ORLANDO – The UCF softball team split its Friday double header, falling to South Carolina 5-2 but rebounded nicely to beat FGCU 9-2.
"We just couldn't get our momentum offensively in the first game," said head coach Cindy Ball-Malone. "To come back and answer with four runs straight out of the gate in game two was great. Minus a few pitches, Gianna threw really well, only allowing two runs and getting 10 strikeouts. We played incredible defense behind her.
GAME ONE
Zeros filled the scoreboard through the first two inning. South Carolina was the first to score, plating two runs in the top of the third on a Hannah Kumiyama double to center.
The Knights answered back in their half of the inning as Kennedy Searcy dumped one into shallow centerfield to make it 2-1.
The Gamecocks retaliated with three more runs in the top of the fourth, with one run coming in to score on a Maddie Gallagher single and the two others scoring via a Jordan Fabian homer.
UCF pulled a run back in the bottom of the fifth as Johneisha Rowe punched one up the middle, allowing Justene Molina to score.
GAME TWO
The Knights jumped on the Eagles early, posting a four spot in the bottom of the first. Rowe got things started with a bang, smashing a triple into the left center gap against her former team. Searcy was up next as she ripped one to right, scoring Rowe. Jada Cody kept the momentum going, blasting a two-run homer to left center, her second of the year, to give UCF a 3-0 lead. The Black and Gold wrapped up the scoring in the top of the first with Katie Burge scoring on a throwing error from left field.
UCF added two more in the bottom of the second, as Shannon Doherty drew a walk with the bases loaded, driving home a run. Burge followed with a sac fly to center, allowing Averi Wong to come home to extend the lead to 6-0.
FGCU scored their first run of the ballgame in the top of the third as Hope Hernandez singled through the right side. UCF answered back with a run of their own in the home half of the inning as Wong walked with the bases loaded to make it a 7-1 contest.
The Eagles got the run right back in the top of the fourth as Cana Davis hit a home run to lead off the inning.
UCF tacked on its final two runs of the contest with via a Maddie Bejarano homer, one she got a hold of and took the opposite way to put UCF in front 9-2. The blast was Bejarano's second of the season and career.
Gianna Mancha was locked in from the circle again, tossing her second straight complete game. She struck out 10 Eagles while allowing just one walk and five hits with two earned runs. It's the second time this season that Mancha has recorded 10 strikeouts in a game, the other coming in relief against Texas Tech at the St. Pete Clearwater Elite Invitational. Mancha has had back-to-back starts with eight or more strikeouts, allowing just 10 hits over her last 14 innings of work. The complete game was her fourth of the season as she ties Pysha Simmons on UCF's all-time complete games list with 21.
UP NEXT
The Knights are back in action tomorrow as they host South Carolina and FGCU in a double header once again. First pitch against the Gamecocks is slated for 2:30 p.m. while the start time against the Eagles is set for 5 p.m.
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