Saturday
Highlights
Memphis 6, UT Martin 2
The University of Memphis softball team continued its winning ways Wednesday evening with a 6-2 victory over UT Martin at the Tigers Softball Complex. The Tigers improve to 21-7 on the year with conference play beginning this weekend at Wichita State. Memphis saw itself down early to the visiting Skyhawks after a solo home run in the top of the first inning. The Tigers had an answer, however, with two runs in the bottom half of the frame to take a 2-1 lead. Allowing UT Martin to tie up the game in the second, the Tigers and the Skyhawks entered into the bottom of the fourth inning tied at 2-2. It was then in the bottom of the fourth when Memphis broke open the floodgates offensively. Ashley Threatt started the scoring with a solo home run, her team-leading fifth, to left field. Four batters later, Kendall Lee made her pinch-hit opportunity count with a three-run home run off the left field foul pole. It was Lee's second-straight plate appearance with a home run after launching a grand slam against Ole Miss Tuesday evening. Mariah Nichols earned her eighth victory of the season after putting in 7.0 innings of work for the Tigers. She finished with four strikeouts in her fifth complete game of the season.
UCF 6, Princeton 1
The Knights began the day converting a 6-4-3 double play as they continue to lead the conference in double plays per game. The bats came alive for the home team putting up four runs in the third inning on two hits. The rally began with a single from Kyra Klarkowski, who then stole second to get in scoring position. Klarkowski crossed the plate after a sacrifice fly to left field by Brooke Barlow. Courtney Rotton stepped up to the plate and smashed a triple to right field plating Alyssa Oakes and Denali Schappacher and the Knights were quickly up 3-0. Princeton mustered up a run in the fifth after stringing together a pair of hits to narrow UCF's lead to 4-1. UCF got the run back in the bottom of the fifth after Greenwell was hit by a pitch then stole two consecutive bases and was standing on third with Jazmine Esparza at the plate. Jazmine Esparza ripped a double down the left field line to push Megan Greenwell across the plate and the Knights had a comfortable 5-1 lead. White tossed five innings giving up one run on three hits and fanning a pair of Princeton batters to get the win improving to 13-7. Damara Begin came in to pitch two innings giving up just two hits.
ECU 4, Duke 1
The Pirates continued their winning ways Wednesday, downing Duke 4-1 in the teams' first-ever matchup on the softball diamond. Duke loaded the bases with two outs in the bottom of the first, but freshman RHP Erin Poepping induced a pop up to first base to escape the inning unharmed. In the home half of the frame, freshman outfielder Tyler King led off with a sharp single to left field. With two outs on the board, redshirt sophomore infielder Tate McClellan launched a 2-1 offering high over the wall in left to give the Pirates a 2-0 lead after one complete. ECU turned a big double play in the top of the fourth to preserve its two-run lead and redshirt senior catcher Alex Mycek hit a one-out solo home run to left in the bottom of the inning to put the Pirates ahead 3-0. ECU later loaded the bases with two outs and King worked a walk on a 3-1 count to score senior infielder Karlie Smith and give the Pirates a 4-0 advantage.
Tulsa 2, Oklahoma State 0
Emily Watson struck out 14 and Rylie Spell homered as Tulsa shutout No. 23/24 Oklahoma State in front of a sellout crowd of 1,128 on Wednesday night at Collins Family Softball Complex. Watson yielded just three hits and a pair of walks en route to her 27th career shutout as the Golden Hurricane (19-11) topped the Cowgirls (21-7) for the 11th time in the last 12 matchups. The senior improved to 3-1 with 48 strikeouts in 25 innings against Oklahoma State, who saw its 12-game winning streak come to an end with its first shutout defeat of the campaign. Watson struck out the side three times and retired 11 consecutive batters through the middle innings.Spell's homer was her third in the last seven days, while Morgan Neal tied a school single-game record with two triples as part of a 3-for-3 night at the plate.
Florida 8, USF 0
USF's 15-game win streak came to an end Wednesday night. No. 6 Florida defeated the Bulls, 9-0 at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium. The Bulls struggled in a no-hit night in Gainesville at the hands of junior Kelly Barnhill who tossed 12 strikeouts in five innings. USF's Mia Fung was the only Bull to get on base when she drew a pair of walks but was left stranded each time. The Gators scattered six hits for nine runs and ended the game with a 3-RBI walk-off home run in the fifth inning.
Princeton 7, UCF 4
The Tigers struck first in game two after a series of wild pitches to bring in their first run of the game. UCF quickly answered with a run in the bottom of the first putting together three singles to knot the score 1-1. In the third, Princeton attacked again after garnering a hit and advancing on a wild pitch and a pass ball to go up 2-1 on the Knights, but their threat wouldn't last as UCF pushed across two more runs in the bottom of the third to take the lead, 3-2. The Knights' fire would run out in the fifth after the Tigers put together a five-run inning, which is all they needed for the remainder of the game. Kamryn Toney received the start in the circle in game two and threw two innings giving up one run and one hit, walking four. Begin collected the loss giving up two earned runs and six hits as she moves to 2-2 on the season.
Coming Up: Friday, March 23 - Conference Series
| Tulsa at UCF |
5:30 p.m. ET |
| UConn at USF |
5:30 p.m. ET |
| Houston at ECU |
6 p.m. ET |
| Memphis at Wichita State |
6 p.m. ET |