ORLANDO, Fla. – The UCF softball team split decisions in its Friday doubleheader at the St. Pete/Clearwater Elite Invitational, falling to No. 19 Michigan 6-0 before beating Texas Tech 7-3 in extra innings.
"We're more talented than we're playing and we're young," said head coach Cindy-Ball Malone. "To be able to turn around and perform at a high level in back-to-back games shows that we understand and stick to the process. When we stick to the process, good things will happen."
GAME ONE
Defense and pitching took center stage as UCF and Michigan were scoreless through the first two and a half innings. The Wolverines earned their first run in the bottom of the third after reaching on a walk and eventually coming around to score on a wild pitch.
Michigan added four in the fourth, with another run scoring on a wild pitch before a three RBI triple cleared the bases later in the inning.
The Wolverines added one more in the bottom of the sixth on a ground rule double to left center.
Freshman Kaitlyn Felton went the distance in circle, throwing 113 pitches.
GAME TWO
The Red Raiders got on the scoreboard early, plating two runs on an error in the infield. UCF answered back in a hurry as Shannon Doherty launched her second homer of the season to deep left center, cutting the Texas Tech lead in half.
The Knights knotted up the game at 2-2 in the top of the fifth as Micaela Macario doubled through the right side, knocking in Justene Molina, who scored all the way from first after walking just before Macario's at bat.
The Red Raiders answered right back in their half of the 5th, as Riley Love tripled to start the inning. Love's hit was the first and only of the game for Texas Tech. The triple chased starter Kama Woodall from the game, who went four innings, striking out three and walking three, allowing just the one hit. Love came into score on Mancha's first delivery, a wild pitch, giving the Red Raiders a 3-2 lead.
The back-and-forth action continued, as UCF drew even again in the top of the sixth. Kennedy Searcy drew a walk to lead off the inning. Jada Cody laid down a sacrifice bunt, advancing Searcy to second. Doherty was up next and singled hard up the middle on a 3-1 count to score Searcy.
Mancha was lights out the rest of the way. She tossed four perfect innings, striking out 10 and walking nobody. She punched out six straight over the sixth and seventh innings, forcing extras.
The international tiebreaker rule was used in extra innings, as Allyse Volpe was placed on second. The Knights jumped on Texas Tech right away in the top of the 8th, as Cody smashed a 3-0 pitch back up the middle, scoring Vople. The Knights kept applying pressure, as Doherty walked. After Denali Schappacher reached on a fielder's choice, Savannah Adams earned her first career double, driving in two with a drive down the right field line. Molina came up with two outs in the inning, doubling to right center field, knocking in Adams. Molina was tagged out trying to stretch the double into a triple, ending UCF's four-run eighth inning.
The home half of the eighth saw Mancha continue to mow through hitters, getting the first Texas Tech batter to foul out before striking out the final two.
Adams had a debut to remember, going 2-for-4 with 2 RBI and a run scored. Doherty also collected two RBI in the contest, going 2-for-2 two with two walks and two runs scored.
"Gianna coming in and shutting them down keeps it pretty simple," said Ball-Malone. "She got us back in the dugout to allow us to get the hits going. I'm happy for Savannah and the freshman debut she had. I'm liking that we're starting to string hits together and our slappers are putting the ball on the ground. It's coming together."
The victory stands as the 200th of Coach Ball-Malone's eight-year career. She just recently reached the 100-win mark at UCF, getting to the century mark with the Black and Gold's 3-0 win over Liberty on Tuesday.
UP NEXT
The Knights will play in another double header on Saturday at the St. Pete/Clearwater Elite Invitational, facing No. 18 Tennessee at 10:30 a.m. and No. 11 Texas at 7 p.m.
"Tomorrow's going to be a good challenge and a good test for us because we've got two games with a big break in between," said Ball-Malone. "We need to focus and be able to play one pitch at a time."
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