ORLANDO, Fla. – The UCF softball team split its Saturday double header, with the win coming in comeback and upset fashion, beating No. 11 Texas 15-10. In a back-and-forth affair, a seven-run sixth inning powered UCF to the victory.
"All I can say is wow," said head coach Cindy Ball-Malone after the victory over Texas. "I'm so proud of them. I love how they never quit and I'm proud that they played how I know they can play."
GAME ONE – vs. No. 18 Tennessee
The Knights saw their opponent score in the first inning for the third time in the last four games. Tennessee led things off with a walk in the top of the first, followed by a steal of second and a ground ball to move the runner to third. A wild pitch scored the run soon after.
UCF starter Grace Jewell was able to work out of a one out, bases loaded jam, getting the next to batters to roll over on a few pitches, escaping the inning with just one run on the board.
The Lady Vols doubled their lead with a solo home run to right field by Ashley Morgan.
The Black and Gold rallied back to tie the game in the bottom of the fifth inning. Justene Molina led off the inning with a walk, followed by a sac bunt by Jewell advancing her to second. Micaela Macario laced a single through the left side of the infield, putting runners at the corners with one away. Macario stole second before Johneisha Rowe grounded out, moving the runners up a base. Kennedy Searcy stepped to the plate and drove in the tying run with a double to right field.
Tennessee answered with two outs in the top of the sixth, as a single through the left side drove in a run that had reached on an error. The Lady Vols took a one run lead into the top of the seventh and turned it into a four-run cushion, with runs scoring via a homer, a wild pitch and double to left center.
UCF was unable to answer in their half of the seventh, falling 6-2 in game one of their double header.
GAME TWO – vs. No. 11 Texas
QUICK NOTES
Devoe – First career win
Macario – Three stolen bases
Volpe – Four runs scored, tying a program record
Cody – 4-for-5, 2B, RBI, 3 R
UCF – Scored in every inning but the first
Was the first meeting between the two programs
The Knights' second game of the double header was perhaps one of the wildest in program history, beating No. 11 Texas 15-10. It was the most runs scored by UCF since they put up 18 on New Mexico State in early 2021 and goes down as the highest combined run total since 2004. The game also stands as the most runs that the Black and Gold have scored on a ranked opponent.
The game started with the Knights stranding two runners in the top of the first, which eventually ended up being the only inning that UCF didn't score. Texas scored a pair in their half of the inning, with one scoring on a double and another on a ground ball to the right side.
The Knights leveled the game in the top of the second as Texas committed five errors in the frame, allowing Allyse Volpe and Molina to score on a errors. The Longhorns answered in the bottom of the inning on a wild pitch, taking a 3-2 lead.
UCF jumped in front for the first time in the top of the third as Ashleigh Griffin blasted her first collegiate homer, a two-run shot that drove in Volpe and put the Knights up 4-3. Texas retook the lead, plating four runs in an inning where the Black and Gold had three errors.
The Knights cut the deficit to 7-6 in the top of the fourth as Jada Cody doubled to drive in Rowe before Savannah Adams hit a sac fly to right field. The Longhorns again answered UCF's two runs with two of their own, extending their lead to 9-6.
Only one run was scored in the fifth inning, going the way of the Knights as Volpe scored on a wild pitch to make it a 9-7 game.
UCF exploded for seven runs in the sixth inning, bringing 10 batters to the plate. The inning started as Carson Frier reached on an error, followed by Cody and Shannon Doherty singles, loading the bases. The next Knight to hit was Adams as she absolutely scorched a ball back up the middle, driving in a pair of runs to tie the game. Volpe followed suit with a walk which gave way to wild pitch that scored Doherty during a Griffin at bat, which also ended in a walk. Emmerson Lee was up next and went down 0-2 but battled all the way back, drawing a 12-pitch walk, scoring another run. Macario continued to have a day to remember, slapping one through the left side and driving in another pair. The Knights ended the seven-run side with Macario stealing third and then scoring on a passed ball, putting the Black and Gold in front 14-9. Texas used three different pitchers over the course of the sixth inning and saw UCF have the bases loaded with no outs multiple times.
The Longhorns could only retaliate with a single run in their half of the sixth, scoring with a single through the left side. The Knights were able to earn a run right back after Cody singled to get on and later scored on a wild pitch.
Angelina Devoe, who came in relief in the fourth inning, set the Longhorns down in order in their last at bats, sealing the come from behind victory and upset of No. 11 Texas. The victory is the first of Devoe's career as she went 3.2 IP, allowing just one earned run on two hits and a walk.
"Before she got in there, I told her that she's always the one that knows the answers to questions I ask, is the first one there and the last to leave," said Ball-Malone. "I said if you lead us and slow this game down, we will absolutely follow you. And she did; it was so awesome to see the guts she had today."
In total, 18 players wearing the Black and Gold saw game action in the victory over Texas. Eight pitchers were used when combining both teams, with the Longhorns tossing five arms into the circle. A total of 25 runs were scored, the highest total since an 18-7 win over Belmont on Mar. 27, 2004. There were more runs than hits in the ballgame, with a total of 21 hits. Texas and UCF combined for 11 errors in the contest, with the Longhorns committing seven of them. The total error count in the game was higher than Texas had in the runs or hits columns.
UP NEXT
The Knights will wrap up their six-game stay at the St. Pete/Clearwater Elite Invitational on Sunday afternoon, facing No. 5 Florida State at 12:30 p.m.
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