ORLANDO, Fla. – The No. 15 UCF softball team drew a highly-anticipated rematch against the No. 10 Georgia Bulldogs in the two teams' season-opener Thursday evening, but a lack of command in the circle and inconsistent offense doomed the Knights in their 4-2 loss in front of a UCF Opening Day-record 1,118 fans at the UCF Softball Complex.
"I'm really impressed with how our pitchers threw in those moments," said head coach Cindy Ball-Malone of the atmosphere against a top-20 opponent. "How some of our younger athletes played in some big-time moments. But we're still better, I think we beat ourselves. We put too many people on, and there were a few defensive miscues."
The two programs, meeting for just the fourth time Thursday, also clashed on Opening Knight a year ago, with veteran first baseman Shannon Doherty playing hero with a walk-off, eighth-inning homer that lifted UCF to a 7-6 win over its 12th-ranked opponent.
Thursday's meeting, however, saw a handful of the Knights' newcomers waste no time making an impact for their new club. Sarah Willis, a junior transfer from Washington, received the starting nod from Ball-Malone. Willis shone in her Knights debut, as she threw three innings with six strikeouts and yielded just two hits and one run. A well-documented two-way player, Willis also recorded an RBI via a fielder's choice at the plate.
The Ontario, California, native gave up a single and walk to the first two batters of the game, before striking out two of the next three to escape the jam. Willis also fanned another two batters in the second inning.
Fellow junior transfer outfielder Chloe Evans, from Minnesota, left fielder Kennedy Searcy, and center fielder Johneisha Rowe earned the first three hits of the season for the Knights on back-to-back-to-back singles to start the bottom of the second. Sarah Willis then came through with UCF's first RBI of the new year.
"I'm most happy with our newcomers just coming in, Chloe Evans, have a day," Ball-Malone continued. "And Aubrey Evans, the same thing. But just some really big leadership moments too. I think you're going to see big things, and if someone asked me who's going to be the dark horse in our lineup. I said that's hard to tell, but 'Jas' Williams is definitely going to be [a dark horse]."
Georgia quickly tied the game in the third with a one-out double before Willis struck out two of the next three to escape the frame. Two errors by the Bulldogs' defense allowed Doherty and Jada Cody to reach base in the bottom of the third. Evans, who already recorded her first Knights hit in the third, cashed in with runners on base with her first run-scoring knock with UCF, plating Cody to give the Knights a 2-1 lead.
Left-handed pitcher Angelina DeVoe entered the game in relief in the fourth inning and allowed just one baserunner. She then followed with a 1-2-3 fifth.
Freshman Aubrey Evans collected her first collegiate hit via an infield single in the bottom of the fifth. Aubrey's line drive hit Georgia starting pitcher Shelby Walters in the arm, forcing her from the contest. Madison Kerpics relieved Walters and got the last two outs of the fifth.
Kaitlyn Felton entered the sixth with two runners on base, and Georgia took its first lead of the game courtesy of a Jaiden Fields single. Kennedy Searcy made an incredible catch up against the wall for the second out of the inning, but Fields would go on to score, giving the Bulldogs their 4-2 lead.
Still down in the bottom of the seventh, redshirt-senior transfer from Oregon, Jasmine Williams hit a one-out double, her first hit with the Knights. UCF could not overcome eight walks, though, and mustered just a pair of hits in the final three innings.
Chloe Evans highlighted UCF's offensive production from its newcomers, going 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored. Williams finished 1-for-3 with a double, and Willis notched the Knights' other run batted in.
"Top-20 matchup, those are always fun," Doherty said. "I had a lot of fun out here with the girls. I thought we played well, though we didn't play our best. Unfortunately, we beat ourselves at the end of the day."
UP NEXT
The Knights are back in action Friday evening as they host UMass in the first of their two scheduled slates at 4 p.m., followed by a nightcap matchup with Boise State soon after. The games will be broadcast on ESPN+.
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