the threat and the score remained tied at 0-0.

ECU then took advantage of the Knight's inability to push a run across with Johnson's home run.

A First-team All-Conference selection at pitcher, Kime factored in all five UCF decisions during the championship, finishing 3-2. In Saturday's contest she struck out eight Pirates, while only giving up five hits and two walks in 12 innings of work. She fell to 24-13 on the season.

Paisley had a game-high 10 strikeouts and only walked one in her complete-game gem. The 12 innings pitched were a new career high and she is now 21-5 on the season. Her 21 wins are 10th on the school's single season wins list.

The Pirates improved to 8-5 in one-run games in 2007 and 3-3 in extra innings, while the Knights fell to 12-10 in one-run contests and 1-2 in extra innings. .