No. 19 Softball Bounces Back with 8-1 Win over No. 23 Arizona StateNo. 19 Softball Bounces Back with 8-1 Win over No. 23 Arizona State

No. 19 Softball Bounces Back with 8-1 Win over No. 23 Arizona State

by Ryan Ladika
Box Score

TEMPE, Ariz. – In getting back on track following its series-opening defeat to No. 23 Arizona State Friday evening, the No. 19 UCF softball team returned to a familiar formula.

Dominant pitching, timely hitting and routine defense.

“We found our barrels a lot more, and we talked a lot about picking one pitch to swing at and going all in on the plan. We executed that today.”

Kendall YarnellSophomore utility

Indeed, the 19th-ranked Knights authored their 31st win of the spring in the series’ Saturday game two on the strength of a trio of home runs that led an eight-run offensive attack and supported the tandem of freshman southpaw Reagan Vokoun and senior right-hander Lena Elkins. It all came together in an 8-1 victory for the Black and Gold to set up a rubber match Sunday afternoon.

The winning effort pushed the Knights back to 20 games above .500 overall through 43 games, at 31-11-1, and two games above even in Big 12 Conference play at 9-7-1.

Six of UCF’s nine Big 12 wins thus far have come on the road, as the squad improved to 6-2 away from home in Big 12 play and 7-2 in all true road games this season. Entering Sunday’s series finale, the Knights now own a 21-14 all-time record on the road in Big 12 Conference play.

With three more home runs Saturday by Beth Damon, Kendall Yarnell and Sierra Humphreys, UCF also pulled even with the program’s all-time single-season home run record with 57 through 43 games. The contest represented UCF’s 12th of the season with multiple home runs, as well as its seventh with at least three in a single game. By contrast, the Knights only notched three three-homer games a season ago.

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“It’s the development in all of us. Last year, other than Aubrey, we were all freshmen. Getting more experience at the college level, that has brought out our bats. It’s also coach Noah Sanders’ second year here, and we’ve been able to continue working with him more as well as coach Bear, working on what we want to do.”

Kendall Yarnellsophomore utility

The Knights did their offensive damage in four different half innings Saturday, scoring first in the second inning on Damon’s leadoff home run, her 12th of the season, before plating three more tallies in the third on an ASU error and Yarnell’s 12th long ball of the spring.

UCF clubbed its third homer of the game with Humphreys’ 11th of the campaign in the top of the sixth inning, and the Black and Gold continued to add on in the top of the seventh with three more that came around on back-to-back run-scoring doubles off the bats of Aubrey Evans and Izzy Mertes.

Seven of UCF’s nine offensive starters earned at least one hit in the contest overall, led by Yarnell’s 11th multi-hit game of the year.

Vokoun, meanwhile, set the tone for the afternoon in the circle, matching her single-game career long with three scoreless frames to begin the affairs. The freshman yielded only two hits and three walks in her three innings, working around traffic with a pair of strikeouts and Damon catching her 13th runner of the season attempting to steal.

Her latest effort joined her outings against Dartmouth Feb. 26 and Maryland Feb. 8 as her third career appearance with three innings, all of them scoreless.

Elkins then entered in relief and matched her single-game 2026 best in innings as well, spinning four frames of one-run ball to help seal her team’s game two victory.

The right-hander allowed just five hits and one walk in her 11th appearance of the season, and demonstrated her resolve in stymieing a fourth-inning Sun Devils rally.

Entering with two runners already on base, Elkins issued her lone free pass of the day to load the bases with none out. She then calmly dispatched of the next three ASU hitters she faced to escape the threat unscathed.

“It felt awesome. My defense had my back the whole time. I just kept talking to them and they were talking to me and assuring me that they were there behind me for whatever happened. A lot of adrenaline going into the game, I think that helps a lot as well.”

Lena Elkinssenior right-handed pitcher

The senior produced her second four-inning outing of the spring Saturday, and her first with one or fewer runs allowed as she continues a dominant stretch that has seen her yield just one run in her last five appearances spanning 9.1 innings dating back to March 22.

UP NEXT
UCF looks to clinch the series win in Sunday’s rubber match, with first pitch set for 3 p.m. ET. from Farrington Stadium.

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.