Softball Earns Largest Ranked Comeback Win in Program History vs. No. 15 MissouriSoftball Earns Largest Ranked Comeback Win in Program History vs. No. 15 Missouri

Softball Earns Largest Ranked Comeback Win in Program History vs. No. 15 Missouri

Knights overcome 5-0 first-inning deficit behind Vega's seven innings, Simon's first career walk-off hit

by Ryan Ladika
Box Score

ORLANDO – On Tuesday night at the UCF Softball Complex, Isabella Vega was One of a Kind.

As the redshirt freshman introduced herself to the national softball landscape, with each passing inning, out and pitch, one key memory continued to fuel her as her team inched ever closer to one of the largest wins in the history of the program.

She hearkened back to time spent studying one of Major League Baseball’s greats, four-time National League Cy Young winner and Hall of Fame right-handed pitcher Greg Maddux, and on Tuesday night in Orlando, she likely would have made the 1995 World Series Champion proud.

“We had all the pitchers watch the documentary on Greg Maddux, ‘One of a Kind,’ and how he talks about the strength in his pitching was the other pitchers with him. Greg Maddux is so great, but they’re also talking about (Tom) Glavine and (John) Smoltz. We’ve been constantly pumping into ‘Isa’ that she can be a part of that three-headed monster.”

Cindy Ball-MaloneHead coach

In just her third collegiate appearance, Vega was the catalyst for the Knights’ first five-run comeback victory against a ranked opponent in program history, as well as the program’s second-largest comeback win overall. Her seven scoreless innings in relief spearheaded the Black and Gold’s 6-5 win over the No. 15 Missouri Tigers, extending the team’s active win streak to five straight games and boosting the squad to a 6-1 record overall.

UCF also clinched its first win over a ranked opponent since the program toppled then-No. 22 Wichita State, 3-1, in the team’s final American Athletic Conference opener March 24, 2023, and its first top-15 win since the Knights bested then-No. 5 Virginia Tech in Orlando, 5-4 in 11 innings April 4, 2022.

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“I loved their fight. In the first inning, we come back and we scored a run, that shows some fight, and then we just stuck to it and played inning by inning. ‘Isa’ in the circle, holy cow. Such a good job. Our at-bats got better as the game went along. I was really proud of our fight at the plate and our grit in general.”

Cindy Ball-MaloneHead coach

Staked to the challenge of entering the game in the top of the first inning with five Missouri runs already across and just one out recorded, Vega calmed the storm with a strikeout and a pop out amid the first three hitters she faced.

The Knights, disinterested at what the scoreboard showed so early in the evening’s affairs, began to chip away in the home half of the first. A leadoff Samantha Rey walk and stolen base proceeded Stormy Kotzlenick’s second double of the season, a quick counterpunch to the Tigers’ potent first frame.

UCF struck for two more in the bottom of the third, when freshman infielder Izzy Mertes came through with a bases-loaded double off the left field wall to plate Rey and Sierra Humphreys.

The Knights were relentless, later tying the game in the bottom of the fifth on Mertes’ second double in three innings, this one a soft fly down the right field line that evaded the Tigers right fielder and drove in Humphreys.

All the while, Vega played a crucial role in allowing UCF time to complete its comeback. She fanned two more while dancing around a pair of baserunners in the second, and in the third struck out her fourth while stranding a one-out single.

“She redshirted last year, and she felt that she could use that year to really develop and grow, and she worked her tail off to be in this position. She’s getting better, she challenges herself in her bullpens, and she’s been working hard in the weight room. You’re going to see her continue growing and developing, and the best is yet to come.”

Cindy Ball-MaloneHead coach

One of the most vital moments of her appearance came in the top of the fourth inning, when Missouri managed a leadoff double down the left field line. Vega could not be shaken, though, inducing three consecutive outs on a flyout, strikeout and groundout to keep the Knights’ deficit at two runs.

A perfect fifth frame followed, and after UCF tied the affairs at five offensively, Vega rolled on. She fanned her seventh Tiger in a spotless sixth, and added punchouts eight and nine in a clean seventh inning.

“I had full faith in ‘Isa.’ She’s put in so much work in practice and she gives us a hard time hitting off of her in scrimmages. To see her succeed and be that all-time player for us was great. It was a great team win.”

Madison SimonFifth year outfielder

The reigning Big 12 Pitcher of the Week, senior Kaitlyn Felton, was called upon in the eighth to relieve the redshirt freshman, and after entering to a 3-0 count, notched back-to-back outs to send the Knights to the bottom of the eighth.

Yet another freshman, infielder Kendall Yarnell, worked an instrumental walk off the bench to kickstart her team’s offense once more, and after a sacrifice bunt by Aubrey Evans moved Coco Jaimes, running for Yarnell, over to second base, Simon delivered the biggest hit in her still-young UCF tenure.

She lined an 0-1 offering past the dive of Missouri’s center fielder playing shallow, scoring Jaimes and completing the comeback with an RBI double, the first walk-off of her collegiate career.

“I definitely knew my team was relying on me. We had runners in scoring position, so it was a great opportunity. Missouri is a great team, so I did my best to learn off what our hitters were doing and making the adjustments. I got to see them have their great at-bats before me, so it pumped me up for the time.”

Madison SimonFifth year outfielder

UP NEXT

The Knights have a quick turnaround before their next opportunity for a ranked victory, when the squad will welcome the No. 20 Liberty Flames to Orlando. First pitch is set for 5 p.m. Wednesday evening from the UCF Softball Complex, and will be streamed on ESPN+.

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