Softball Outlasts Florida Atlantic in Wednesday Midweek, 9-5Softball Outlasts Florida Atlantic in Wednesday Midweek, 9-5

Softball Outlasts Florida Atlantic in Wednesday Midweek, 9-5

by Ryan Ladika
Box Score

ORLANDO – The shutout streak may have come to an end, but the win streak lives on.

The UCF softball team clinched its eighth consecutive victory over the Florida Atlantic Owls in convincing fashion Wednesday evening, blasting a pair of home runs in a nine-run effort to top its in-state rival, 9-5, at the UCF Softball Complex.

The win not only marked the program’s eighth straight over Florida Atlantic, but also represented the squad’s 15th in 19 games to begin the 2026 campaign, ensuring the Knights remained on pace with the best 19-game start to a season since 2021 (16-3).

“We played some better all-around ball. Last weekend, we won, and that’s what good teams do, but it wasn’t our ball that we normally play, so outside of maybe two or three innings, we did a better job of playing Knights softball and getting good performances from all three of our pitchers tonight against a good-hitting FAU team.”

Cindy Ball-Malonehead coach
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They did it on the back of an offense that scored at least nine runs in a game for the seventh time this spring, and first time since UCF’s 9-1 win over Ohio Feb. 20.

A four-run bottom of the first inning set the tone early for the squad, when the Black and Gold followed a spotless top of the first inning authored by freshman starter Hildie Dempsey by sending eight hitters to the plate in the home half.

The Knights capitalized on three first-inning walks drawn by Aubrey Evans, Kendall Yarnell and Sierra Humphreys, plating their first run on an RBI fielder’s choice off the bat of Izzy Mertes, scoring again on a wild pitch later in the frame, and seeing their last two first-inning scores come around on a Beth Damon two-run double off the right field fence.

Damon’s first-inning double represented the first of two on the evening for the Edmond, Oklahoma native, extending her hit streak to eight straight games and her on-base streak to 16 straight contests. She also clinched her first career multi-double game and her second game this season with multiple extra-base hits.

“When we make adjustments on the pitcher when we’re supposed to, we can do big things. We’ve been kind of lacking on that lately, so taking in things that need to be done in-game and doing it within a few batters is really important.”

Kendall Yarnellsophomore utility

Dempsey, staked to an early four-run advantage, ran with the early momentum, retiring the side for Florida Atlantic in order in the second and third innings before the Owls managed a response in the fourth, scoring three times to slice into the Black and Gold’s lead.

The Owls’ fourth-inning scores represented the first runs surrendered by UCF to Florida Atlantic in the teams’ last seven games, ending the Knights’ bid for a seventh consecutive shutout victory over the Owls. In that span, the Black and Gold had run their shutout streak against Florida Atlantic to 49 consecutive innings since the Owls’ first-inning run against the Knights April 17, 2018.

UCF drew up the next counterpunch, slugging back-to-back home runs for the first time this season in the bottom of the fifth inning, courtesy of Kendall Yarnell and Izzy Mertes.

The duo both hit their fifth home runs of the spring in the inning, moving into a three-way tie with Damon atop the Knights’ home run leaderboard, and ensured the Knights their sixth game this season with multiple home runs.

“It was a hard-fought game, we’re just doing anything we can for the team. Having good at-bats and scoring runs is our job, so that’s just what we were both thinking in that situation. I was just trying to be patient in my at-bat and wait for my pitch.”

Izzy Mertessophomore utility

After the Owls again answered with two more runs in the top of the sixth, the Knights snatched them right back in the home half, scoring two more times on a sacrifice fly by Samantha Rey and a first-pitch, two-out RBI single by Coco Jaimes that plated Zoe Calvez.

Freshman right-handed pitcher Ava Stuewe was called upon to lock down the seventh inning, and she did so with ease, retiring the side in order with a pair strikeouts.

UP NEXT
The Knights have little time to rest before embarking on their final home tournament of the season, as the program will meet Dartmouth in a Thursday evening twin bill at the UCF Softball Complex. First pitch is set for 3 p.m. and will be streamed live on ESPN+.

ABOUT UCF ATHLETICS
UCF is a proud member of the Big 12 Conference. Our mission is to positively transform the lives of our students academically, athletically, and personally through a nationally competitive intercollegiate athletics program that enhances the reputation and visibility of the University. We strive to be Florida's preeminent athletic program, representing UCF and our community with distinction on the national stage as "Orlando's Hometown Team". To learn more about UCF and Athletics, please visit our websites at www.ucf.edu and www.ucfknights.com.