Softball Clinches Series at BYU With 4-3 Friday WinSoftball Clinches Series at BYU With 4-3 Friday Win

Softball Clinches Series at BYU With 4-3 Friday Win

by Ryan Ladika
Box Score

PROVO, Utah – Timely hitting, airtight defense and stingy showings in the circle have defined the first two games of the UCF softball team’s weekend road series against the BYU Cougars.

The squad’s Friday evening contest represented perhaps one of the greatest such examples not only of the weekend, but of the spring as a whole.

Senior right-hander Kaitlyn Felton turned in a gritty seven-inning display, bolstered by a pair of double plays, a perfectly-executed relay from right field, and a pair of highlight-reel catches in the game’s final frame, in leading her team to a 4-3 win over the Cougars at Gail Miller Field.

The effort clinched UCF’s second Big 12 Conference series win of the year, joining its trip to Tucson, Arizona March 7-8 during which it took two of three against then-No. 4 Arizona to commence league play, the highest-ranked series win in program history.

For the second straight game, and in their fourth of their last five, the Knights found the scoreboard in the first inning. Both of UCF’s first two hitters found their way on base, Sierra Humphreys by way of a leadoff walk and Samantha Rey on a proceeding infield single.

Aubrey Evans soon followed with a single to left field of her own, and both of the Knights’ first two runners would come in to score thanks in part to an error by the Cougars left fielder that saw the ball reach the outfield wall.

Staked to an early 2-0 advantage, Felton delivered four straight scoreless frames to begin her evening in the circle, marking her ninth start of the season and 22nd appearance overall.

A pair of strikeouts highlighted a scoreless first frame, and after BYU put its leadoff hitter on base in the second, the Cougars quickly saw their first scoring chance of the game on a one-out double down the right field line.

A well-executed 9-4-2 relay from the outfield corner by Stormy Kotzelnick, Coco Jaimes and Beth Damon nabbed the runner attempting to score at home plate, though, keeping the home squad off the scoreboard.

Felton then worked a pair of groundouts in the third inning before her team added on to its advantage in the top of the fourth. Damon, with one out, lined a 1-1 offering over the left field wall for her seventh home run of the season, pushing UCF’s edge to 3-0.

With the long ball, the catcher not only extended her team-leading home run total to seven, but also clinched the third-most home runs by a freshman in UCF softball’s program history, trailing only Jania Shinhoster’s 12 and Stephanie Best’s 11, both coming in the program’s inaugural 2002 season.

UCF defensively turned its first double play in the home half of the frame, erasing one of three Cougar singles in the inning to help Felton work a spotless stanza.

The Black and Gold later added what would prove to be a necessary insurance tally in the top of the sixth, coming on a Kotzelnick RBI single through the right side of the infield. With the hit, the Carmel, Indiana native improved to 4-for-6 through the series’ first two games, accompanied by one triple, one run scored, five RBI and six total bases.

Through BYU would find the scoreboard in each of the fifth, sixth and seventh innings, all via solo home runs, UCF’s defensive efforts continued to support Felton in ensuring the team did not lose its advantage.

The Knights turned their second double play of the game in the home half of the sixth, worked by Jaimes, Evans and Ashleigh Griffin, and in the seventh saw a pair of standout catches by Rey in left field and Madison Simon in center to preserve UCF’s one-run victory.

With the win, UCF improved to 25-27-1 overall and pushed its record when scoring first to a perfect 18-0 this spring.

UP NEXT

The Knights look to complete their first series sweep of the season Saturday, with first pitch set for 1:30 p.m. ET from Gail Miller Field at Miller Park. The game will be streamed on ESPN+.

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