DeLAND, Fla. – It came down to the final out in the bottom of the seventh inning, but after a fast start at the plate and a dominant effort by sophomore right-hander Kaitlyn Felton, the No. 22 UCF softball squad fell in walk-off fashion to the Stetson Hatters Wednesday night, 4-3, at Patricia Wilson Field.
Holding a narrow 3-1 advantage with six innings of one-run ball already under her belt, Felton trotted back out to the circle in the bottom of the seventh inning. The sophomore starter was nearly untouchable throughout the evening, yielding just one first-inning run on two hits.
A pair of walks that sandwiched Felton's seventh strikeout of the evening chased the Knights (5-7, 0-0 AAC) starter from the contest, though, in favor of left-hander Angelina DeVoe. The Hatters answered with an RBI single on DeVoe's first pitch, and a third walk in the inning loaded the bases with two outs.
Junior right-hander Grace Jewell represented UCF's third pitcher of the inning to try to close out the Hatters, but Stetson plated the tying and winning runs on a fielder's choice to Jada Cody at third base after a throw to second ricocheted off the glove of Micaela Macario.
The seventh-inning rally spoiled what was one of Felton's better starts of the season. Staked to a three-run lead before throwing her first pitch, Felton responded to a Stetson first-inning run with a scoreless second, and proceeded to retire 14 of the next 15 hitters she faced.
The lone baserunner the Valrico, Florida, native surrendered after the final two outs of the second inning was a one-out walk in the bottom of the fourth, and her seven strikeouts marked her second-highest single-game total of the season and her most since her career-high 13 punchouts against UMass Feb. 10.
Following her seven-strikeout performance, Felton surpassed her 2022 freshman season total of 32 in an even 50 innings pitched, and currently boasts 35 punchouts against 16 walks in 31 innings. The right-hander has also limited opposing hitters to just a .188 average (21-for-112).
Offensively, the Knights enjoyed a fast start, plating three runs in the top of the first inning. With two outs and Cody on first base after the latter singled with one away, junior right fielder Chloe Evans came through with a single to right field. Stetson right fielder Haley Fox made an erratic throw to third base in an attempt to throw Cody out trying for third, and the UCF third baseman scampered home with the game's first run.
Following her 1-for-3 evening, Evans represents the team's leading hitter through 12 games, with a .351/.400/.730 line, a 1.130 OPS, eight extra-base hits, 27 total bases and 12 RBI.
UCF wasn't finished in the inning. Designated player Savannah Adams, fresh off being awarded American Athletic Conference weekly Honor Roll honors for her performance during the Clearwater Invitational, clubbed the second pitch she saw over the left field wall, plating Evans and ballooning the Knights' advantage to 3-0.
UCF was unable to continue building on its early offensive momentum, though, as the Knights managed just one hit the remainder of the game, a Johneisha Rowe double with one out in the top of the second inning.
UP NEXT
The Knights have a quick turnaround following their Wednesday defeat, as UCF on Thursday will begin play during the 2023 Knights Classic tournament hosted at the UCF Softball Complex. UCF will play five games in the next four days, beginning with a Thursday twin-bill against the Gardner-Webb Runnin' Bulldogs at 3 and 5:30 p.m.