ORLANDO – The No. 22 ranked UCF Softball team put up a strong fight Wednesday night against No. 20 Mizzou but came up just short in a 6-5 loss at the UCF Softball Complex in Orlando, Fla.
The Tigers knocked three home runs out of the park in the second to deflate the UCF crowd and put the Knights in a 5-0 bind early on, but the black and gold battled back in a big way in the third. Georgia Blair hit a three-run shot, her sixth of the season already, and later in the inning, Shannon Doherty went deep for two RBI to tie the game at five.
Unfortunately for UCF, the Tigers managed to manufacture a run in the fourth to take the 6-5 lead and the Knights would not answer back, going on to lose by that score.
In the circle, coach Ball-Malone turned to three separate pitchers in the contest. Breanna Vasquez got the start, pitching 1.2 innings, allowing four earned on four hits. Vasquez was relived by Gianna Mancha (2-1), who was credited with the loss after allowing two earned in four innings. Down 6-5, Alea White was called on out of the bullpen to maintain the score, and she did just that. In 1.1 innings pitched, White allowed no runs and struck out two.
"It was a great game," said head coach Cindy Ball-Malone. "It was a ton of fun. You saw some big hits, some big pitching moments and some great defensive plays, so it was just really fun to be a part of."
Key Moments
- UCF starter Breanna Vasquez got into a bind early, allowing two Mizzou batters to reach base before retiring the side on a clutch strikeout to strand the runners
- Tigers' first baseman Emma Raabe hit a two-run home run in the top of the second to put Mizzou up 2-0.
- Two more Tigers home runs in the second would give them a 5-0 lead.
- Georgia Blair hit a three-run shot in the bottom of the third to cut the Mizzou lead to 5-3.
- Three batters later, Shannon Doherty followed with a two-run home run of her own to tie the game at five.
- Tigers' shortstop Jenna Laird tripled and came around to score in the top of the fourth to give them the 6-5 lead.
NOTABLES
- Georgia Blair's home run in the third inning was her sixth of the year
- With her sixth home run of the year, Blair became the fastest Knight to reach that mark, needing just eight games to do so.
- With her home run in the third, Doherty now has two on the season
- There were five total home runs in the game, accounting for five of the six runs
UP NEXT
UCF will be back at The Plex on Friday for a double header with McNeese State at 4:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. On Saturday, the Knights will conclude their series with McNeese State with a 1:00 p.m. matinee.
FOLLOW THE KNIGHTS
Stay tuned to UCF Softball on Facebook (/UCFSoftball), Twitter (@UCF_Softball), and Instagram (@UCF.Softball) for the latest on the UCF softball team.
GET THE APP
Never miss any UCF Knights news from your favorite team by downloading the free UCF Knights app right to your iOS or Android phone! The app provides personalized information for men's and women's teams, scores, schedules, loyalty programs, and even breaking news. Download the app here.