No. 15/16 UCF 6, USF 1
No. 15/16 UCF recorded a 6-1 victory over USF on Sunday at the UCF Softball Complex to earn the series win. The Knights concluded the regular season 46-7 overall and 16-2 in conference play. After four and a half scoreless innings, UCF scored first in the bottom of the fifth. Willow Kalinen crossed the plate on a passed ball, and Farrah Sullivan’s RBI double plated a pair of runs to give the Knights a 3-0 advantage. In the sixth inning USF’s Juli Weber hit a leadoff double, and later came around to score on a wild pitch. Weber had the only hit of the game for the Bulls. The Knights responded by adding three more runs in the bottom of the sixth. Kalyn Cenal hit a solo homerun to lead off the inning and extend UCF’s lead to 4-1. The Bulls (35-19, 6-10 American) are seeded fifth in the conference championship and will return to Orlando to face No. 4 East Carolina in game three of the quarterfinals. The game takes place Thursday at 4 p.m. ET and will be broadcast live on The American Digital Network. No. 1 UCF earned a bye into the quarterfinals and will play the winner of East Carolina-USF at 5:30 p.m. ET on Friday.
Houston 6, Memphis 1
After losing both games on Saturday, Houston defeated Memphis 6-1 in Sunday’s series finale. The Cougars scored all six runs in the first inning. With bases loaded and two back-to-back walks, Houston opened up with a 2-0 lead. Tiffani McKnight doubled down the right field line to bring in another pair of runs and extend the Cougars’ lead to 4-0. Kayla Holland’s single brought in two more runs, making the score 6-0. The next four innings were scoreless, until the Tigers got on the board in the sixth. Kyler Trosclair singled to get on base and crossed the plate on a wild pitch, to cut Houston’s lead to five (6-1). Although the Tigers had the bases loaded they were unable to rally, and the Cougars secured the victory. No. 6 seed Memphis (19-33 overall, 6-12 American) and No. 3 seed Houston (27-26 overall, 10-7 American) will play each other in the conference championship on May 7 at 11 a.m. ET in Orlando, Fla. The game will be broadcast on The American Digital Network.
Tulsa 9, UConn 0 (6)
Tulsa beat UConn 9-0 in six innings on Sunday to complete the three-game weekend series in Storrs, Conn. The Hurricane first scored in the third inning, as Catherine Horner reached base on a double and then crossed the plate on an error. Tulsa extended the team’s 1-0 lead to 4-0 in the fourth inning. Shelby Estocado scored on a base hit by Maggie Withee, who scored along with Erica Sampson on another double by Horner. With the bases loaded in the fifth, Jodi Edmiston drove in a pair of runs with a double down the left field line. Kate Myers also scored on Sampson’s RBI fielder’s choice, giving the Hurricane a 7-0 advantage. The Huskies are seeded seventh in the upcoming conference championship, as they round out the regular season 18-34 overall and 4-13 in The American. The Hurricane earned the No. 2 seed, finishing the regular season 34-17 overall and 12-6 in conference play. The teams will face each other on Thursday at 1:30 p.m. ET on The American Digital Network.