ORLANDO, Fla. – In the midst of a stretch of 12 games in 10 days for the No. 22 UCF Knights softball squad, the Knights returned home for their first game at the UCF Softball Complex since the conclusion of the 2023 TaxAct Clearwater Invitational for a matchup with the (RV) Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns, falling by an 8-0 final score in a run-rule-shortened five innings.
UCF (5-6, 0-0 AAC) also suffered being no-hit in the loss, marking the first time the Knights had been no-hit since their 2022 Super Regional-opening loss against the top-ranked Oklahoma Sooners May 27, also by an 8-0 score in five innings.
The Knights managed one baserunner throughout the evening, courtesy of a Jada Cody soft pop up to shallow left field with two outs in the bottom of the third inning that was misplayed by the Louisiana (6-5, 0-0 SBC) shortstop. UCF struggled to build on the break it caught, though, and dropped its fourth game in its last six dating back to the beginning of the Clearwater Invitational.
The Knights have little time to reset following the loss, as UCF will now take the I-4 north for a quick road matchup with the Stetson Hatters before returning home Thursday for the commencement of the Knights Classic tournament. First pitch from Patricia Wilson Field in DeLand, Fla., is slated for 6 p.m.