NORMAN, Okla. – The No. 16 UCF softball team saw its season come to an end as they were defeated by No. 1 Oklahoma in game two of their Super Regional series by a score of 7-1.
"Obviously we're competitors and we don't want to finish our season like this," said head coach Cindy Ball-Malone. "I'm proud of our team, what they've done and how hard they fought this year for our program to get us right back where we ended up last year and a little bit more."
Similar to Friday's contest, the Sooners scored a run in their first ups. They served as the away team in the contest, per NCAA rules. Oklahoma drew two walks in the first three batters before a hit loaded the bases. With one down, Alyssa Brito singed through the left side, scoring a runner on the play. That was all the Sooners got in the half, as Jada Cody fielded a ground ball and threw home for the second out before the final batter of the inning lined out to left.
The intensity of the game went up a few notches in the Sooners' half of the second as Jayda Coleman drew a walk and clapped and yelled back in the direction of the circle, drawing a warning from the home plate umpire. Starter Kama Woodall responded by finishing the inning unscathed, stranding a pair of runners.
Oklahoma homered to lead off their half of the third inning, a solo shot to make it 2-0.
Kaitlyn Felton entered the circle in the top of the fourth inning, relieving Woodall. She got the first batter to fly out before Jocelyn Alo reached on an error. The next batter snuck one just inside the third base line for a double. Grace Lyons stepped up to the plate next and took advantage of the situation, hitting a three-run homer to right-center field. The top of the fifth saw Oklahoma homer one more time as Jana Johns hit a solo shot to center to give the Sooners a 6-0 lead. Woodall re-entered the ballgame following the home run and finished off the side.
For the fourth straight inning, Oklahoma put a number on the scoreboard. The inning started with an Alo solo shot, followed by a double that chased Woodall in favor of Gianna Mancha. The Sooners didn't plate another run in the frame as Mancha left the bases loaded.
The Knights made history in the bottom of the sixth inning as Cody launched a homer to left field, UCF's first run at the NCAA Super Regionals in program history. It was Cody's 15th home run of the season and 75th RBI, continuing to set the bar higher on the Knights' single-season RBI record.
UCF couldn't add any more in their final at bat, bringing a historic season to a close. It was a year of firsts for the Knights, as they earned their first hosting nod as the No. 16 national seed. The Black and Gold made more history by sweeping their way through the Orlando Regional, punching their first ticket to the NCAA's Super Regionals.
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