OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. – The UCF softball team jumped out to an early lead, but the squad could not hold the Kansas Jayhawks offense at bay in an eventual 6-5 loss in the first round of the 2026 Big 12 Conference Tournament at Devon Park.
“It’s unfortunate, they outplayed us,” said head coach Cindy Ball-Malone. “We started off strong, but then it looked like we were playing not to lose. That’s not our game. It felt like it sped up on us, and I’ll take the blame there. I need to be better at leading them in those moments. We just have to be better.”
Facing the Jayhawks for the fourth time this season and the first time since UCF earned a series win over Kansas in Orlando April 17-19, the Knights enjoyed a fast start in their pursuit of the second Big 12 Tournament win in program history.
Redshirt sophomore right-hander Isabella Vega stranded a leadoff single in the top of the first inning, and UCF then broke the ice in the home half on Beth Damon’s 15th home run of the season, a two-run shot that launched the Black and Gold out to a 2-0 advantage.
Following anther spotless frame authored by Vega in the second, UCF tacked on two more in the bottom half of the stanza when a Kansas throwing error allowed Ashleigh Griffin and Samantha Rey to come around on what should have been the third out of the inning.
The Jayhawks continued to claw their way back into the affairs, though, scoring in each of the contest’s final five frames, including a two-run fourth, to continue holding pressure on UCF.
The Knights managed an offensive answer in the bottom of the fifth after Kansas tied the game at four runs apiece. Sophomore outfielder Izzy Mertes led off the inning with her 16th double of the season, matching her season total from a year ago and moving to within two of tying Aubrey Evans’ 2023 program single-season record of 18.
A flyout off the bat of Sierra Humphreys advanced Mertes to third base, and Griffin later came through with a sacrifice fly that pushed the go-ahead run across once more for the Black and Gold.
Kansas’ offensive efforts were relentless, though, tying the game once more in the top of the sixth before producing the eventual game-winning score in the top of the seventh inning.
“This late in the game, you can’t make some of the mistakes that we made,” Ball-Malone continued. “We just didn’t execute with the information that we had, and we need a better plan.”
UP NEXT
UCF awaits its NCAA Tournament fate, to be learned during Sunday evening’s Selection Show.
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.