Softball Earns Series-Opening 9-3 Win over No. 4 ArizonaSoftball Earns Series-Opening 9-3 Win over No. 4 Arizona

Softball Earns Series-Opening 9-3 Win over No. 4 Arizona

by Ryan Ladika
Box Score

TUCSON, Ariz. – “It’s Knights softball. It’s what we’re here to do.”

The evidence of redshirt junior Ashleigh Griffin’s postgame declaration, the UCF softball team authored yet another chapter in its storybook 2025 campaign Friday night.

Powered by a standout performance by a pair of arms in the circle and a consistent offensive attack throughout the contest, the Knights toppled the No. 4 Arizona Wildcats, 9-3, to kick off Big 12 Conference play at Hillenbrand Stadium in Tucson, Arizona.

The Black and Gold (18-7-1, 1-0 Big 12) earned their third ranked win of the season in moving to 11 games north of .500 overall, joining the team’s 6-5 win over then-No. 15 Missouri Feb. 11 and 3-0 shutout of then-No. 22 Florida Atlantic Feb. 26.

The effort represented UCF’s second top four-ranked win over Arizona (21-3, 0-1 Big 12) in three all-time meetings between the programs, joining the Knights’ 2-0 shutout of the then-second-ranked Wildcats in Orlando March 8, 2021, and handed the Wildcats just their third loss of the 2025 season overall.

UCF also earned its highest ranked win since it bested then-No. 4 Florida in Gainesville April 14, 2021, and recorded the sixth top four-ranked win in program history.

Not only were the Wildcats ranked fourth in the nation in top 25 polls according to Softball America and D1Softball.com, but UCF pulled off the win over the No. 4 team in the nation according to the NCAA’s first official RPI rankings this year as well, marking the Knights' second RPI top 25 win of the season.

“We were playing each pitch one pitch at a time. Our team did a great job with their preparation and sticking to their approach and their plan. It allowed them to play with that confidence.”

Cindy Ball-MaloneHead coach

UCF, still undefeated on the season when scoring first, moved to 13-0 when striking first this spring after plating a pair of runs in the top of the first inning on an RBI groundout by Izzy Mertes. A wild Arizona throw was not handled by the Wildcats catcher after Sierra Humphreys scored from third base, allowing Aubrey Evans to score from second on the play.

The first of three Black and Gold home runs came in the top of the second, off the bat of catcher Beth Damon. The freshman swatted a 3-1 pitch over the right-center field wall for her second career home run, both having come against ranked opponents.

“The coaches do a good job with preparing us in practice for the big moments. I’m just looking to stick with the plan and have confidence in myself in those moments.”

Beth Damonfreshman catcher

The team’s fast offensive beginning bolstered redshirt freshman Isabella Vega, who was tabbed for the Friday start by Ball-Malone. Vega retired the side in order with her first strikeout in the first inning, limited the Wildcats to a single score in the second and bounced back with a 1-2-3 third.

Moments later, redshirt junior Ashleigh Griffin once again extended the Knights’ lead, hitting the team’s second home run to lead off an inning with a 3-1 line drive that cleared the right field wall, the veteran’s first home run of the season.

“I knew she was going to go right back to the same pitch she threw to me before, and my goal was to stay on it and drive it to right-center. The coaches prepared me for that in film and I stuck to that and trusted them.”

Ashleigh Griffinredshirt-junior first baseman

Vega spun a spotless fourth frame, inducing a pair of flyouts and a groundout, and kept her composure in stranding a pair of Arizona runners in the bottom of the fifth, fanning her third and fourth hitters of the evening in the process.

The Wildcats finally broke through and plated a pair in the home half of the sixth, but the Knights clung to their lead, and drew up a five-run counterpunch in the top of the seventh inning.

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All with two outs, redshirt senior Stormy Kotzelnick clubbed her team’s third home run of the night, a two-run blast that sailed over the right field fence, before the Black and Gold saw a pair of singles by Mertes and Griffin precede a two-run double by center fielder Madison Simon and another Arizona error that allowed UCF’s ninth run to score.

Senior right-hander Kaitlyn Felton, who entered in relief of Vega in the sixth inning, dispatched of the Wildcats in order in the home half of the seventh to secure her second save and UCF’s biggest win of the campaign.

Vega, meanwhile, notched her fourth outing of at least five innings this season and her second against a ranked opponent, joining her seven-inning masterpiece in relief in leading UCF to the largest ranked comeback win in program history against then-No. 15 Missouri Feb. 11.

“They went out there, threw their best stuff and went right at them. They didn’t dance around, they shut them down and threw a great game to allow for our defense to play right behind them.”

Ashleigh Griffinon her pitching staff

UP NEXT

Riding the momentum of its Friday win, UCF looks to take the series with a second win in Tucson Saturday. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. ET from Hillenbrand Stadium, and will be streamed on ESPN+.

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