FULLERTON, Calif. – A career outing from junior right-hander Sarah Willis supported an early Knights run in the opener of the (RV) UCF softball team's play in the 2023 Judi Garman Classic, but a dominant performance in the circle on Michigan's side in the nightcap led to a split of the tournament's first two games for the Knights, who topped the Fresno State Bulldogs, 1-0, before falling to the Wolverines, 2-0, at Anderson Family Field.
Making her sixth start in nine appearances in the circle, Willis wiggled out of an early jam in the top of the first inning to eventually turn in career-highs in innings pitched (6.0) and strikeouts (9) in the Knights' Game 1 win.
The Ontario, California, native worked a groundout and a strikeout around a one-out single and walk, but a single right back to Willis would load the bases with two outs in the top of the opening frame.
Willis battled back through a full count to collect her second strikeout of the inning and escape the jam, and only got stronger as the afternoon wore on. She retired three of the four hitters she faced in the top of the second frame and, thanks partly to Willis at the plate as well, UCF's offense came through in the bottom half.
She beat the throw to first on an infield single to shortstop and dashed all the way home from first base on a double to the right-center field gap by freshman infielder Aubrey Evans.
The double off the bat of the Apopka, Florida, native extended her hit streak to three straight games, tying her season long, and marked Evans' second straight game with an extra-base hit after swatting her first career triple off the right-center field wall in the Knights' Feb. 26 matchup with (RV) Louisville.
After catching her breath, Willis returned to the circle and made the tally stand. She spun perfect third, fourth and fifth innings, including three punchouts in the third, and sat down three of the four hitters she faced in the sixth. In doing so, the junior transfer completed six innings in a single game for the first time in her collegiate career.
After the Bulldogs put together a late rally to open the final frame, head coach Cindy Ball-Malone turned to right-hander Grace Jewell for the save with two on and none out.
Jewell, making her 10th appearance of the season and fifth in relief, quickly stamped out the rally, whiffing the first hitter she faced before inducing a groundout and a foulout to left field to seal UCF's 10th win of the season. For her efforts, Jewell was awarded the first save of her collegiate career as she continues to earn experience as both a starter and reliever.
Sophomore right-hander Kaitlyn Felton continued the Knights' trend of strong performances in the circle during the day's second game against the Wolverines, a team UCF faced for the second time following the Knights' 8-2 win against Michigan during the 2023 Clearwater Invitational.
Despite yielding seven hits and one walk, Felton allowed just two runs in a seven-inning complete-game, marking her second of the season and of her career, and first since she limited the UMass Minutewomen to a single run Feb. 10.
Her eight strikeouts marked her most since her 13 against UMass as well, but the UCF offense could not solve Michigan starter Jessica LeBeau, who spun her own complete-game shutout in sending the Knights to a 2-0 defeat.
UP NEXT
The Knights face their toughest challenge of the season thus far, as UCF will match up with the consensus No. 2 team in the nation in the UCLA Bruins in the first game of a Friday night doubleheader. The Knights will then square off with Loyola Marymount to conclude the day's action, with first pitches scheduled for 5:30 and 11 p.m., respectively.
