ORLANDO, Fla. – The UCF softball team has a talented group of infielders on the roster for the 2022 season, including some standout returners as well as a few newcomers who are ready to make their mark. In total, the Knights have 11 players who are listed as infielders or utility players, providing plenty of depth at all four infield spots.
Shannon Doherty returns for her sophomore campaign after having an incredible start to being a Knight. The Coral Springs, Fla. native posted a .443 batting average over 61 at-bats during the 2020 season before it was canceled due to COVID-19. She followed that up by batting .307 in her first full year at UCF, slugging 11 homers, collecting 37 RBI, and earning a .944 OPS. Doherty's 11 home runs led the way for the Knights in 2021 and played a role in her being named to the American Athletic Conference's All-Rookie Team. She walked more times (14) than she struck out (12) in 2021.
Savannah Adams is also listed as a first baseman ahead of her first season wearing the Black and Gold. The La Mirada, Calif. native earned Silver Slugger and Gold Glove honors in 2019, earned Suburban first-team all-league honors and was named as a San Gabriel Valley Softball All-Star (Platinum). She was a part of two league championships with her La Mirada High softball team and played for the Corona Angels club team.
Moving around the diamond to second base, Justene Molina returns after starting 56 games in 2021. The senior recorded a .957 fielding percentage last season, her highest clip since her freshman season at Boise State. She collected 13 RBI and hit for a .234 batting average through 60 total games played, missing just one game throughout the entire campaign.
Katie Burge, who is listed as a utility player, earned 15 starts in 2021, with five of them coming at second base, five in center field, four in left field and one at shortstop. Despite starting in 15 games in her freshman season, Burge saw action in a total of 38, posting a .284 batting average with 10 RBI.
Cassidy Cangemi will also see time on the right side of the infield, as the senior has recently switched from pitching to playing infield. The Agua Dulce, Calif. native has not had a collegiate at-bat but was a two-way player in high school. In her final high school campaign, she went 17-4 with a 1.41 ERA in the circle and posted a .426 batting average with seven doubles and 17 RBI.
Of 2021's 61 total games, 59 were started at shortstop by players who are no longer with the team. It's anybody's guess as to who will start there in 2022, with plenty of talent options able to slide into that spot. Burge, Kennedy Searcy, Emmerson Lee and Micaela Macario all saw reps on the left side of the infield during the fall.
Searcy started in 33 games in 2021, with each start coming in the outfield. She played in a total of 35 games before seeing her season come to an early end due to a knee injury on April 9 at ECU. The Jacksonville product finished her freshman campaign with a spot on The American's All-Rookie Team. She earned a .321 batting average and was the team's leadoff hitter in each of her 33 starts. She led the team in steals, swiping 17 bags in 19 attempts. Searcy collected four doubles, three triples and two home runs while posting 156 RBI and an OPS of .856. She began her career with three straight multi-hit games and got at least a hit and a stolen base in her first five career games.
Lee has yet to see game action as a Knight and redshirted last season. The Clovis, Calif. native helped lead her high school squad to a 23-6 record and an appearance in the Valley Championship her junior year. That same season saw her earn the Valley defensive player of the year and earn a spot on the all-league team. She was named a Bullard High School Gold Glove winner, posting a .980 fielding percentage.
Macario comes to UCF as a true freshman from Chula Vista, Calif. where she was a softball and track and field athlete at Bonita Vista High School. On the diamond, she began her high school career by being named the best defensive player and Metromesa all-league team. Her sophomore season was just as impressive as she was named school varsity MVP and was again named to the Metromesa all-league team. Macario participated in the 4x100m, 100m and long jump as part of the school's track and field team.
Jada Cody was a staple in the lineup for UCF last season, starting in all 61 games. 57 of those starts came at third base, with four of them coming behind the plate at catcher. Cody is fresh off an appearance at the USA Softball Selection Trials this January after a standout rookie campaign. The Murrieta, Calif. product was named to The American's all-conference first team and rookie team and also earned a spot on the NFCA Mideast Third Team All-Region squad. Cody has struck out just 13 times in 255 at-bats heading into 2022 and was among the 100 hardest hitters to strike out in college softball last season. She led the Knights with 44 runs scored in 2021, a season in which she hit .324 and posted an OPS of .912. She hit seven homers and drove in 28 RBI, all while drawing far more walks (23) than striking out (11). Cody primarily hit in the third or fourth spot in the order, but also saw time hitting anywhere from first in the order to sixth.
Ashleigh Griffin and Carson Frier are listed as catcher/infield on the roster and have the ability to play any of those positions. Both Griffin and Frier are freshmen on this year's squad and were introduced in the pitchers and catchers positional preview, which can be found here.
OPENING WEEKEND
The Black and Gold open the 2022 campaign at home as they host No. 12 Georgia on Feb. 10 at 6 p.m. The contest is one of four games on opening weekend, followed by a matchup with Minnesota on Feb. 11 at 6:30 p.m. and a double header against Fresno State and Longwood on Feb. 12.
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