No. 19 Softball Clinches Series over No. 23 Arizona State with 4-3 Sunday Win

TEMPE, Ariz. – Having stepped onto the field at Alberta B. Farrington Stadium Sunday afternoon with the series on the line, the road warrior Knights once again found a way.

“I think it’s just the concept of being away and wanting to prove to everyone who we are,” said sophomore utility Izzy Mertes. “Playing away series in front of other teams’ fans, we love being the underdog and showing everyone what we’re capable of.”

Matching up against Sun Devils ace Kenzie Brown for the second time in the series, the 19th-ranked UCF softball team did just enough offensively to support the latest gem authored by redshirt sophomore Isabella Vega, as the group produced a 4-3 Sunday victory to clinch the team’s fourth Big 12 Conference series win of the season.

The effort pushed the Black and Gold’s overall record through 44 games to 32-11-1, and the group jumped to three games over .500 in Big 12 Conference play at 10-7-1 as well. With their latest win, the Knights also saw their record in true road games improve to 8-2 overall, as well as 7-2 in conference matchups on the road.

In taking two of three from No. 23 Arizona State in Tempe over the weekend, UCF also clinched its fifth consecutive road Big 12 Conference series victory dating back to its series win in Provo April 10-12, 2025. The Black and Gold in that span have taken series from BYU, Kansas, Oklahoma State, Houston and now Arizona State, all away from Orlando.

Since joining the Big 12 Conference, the Knights own a 22-14 all-time record in road Big 12 Conference games and have now won nine total away series in that span.

The key element missing from Friday’s loss appeared quickly Sunday, as UCF benefitted from four runs in the contest’s first two innings to set the tone for the matchup early on.

The Knights rallied for one in the top of the first inning, via a bases-loaded walk drawn by first baseman Ashleigh Griffin, and added three more in the top of the second inning when Mertes drove a liner to left field with the bases loaded that hit off the glove of the Sun Devil defender.

Two runs came across on the ASU error, and sophomore catcher Beth Damon moments later plated the fourth, and eventual game-winning, run with a sacrifice fly to right field.

The early run support proved sufficient for Vega, who limited the Arizona State lineup to just two hits in tossing her second complete game of the series, career high ninth of the season, and her sixth seven-inning complete game of the season.

Her six seven-inning complete games this season also mark a new single-season career best in appearances of at least seven innings pitched, after she notched five said outings throughout her standout debut 2025 season.

After working around a two-out hit-by-pitch in the bottom of the first inning, Vega settled in and spun spotless second and third frames before the Sun Devils cut into UCF’s lead with a two-run home run off the bat of Samantha Swan in the fourth.

Vega quickly shook off the long ball, retiring the next three Arizona State hitters in order and navigating the remainder of the contest with just one more hit allowed, another home run by Swan in the sixth.

The effort saw Vega lower her ERA to 2.82 in 39.2 innings against ranked opponents this season, having limited her opposition to a .190 batting average-against in that span. By comparison, the Bradenton native posted a 2.94 ERA with a .261 batting average-against in 47.2 innings against ranked opposition a season ago.

“Kenzie is a great pitcher, so being able to put up those runs was really big for us and set us up for later in the game to get the win. It does bring confidence knowing that we were in that game, and there was a different kind of energy around the team as well.”

UP NEXT
UCF returns home and has a quick turnaround before its next action, hosting the Stetson Hatters Wednesday evening to kick off its next week of play in Orlando. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. from the UCF Softball Complex 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.