ORLANDO – The Knights split their doubleheader with Tulsa on Saturday, falling in game one, 5-4 before bouncing back big to win game two, 6-1. Following the split day, UCF moves to 1-2 in the series.
UCF will play the Hurricane again on Saturday at 12:00 p.m. to wrap up the series.
GAME ONE – UCF 4 // Tulsa 5
It was a heartbreaker for the Knights in game on Saturday as UCF took a late lead over Tulsa, only to lose it on a walk-off home run, falling 5-4.
The Knights trailed 2-1 until Shannon Doherty knocked a three-run home run out of the park to put UCF up 4-2 heading into the seventh.
Unfortunately, Alea White could not hold on to the lead, allowing a walk and two Tulsa home runs in the seventh to allow the walk-off.
White tossed 1.2 innings, allowing three earned to move to 13-3 on the season. She came in relief for Gianna Mancha in the fifth. Mancha threw 4.2 innings and allowed two earned runs on eight hits.
With the loss, UCF moved to 24-8, 4-2.
Key Moments
- Kyra Klarkowski gave UCF an early 1-0 lead with a double down the left field line in the top of the second.
- Tulsa would strike right back in the bottom half of the second with an RBI base knock of their own, tying the game at one.
- In the bottom of the fifth, another clutch single from Tulsa would give them the 2-1 lead.
- Still down 2-1 in the sixth, Shannon Doherty crushed a three-run home run to five the Knights a 4-2 lead late.
- A Tulsa solo home run in the top of the seventh would bring them to within one.
- Tulsa would continue the inning with a walk and a two-run, walk-off home run would give them the 5-4 victory.
GAME TWO – UCF 6 // Tulsa 1
The Knights battled back strong in game two, popping off for four runs in the first inning alone and totaling six runs in the game to take down Tulsa, 6-1.
The Knights wasted no time at all getting on the board in the second game as Jada Cody hit an RBI base hit and was immediately driven in on a three-run home run off the bat of Juliana Wilson, giving the Knights the 4-0 lead.
That would prove to be more than enough run support for the duo of Breanna Vasquez and Gianna Mancha, who tossed a combined seven innings, allowing just one run on eight hits while striking out four. With the win, Vasquez moved to 2-1 on the season. Mancha earned the save, her second on the year.
The win was the first for the Knights in the series with Tulsa and moved UCF to 25-8, 5-2.
Key Moments
- A Jada Cody RBI single in the top of the first would put the Knights up front, 1-0 early.
- The next batter, Juliana Wilson, would hit a three-run home run to extend the Knights lead to 4-0.
- The Knights took advantage of a Tulsa error in the second to pad their lead and go up 5-0.
- Tulsa got on the board in the fourth with an RBI groundout to make it a 5-1 game.
- Shannon Doherty would give the Knights an insurance run with an RBI single in the sixth, making it a 6-1 game.
UP NEXT
UCF will play the Hurricane again on Saturday at 12:00 p.m. to wrap up the series.
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