LONG BEACH, Calif. - The UCF softball team started play in the Louisville Slugger Invitational on Friday and defeated Boston University by a score of 6-2 bringing their win streak to seven straight.
"We started off a little different than usual but we stayed calm," said head coach Cindy-Ball Malone. "I think Kaitlyn didn't get a fair shot at her start with kind of a wonky strike zone and not being able to figure it out, and we didn't play solid defense behind her to start. Gianna came in and slowed the game down and gave us an opportunity to come back in the game and close the door."
Boston got on the board first in the top of the first on a Kayla Roncin single up the middle after a walk and error lead to the first two batters reaching. Lauren Keleher then singled to center field with two outs, giving the Terriers an early 2-0 lead.
Denali Schappacher got the scoring started for the Knights in the second. After Ashleigh Griffin singled and Maddie Bejarano doubled, Schappacher had an RBI single to center field, scoring pinch-runner Allyse Volpe. Bejarano then came around to score on a wild pitch, tying the game at two. Micaela Macario then added an RBI groundout to the mix, scoring Schappacher. The Knights' fourth and final run of the inning came from a throwing error that brought Justene Molina home.
With the bases loaded and one out in the fifth, Shannon Doherty drew her team-leading 19th walk forcing in a run, making it a 5-2 game. Doherty has now reached base in 10 straight ball games. A passed ball then advanced Doherty and Cody, while scoring Kennedy Searcy leading to a now 6-2 lead for the Black and Gold.
After a tough start by Kaitlyn Felton, Gianna Mancha came in with two outs in the first and was lights out. She tossed six and a third innings while striking out five. The two Knight pitchers didn't allow an earned run on the day.
Mancha improves to 7-2 this season and now has 27 career victories in the Black and Gold, moving her into a tie of eighth all-time at UCF in career wins. Schappacher also moved up a career chart as she enters into a tie of seventh in all-time runs scored at UCF with 118.
UCF has lost just one game when they score three or more runs in a game, with that one being to No. 4 Florida in a 12-11 game for the ages. The Knights are now 17-1 when they score three or more runs.
The Black and Gold improve to 3-0 on the California trip. They add today's victory to a pair they earned earlier this week, beating Pacific 8-0 in five innings on Tuesday and earned a 10-2 win over Fresno State on Wednesday.
UCF snapped Boston's six game winning streak this season and drop them to 11-11. The Knights tie the all-time series against Boston at 2-2.
UP NEXT
The Knights will face future Big 12 foe Iowa State tomorrow at 3 p.m. ET before facing Cal State Fullerton just after at 5:30 p.m.
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