ORLANDO – Following the completion of its series against the Baylor Bears over the weekend, the No. 21 UCF softball team is set for a midweek road matchup against the FIU Panthers before resuming Big 12 play against No. 3 Texas Tech at home this weekend.
After earning their statement series win over then-No. 12 Oklahoma State in Stillwater to kick off conference play March 6-8, the Knights returned home with a 4-3 victory over Baylor to kick off the series March 13. The Bears then responded with wins over the Black and Gold in the final two contests of the three-game set.
Redshirt sophomore right-hander Isabella Vega spun her fourth seven-inning complete game of the season in UCF’s series-opening victory, bolstered by late-inning offense that featured a three-run fifth inning to break a 1-1 stalemate.
Sophomores Beth Damon and Izzy Mertes were responsible for the Knights’ four RBI on the evening, with Mertes driving in UCF’s first run of the game on a third-inning RBI double, and Damon providing key insurance with a two-out, two-run single in the fifth.
The effort represented Damon’s 12th multi-RBI game of the season and her 17th showing with at least one RBI, while Mertes notched her eighth contest with multiple RBI and her 17th game with at least one RBI this spring as well.
Baylor struck back with 12-3 and 8-2 victories in games two and three, respectively, to take the series, though, giving the Knights their first series loss of the season and their first instance of back-to-back losses this spring.
Despite the weekend showing, UCF still boasts a 23-7 record through its first 30 games this year, accompanied by an RPI ranking of 27th in the NCAA’s second official release of the spring. The Black and Gold have gone a perfect 19-0 against RPI 51+ teams thus far and boast four RPI top 50 wins entering the week’s action, over then-No. 10 LSU, Baylor and two against then-No. 12 Oklahoma State.
A win over FIU Wednesday would give the Black and Gold their fifth RPI top 50 win, further bolstering UCF’s NCAA Tournament resume as the Panthers currently sit 37th in the NCAA’s latest RPI rankings.
Following the weekend’s action, sophomore utility Kendall Yarnell represents the Knights’ leading hitter overall, pacing the squad in average (.420), on-base percentage (.512) and slugging percentage (.855), while Mertes’ 18 extra-base hits (11 doubles, seven home runs) lead her squad.
Mertes’ 11 doubles also rank tied for second most in the Big 12 Conference, behind only Iowa State’s Jessie Clemons’ 12, and her team-leading 34 RBI rank fourth most in the league. Yarnell, meanwhile, also ranks among Big 12 leaders in triples (T-1st), average (7th), slugging percentage (7th) and on-base percentage (8th).
The Knights’ midweek tilt at FIU represents the program’s third contest against an in-state foe this spring, after UCF topped Florida Atlantic 9-5 Feb. 25 and Florida A&M 21-2 Feb. 28, both at home. The efforts represented the Black and Gold’s first two wins over Florida opponents this season after UCF went 6-2 against in-state opponents in 2025, and boosted the program’s all-time record against in-state rivals to 53-22 in the Cindy Ball-Malone era.
UCF will meet FIU for the first time in close to three years, with the teams’ last meeting having taken place April 11, 2023. The Knights triumphed over the Panthers in run-rule fashion, by a 9-1 final score in five innings on the strength of a two-run second inning, three-run third and a four-run fourth. The effort improved the Knights’ all-time record to 10-5 against the Panthers in 15 matchups between the programs.
FIU has enjoyed a strong start of its own to the 2026 season, entering Wednesday’s matchup in Miami with a 22-5 overall record and a 4-2 mark in Conference USA play. Its best wins by RPI thus far came in 6-5 and 6-4 victories over Georgia Tech, currently ranked 24th, in Gainesville, Florida, Feb. 13 and 14.
The Panthers rank among Conference USA leaders in stolen bases (69, 1st), strikeout to walk ratio (2.59, 1st), batting average (.345, 2nd), WHIP (1.26, 2nd), team ERA (3.35, 2nd), total hits (245, 2nd), shutout wins (5, T-2nd), fewest hits allowed per seven innings (7.01, 3rd), runs scored (166, 3rd), RBI (149, 3rd), and on-base percentage (.405, 4th) entering play Wednesday.
First pitch is set for 2 p.m. from Felsberg Field at FIU Softball Stadium Wednesday 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.