Softball Topples No. 21 Oklahoma State, 12-6Softball Topples No. 21 Oklahoma State, 12-6

Softball Topples No. 21 Oklahoma State, 12-6

by Ryan Ladika
Box Score

ORLANDO – “Coach Bear asked me if I could finish it, and I said, ‘Yeah. There’s no other option.”

Led by right-hander Kaitlyn Felton and a relentless offensive attack up and down the lineup, the UCF softball team personified the senior’s mindset in earning one of the grittier victories of its 2025 campaign.

A nine-run first inning set the tone for the evening at the UCF Softball Complex, as the Knights downed the No. 21 Oklahoma State Cowgirls, 12-6, under a national ESPNU spotlight to even the series at one game apiece Friday night.

The effort marked UCF’s sixth ranked win of the season, one shy of matching the seven accomplished by the 2022 Knights who would earn the first NCAA Super Regional berth in program history. The Black and Gold’s six ranked wins are good for a share of third-most in the Big 12 Conference with Texas Tech, trailing only Arizona’s 10 and Oklahoma State’s seven.

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With the Cowgirls slotted 18th in the NCAA’s latest RPI rankings release Friday, the Black and Gold also earned their sixth win of the season over an RPI top 25 opponent, joining their victories over then-No. 3 Florida (2nd in NCAA’s latest RPI), then-No. 4 Arizona (11th), Clemson (17th), and then-No. 22 Florida Atlantic (25th).

The winning effort also marked the first for UCF against Oklahoma State in the Cindy Ball-Malone era, the first against the Cowgirls in Orlando, and the third win in program history over Oklahoma State.

“I love how we came out and stuck to our plan offensively, and then with Felton grinding through. Oklahoma State has such great hitters, and to have to face them multiple times is tough. She got better there at the end.”

Cindy Ball-MaloneHead coach

UCF’s explosive first inning, a frame during which the squad scored nine times, sent 15 hitters to the plate, and recorded three hits, six walks, one home run and two hit-by-pitches, represented the most runs scored in a single inning by the program since the 2020 Knights scored nine in the home half of the third against then-No. 12 Tennessee Feb. 21, en route to a 10-1 run-rule victory in five innings over the Lady Vols.

In the circle, Felton battled through all seven innings against a Cowgirl offense that entered the contest averaging over five runs per game with a .496 slugging percentage that ranked third-highest in the Big 12 Conference.

“They’re a phenomenal team. I love playing against them every year, they’re always really good games. Talk about some run support, my hitters really had my back today. I’m appreciative of that.”

Kaitlyn Feltonright-handed pitcher

After Felton struck out three to strand a pair of Cowgirl runners in the top of the first inning, her offense got right to work avenging its shutout loss from the night before.

Each of the first five Knights reached base safely, beginning with back-to-back walks drawn by Aubrey Evans and Sierra Humphreys, followed by a hit-by-pitch taken by Stormy Kotzelnick to load the bases with none out.

Beth Damon and Ashleigh Griffin kept the line moving, rapping back-to-back RBI singles to left field, giving UCF its first lead of the weekend, 2-0.

Kotzelnick later scored on an Oklahoma State fielding error, and Kendall Yarnell drew her team’s third walk of the inning to force home the Knights’ fourth run.

Evans was next, and she came through with one of the biggest hits of the evening, a grand slam over the left-center field fence to balloon her team’s advantage to 8-0 in her second at-bat of the inning.

The long ball marked her sixth home run of the season, first grand slam of her career, and her second career home run against the Cowgirls. The first home run of Evans’ collegiate tenure also came against then-No. 2 Oklahoma State in Stillwater against right-handed pitcher Kelly Maxwell March 19, 2023.

“Being the first batter of the game on our side, I was able to see a lot of pitches in my first at-bat. When we kept hitting and finding ways to get on base, I got another opportunity. I gave my at-bat to the Lord, and she gave me a good pitch that I was looking for. I got all of it and it left the yard.”

Aubrey Evansinfielder

The Knights’ second bases-loaded walk of the frame came courtesy of Griffin, who capped her team’s game-opening nine-run frame.

UCF tacked on its 10th score in the second, answering a pair of Cowgirl scores with a tally that came on an Oklahoma State fielding error that allowed Yarnell to score from second base.

With 10 runs across, Felton authored a spotless third inning before limiting the visitors to just one in the top of the fourth.

The Cowgirls continued to battle back, pushing three more across in the fifth and sixth frames, answered again by a pair of Knights runs in the bottom of the fifth on an Izzy Mertes RBI single and a double steal attempt that plated pinch-runner Macy Miles.

Though she needed a season-high 161 pitches, Felton persevered, finishing her outing on a high note with a pair of groundouts and her fifth strikeout of the night.

Her latest start, representing her 10th this spring and 23rd overall appearance, saw her set a new single-season career high in innings pitched, reaching 92.2, and throw seven innings in an outing for the ninth time this year, as well as record her ninth complete game of the campaign.

“I wanted to finish this one. I was definitely going the distance no matter how long it took tonight.”

Kaitlyn Feltonright-handed pitcher

Offensively, six different Knights recorded at least one RBI, led by Evans’ four and Griffin’s two, eight Knights earned at least one hit, and Griffin (3), Evans (2) and Humphreys (2) all drew multiple walks.

“I told the team, ‘Are you going to focus on the first six innings, or the last one?’” Ball-Malone continued, referring to the teams’ Thursday opener. “It felt good to start off like we did, draw some walks and get a couple big hits when we got them.”

UP NEXT

The Knights will look to clinch their second ranked series win of the season in the teams’ series finale Saturday afternoon. First pitch is set for 12 p.m. from the UCF Softball Complex and will be streamed on ESPN+.

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