Tuesday, April 11
UCF 9, FIU 1 – Box Score
Memphis 2, UT-Martin 1 – Box Score
No. 3 Oklahoma State 9, Tulsa 1 – Box Score
McNeese State 4, Houston 2 – Box Score
Recaps
UCF 9, FIU 1 – Box Score
ORLANDO – The UCF softball team defeated FIU 9-1 on Tuesday afternoon at the UCF softball complex to improve to 25-18 on the season.
UCF produced one of its most all-around complete games of the campaign. Seven Knights found the hit column, highlighted by a two-triple day from right fielder Chloe Evans and a three-RBI showing from Doherty on the strength of her sixth homer of the season and 26th of her career. Junior starter Sarah Willis continued her dominant season on the mound as well, throwing four scoreless innings with two strikeouts while allowing only three hits.
UCF's offense caught fire in the bottom of the second inning following a pair of spotless innings from Willis. Evans swatted her fifth triple of the season down the left field line and scampered the remaining 60 feet thanks to a Panthers (18-22, 5-10 C-USA) throwing error. Doherty followed Evans' triple with a no-doubt solo home run that soared over the left field fence.
Doherty's 26 home runs rank fourth-most on the UCF all-time list, five shy of teammate Jada Cody's third-place total of 31, and the first baseman would later add an RBI single and a bases-loaded walk to record a season-high-tying three RBI.
After going the opposite way in the second inning, Evans pulled her second triple of the game, and sixth of the season, to right field in the third. The junior outfielder brought home Jasmine Williams and Aubrey Evans with a three-bagger that pulled Chloe Evans to within two of tying Tiffany Lane for the most in a single season in program history with eight.
The fourth and final inning for the Knights' offense saw four more runs come across, ballooning the team's lead to 9-0. After drawing a five-pitch walk, Kennedy Searcy stole her thirteenth base of the season, remaining perfect on stolen base attempts. Back-to-back walks to Williams and Aubrey Evans would load the bases for Doherty, who would plate her third RBI of the day with another walk. On a full count, pinch-hitter Shelli DiPuma hit an infield single back to the pitcher to plate Williams, and Savannah Adams, taking another pinch-hit try, drove in the final two runs of the day with a single that deflected off the glove of FIU second baseman Amelia Varela.
In holding the Panthers scoreless through four innings, Willis matched Grace Jewell's team-low 2.20 ERA with an identical mark of her own. Since the team's Feb. 23 twin-bill against Gardner-Webb, Willis has posted a glistening 1.17 ERA (60 IP, 10 ER) accompanied by a .169 batting average-against and 56 strikeouts.
Memphis 2, UT-Martin 1 – Box Score
MARTIN, Tenn. – The Memphis softball team picked up a road win against UT-Martin, defeating the Skyhawks 2-1 Tuesday afternoon. The Tigers (7-32) got up early, holding the lead throughout the entirety of the game.
Memphis got on the board first as Linsey Hargis stole home as the Skyhawks attempted to throw out Madison Berner at second base in the top of the first inning.
Hargis added another run for the Tigers as she stole home for the second time on a sacrifice fly to right field by Aliana Zavala in the top of the third inning.
UT-Martin put up its first run of the game as Pickens hit a homerun over left field in the bottom of the fourth inning.
Presley Morris made her way to third base in the top of the sixth inning before being left stranded to end the top of the inning.
Rylee Dugar struck out the final batter on three straight pitches with two runners on base to secure the win for the Tigers in the bottom of the seventh inning.
No. 3 Oklahoma State 9, Tulsa 1 – Box Score
STILLWATER, Okla. – A six-run fifth inning by the No. 3 Oklahoma State Cowgirls was the deciding factor as the Tulsa softball team fell 9-1 in six innings.
Maura Moore (L, 10-8) started in the circle, tossing 4.0 innings in the loss as she allowed four runs across eight hits and three walks. Kylee Nash (0.1 IP) and Riley Grant (1.0 IP) threw the final 1.1 innings an allowed a combined four runs.
Tulsa finished with four hits as Mackenzie Denson, Imani Edwards, Claira Skaggs and Emma Vickrey all came away with one hit. Vickrey had the lone RBI for the Golden Hurricane, knocking in Skaggs in the second inning with a single up the middle.
The Golden Hurricane trailed 2-1 heading into the fifth innings, but an explosive Cowgirl offensive flexed its muscle to put the run-rule within striking distance, scoring six runs before ending the game an inning later with a fielder’s choice.
McNeese State 4, Houston 2 – Box Score
HOUSTON – The Houston Cougars fell in extra innings to the McNeese State Cowgirls on Tuesday night, 4-2 in nine innings.
Despite a seventh inning rally, the Cougars were unable to complete the comeback as their bid failed in extra innings. McNeese State used a two-run ninth inning to secure the road victory.
Keena Wilkey (L, 13-8) started in the circle for the Cougars, tossing 9 innings in the loss. She allowed two earned run off 10 hits and five walks while striking out five batters.
Paige Hulsey and Amanda Carden led the Cougar attack, both going 2-for-4 at the plate in the game. Hulsey also finished with an RBI, tying Emma Robertson with the team lead.
It was a pitchers’ duel until the Cowgirls were able to scrape across two runs in the top of the sixth inning, using a bunt and a single to score the runs. A home run in the seventh inning with put the Cougars within one run to tie the game before Hulsey connected on a single to left field to bring home the tying run with two outs.
Two unearned runs in the ninth inning scored for the Cowgirls on back-to-back plays to give McNeese the lead. The Cougars would load the bases in the bottom frame, but were unable to bring home any runs.