ORLANDO – The 24th ranked UCF softball team earned another run-rule victory over FGCU, using an eight-run third inning to beat the Eagles 10-2 in five innings.
"We kinda started off a little slow and gave up those two home runs to a great hitter, but I just love how we stayed calm and confident and got that eight run inning," said head coach Cindy Ball-Malone. "It just shows that what we can do when we see a pitcher once through the lineup."
Cana Davis started the game with a bang for FGCU, hitting a solo homer to put them in front 1-0. Davis struck again in the third in a bizarre series of events. She hit one out with a runner on, thinking she put her team up 3-0. However, the first base runner had left early on the pitch, therefore resulting in the runner being out and sending Davis back to the plate to hit. Unphased, Davis cranked the next pitch way beyond the left-centerfield fence to put the Eagles up 2-0.
The Knights scored eight runs in the bottom of the third, bringing 12 total batters to the plate. Micaela Macario got the inning started with a walk, followed by Kennedy Searcy getting plunked by a pitch. Jada Cody continued to swing a hot bat, launching another three-run homer, her fifth of the season. The three RBI brings Cody's total on the season to 30, a career best for her, topping her 28 RBI in 2021. Cody is now the fastest player in program history to reach 30 RBI in a season, doing so in 22 games and topping UCF Hall of Famer Stephanie Best. Best holds the top three single season RBI records, with the number the record sitting at 66 RBI in 2003.
The Black and Gold were far from finished after taking the 3-2 lead. Doherty ripped a double to the left-center field gap to keep the momentum going. Following Doherty's at-bat, the Knights scored the rest of their runs with two outs. Denali Schappacher walked and later stole second before Maddie Bejarano continued to swing a hot bat, singling up the middle to drive in two. Allyse Volpe climbed aboard with a single through the right side, setting up Macario who doubled, driving in two more to make it 7-2. Johneisha Rowe kept the line moving, slapping one to the right side, allowing Macario to score, completing UCF's highest scoring inning of 2022.
The Knights added another run in the fourth as Doherty collected her second double of the day and fourth of the season, driving in Emmerson Lee to make it 9-2.
Lee was the one to get the Black and Gold to the run-rule, smacking a single past the shortstop and scoring Rowe to seal the 10-2 victory.
UP NEXT
UCF will head to the west coast for seven games across the state of California in the upcoming week. They get the road trip started at Pacific on Tuesday at 9 p.m. ET.
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