ORLANDO – Gianna Mancha was nearly unhittable Monday afternoon, tossing a complete game shutout and striking out nine to lead her Knights to a 2-0 victory over No. 2 Arizona at the UCF Softball Complex.
Mancha allowed just three hits to the typically potent Wildcats lineup, shutting them out for the first time in 646 days (June 1, 2019 vs then No. 5 Alabama in the Women's College World Series). She allowed just five baserunners in seven innings and her nine strikeouts were the most against an Arizona offense that had been averaging nine runs per game this season.
Mancha finished the day with a final line of seven innings pitched, nine strikeouts, three hits allowed and no earned runs to move to 5-1 on the season.
The Knights were also able to generate some timely hits and capitalize on opportunities for offense where they could. A bases loaded walk in the first put UCF up 1-0 early and a two-out double in the fifth got the Knights an insurance run to put them up 2-0.
The win snapped Arizona's 23-game winning streak, which had been the longest in the country heading into Monday afternoon's matchup. It also marked the Knights' first win over a ranked opponent this season and it was UCF's first win over a top five opponent since the Knights beat then No. 4 Florida, 1-0, at home on April 4, 2018.
Key Moments
- The Wildcats got two runners on in the first but a two-out strikeout from UCF starting pitcher Gianna Mancha ended the inning to keep Arizona off the board.
- The Knights loaded the bases in the bottom of the first and a drawn walk by UCF backstop Karissa Ornelas brought in a run to put the Knights up 1-0.
- Denali Schappacher reached on a walk with one away in the fifth inning and came around to score on a Georgia Blair double to center field, extending the Knights' lead to 2-0.
- Arizona led off the sixth with a single, but a UCF 6-4-3 double play would empty the bases and neutralize the threat.
NOTABLES
- The win marked the Knights' first over a ranked opponent this season
- It was UCF's first win over a top five opponent since the Knights beat then No. 4 Florida, 1-0, at home on April 4, 2018.
- It was the first win over a ranked opponent since UCF beat then No. 16 Michigan, 3-2, on March 6, 2020.
- Between 2020 and 2021, UCF has faced two No. 1 ranked teams and a No. 2 ranked teams, going 1-2 against those opponents.
- UCF is now 4-4-1 against ranked opponents since the start of 2020.
- The win snapped Arizona's 23-game winning streak, which had been the longest in the country.
- The loss marked Arizona's first of the 2021 season.
- It was the first time the Wildcats had been shutout in 646 days (June 1, 2019 vs then No. 5 Alabama in the Women's College World Series)
- The shutout marked Gianna Mancha's second of the season and moved her to 5-1 on the year.
UP NEXT
UCF will continue its home stand with a 3:30 p.m. showdown against FIU Thursday, March 11 at the UCF Softball Complex.
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