Seven-Run Fifth Powers UCF to 11-0 Win Over FIUSeven-Run Fifth Powers UCF to 11-0 Win Over FIU

Seven-Run Fifth Powers UCF to 11-0 Win Over FIU

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ORLANDO, Fla. – The UCF softball team had an offensive outburst on Wednesday afternoon, beating FIU 11-0. Gianna Mancha was lights out from the circle, tossing a one hitter, her second of the 2022 season.

"I like how Allyse started it off with some small ball and we just kept going," said head coach Cindy Ball-Malone. "Denali read the defense on that triple and put it out there. With Gianna working like she did in the circle, she led us and we followed her."

Both sides were hitless through two frames. That changed in the top of the third for the Knights as Allyse Volpe started the inning with a bunt single. Next up was Denali Schappacher, who tripled to a vacant right field, as FIU had brought their right fielder in to play on the left side of the infield. The triple was the 6th of Schappacher's career, putting her in a tie of seventh with Courtney Rotton and Linnea Goodman on UCF's all-time triples list.

The inning didn't stop there as Kennedy Searcy drew a walk and was pinch ran for by Emmerson Lee. With runners on the corners, Jada Cody smashed a ground ball to third base and reached on an error, scoring Schappacher from third. UCF added it's final run of the inning as Micaela Macario drove in a run on a groundball to second base to go up 3-0.

The Knights loaded the bases with two gone in their half of the fourth. The FIU catcher tried to throw behind the runner at second, but the ball got away, allowing Katie Burge to score from third to make it 4-0.

For the second time in three games, the Black and Gold put together a seven-run inning. The first three batters in the top of the fifth reached via a pair of walks and an error. Grace Jewell got the nod to pinch hit and didn't disappoint, taking a 2-2 pitch and bouncing it off the top of the wall and over for a grand slam, her first collegiate hit. The blast put UCF up 8-0 with no outs. Jewell, who had only pitched prior to this season for UCF is now 1-for-2 at the plate this season. She was a two-way player in high school, hitting .429 with six homers in her junior year of high school.

"It's always fun to get a grand slam on the board in any way," said Ball-Malone. "To see Grace do that and to come in and focus on that side of the ball in this game is awesome."

The firsts didn't stop there, as Volpe singled up the middle before Damaria Cannon came to the dish in a pinch-hit appearance and singled to center, her first hit of the season and first since the 2020 season. Volpe and Cannon were driven in on another first, as Emmerson Lee's first college hit was also a homer, launching one well beyond the left-center field fence to make it 11-0.

"Emmerson has had some really crucial at-bats in some big-time moments for us," said Ball-Malone. "For her to be able to come out with that hit just really speaks to her grinding through the process."

Mancha had a no hitter going into the bottom of the fifth, needing just three outs to secure her second career no-no. The Panthers thwarted the no-hit bid, singling to right-center with their first batter of the fifth. That was all FIU could do in their half, as Mancha earned her second one-hitter of 2022. She has been a part of UCF's two shutouts this season, earning a combined shutout against Liberty before finishing the job solo on Wednesday.

"Gianna has definitely added some different looks to her pitching repertoire, that's been nice," said Ball-Malone. "I love how she's approaching the process of mixing speeds and mixing eye levels and how she is just sticking to it. The goal is for her to be the best version of herself by the end of the year."

UP NEXT
The Knights will host The Knights Classic Sponsored by Knight Pass this weekend, playing five games in four days. UCF will open against Ole Miss on Friday before playing James Madison and DePaul on Saturday. Sunday the Knights square off with No. 4 Florida at 4 p.m. before wrapping up the tournament on Monday against Oakland.

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