ORLANDO – The UCF Softball tied its best 14-game start to a season on Saturday with a 9-1 victory over No. 12 Tennessee and a 4-2 win over FIU. The wins moved the Knights to 12-2 on the year, tying the record 12-2 start to the season the Knights posted back in 2015.
"We always play against our best selves and we played great all-around today," said UCF Softball head coach Cindy-Ball Malone. "To see our young players playing the way they are, it's a very good sign for our team and our program moving forward."
UCF 9 // #12 Tennessee 1The Knights began the day with a rematch against No. 12 Tennessee. After defeating the Lady Vols 10-1 in Friday's contest, UCF came back with just as much force in Saturday's game as the Knights posted nine runs on 11 hits and four walks to take down the Lady Vols, 9-1.
Sophomore starting pitcher Breanna Vasquez continued her impressive start to the 2020 season, tossing a one-hit, one-run gem to secure the win and move to 3-0 on the young season. Vasquez now owns a 0.47 ERA over 15 innings pitched in 2020.
Georgia Bair hit her fifth home run of the year in the contest as she went 2-for-3 with a pair of RBI. Shannon Doherty also stayed hot as she went 2-for-3 with 3 RBI. Doherty is now leading the team with a .522 batting average and a 1.219 OPS.
KEY MOMENTS
- The Knights loaded the bases in the top of the first and Shannon Doherty delivered with a sacrifice fly to right, driving in Kasey Fava to put UCF up 1-0.
- With the bases still full, Karissa Ornelas singled to right to extend the Knights' lead to 2-0.
- A solo home run from Georgia Blair in the second put UCF up, 3-0.
- With UCF runners on the corners, a Lady Vols overthrow to second allowed Ornelas to score another UCF run.
- In the same inning, Blair singled to right to drive in Justene Molina, extending the Knights' lead to 5-0.
- The next batter, Jada Cody, singled to left to keep the line moving and bring the UCF lead to 6-0.
- Shannon Doherty cleared the bases with a single to right field, extending the UCF lead to 9-0.
- The lone hit of the ballgame for Tennessee came in the form of a solo home run in the bottom of the third, making it a 9-1 game.
UCF 4 // FIU 2The Knights kept the momentum in game two, staving off the Panthers, 4-2 to earn their second victory of the day.
It was pitcher's duel to begin as neither side scored until the fourth inning. Gianna Mancha was dominant in the circle, tossing a complete game. Mancha allowed just two earned runs and struck out 11 to earn the victory.
With both teams tied at one after six, the Knights capitalized on a three-run seventh inning to jump out in front, 4-1. Mancha came back out for the seventh and allowed FIU to score a run before closing things out to cap off an incredible performance.
KEY MOMENTS
- Justene Molina hit a line drive base hit to right field to drive in the Knights' first run of the game in the top of the fourth.
- A solo homerun from FIU knotted things up at one apiece in the fourth.
- Juliana Wilson reached on a double to left-center in the top of the seventh and came around to score on an FIU error, putting the Knights out in front, 2-1
- With Georgia Blair on first, Jada Cody triple to right field to extend the UCF lead to 3-0.
- The next batter, Shannon Doherty grounded out for an RBI to put UCF up 4-1.
- The Panthers rallied for a run in the bottom half of the seventh, but they would only score one and the Knights would go on to win, 4-2.
NOTABLES
- The win in game one marked the first time in program history that Tennessee has been run ruled in back-to-back games by a non-SEC team.
- It was just the second time the Knights have ever run ruled a Top 25 team, with the first coming yesterday's 10-1 win over No. 12 Tennessee.
- The win in game one marked the seventh UCF win by run rule this season.
- With Georgia Blair hitting her fifth home run of the season in the game against No. 12 Tennessee, she tied Jania Shinhoster (2002-2005) for the fastest UCF player to reach five home runs in a season.
- In the win over No. 12 Tennessee, Breanna Vasquez allowed just one hit.
- Earning the win, Vasquez is now 3-0 on the season.
- With the win in game two, Gianna Mancha is now 2-1 on the year.
ON DECK
UCF will wrap up play at the USF Invitational on Sunday with another game against FIU at 9:00 am before heading home.
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Stay tuned to UCF Softball on Facebook (/UCFSoftball), Twitter (@UCF_Softball) and Instagram (@UCF.Softball) for the latest on the UCF softball team.
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