Friday, Feb. 26

No. 22 UCF 3, McNeese State 0	Box Score
No. 22 UCF 4, McNeese State 1	Box Score
Houston 6, Abilene Christian 5	Box Score
No. 4 Alabama 8, Memphis 3
No. 4 Alabama 5, Memphis 1
Texas A&M 9, Tulsa 5	Box Score

No. 22 UCF 3, McNeese State 0/No. 22 UCF 4, McNeese State 1

The UCF Softball team rode two great starting pitching performances to two wins on Friday as the Knights took down McNeese State 3-0 and 4-1 in a doubleheader at the UCF Softball Complex.
 
Both games were pitchers' duels. UCF pitchers Alea White and Gianna Mancha both came with their best stuff on the mound as both of them threw complete games and also carried no-hitters into the sixth. The pair combined for 16 strikeouts and just one run allowed across the two games.

GAME ONE – UCF 3 // McNeese State 0
The Knights won game one on the back of a great pitching performance from Alea White. White pitched a complete game shutout, striking out six and only giving up two hits.
 
White (5-0) took a perfect game through four innings and a no-hitter through 5.2 innings. She finished the day with six strikeouts and no runs on just two hits allowed.
 
The Knights bats were fairly quiet through the first half of the game, with the only run coming in the third when Jazmine Esparza ripped a double to score Georgia Blair. Blair was outstanding at the plate in game one, going 3-for-4 with one run scored. 
 
UCF would bring in two more insurance runs in the fifth and sixth innings to go up 3-0 and that score would hold as the Knights would win by that score.
 
Key Moments
Jazmine Esparza doubled to center in the third to drive in Georgia Blair and put the Knights up 1-0.
Juliana Wilson grounded out for an RBI in the fifth to extend the Knights' lead to 2-0.
Jada Cody hit a clutch RBI single to right in the sixth to add an insurance run for UCF and make it a 3-0 ballgame.
GAME TWO – UCF 4 // McNeese State 1
Much like game one, pitching ruled the day. UCF plated one run in the first and that would be the last run scored until the sixth inning when McNeese State tied the game at one.
 
Starting pitcher Gianna Mancha was amazing on the mound, pitching a complete game, giving up one earned on two hits, and striking out 10 Cowgirls. She, like White in the first game, had a no-hitter going through 5.2 innings. Her 10 strikeouts are the second most in Mancha's career. 
 
UCF's bats came alive in the bottom of the sixth inning. The Knights ripped five hits where they scored three runs to take a 4-1 lead.
 
That would be all Mancha needed as she came into the seventh and tossed a one-two-three inning to seal the doubleheader sweep for the Knights. 
 
Key Moments
 
The Knights manufactured a run to get Kennedy Searcy across the plate in the first and take a 1-0 lead.
The Cowgirls broke up the no-hitter in the sixth and scored on a RBI single to left to tie the game at one.
In the bottom of the sixth, Shannon Doherty singled to right to drive in Jada Cody, who reached on a double, to give the Knights back the one-run lead.
Two batters later, Denali Schappacher hit an infield single to bring home another run and extend the UCF lead to 3-1.
With two outs in the same inning, Justene Molina ripped a hard line drive to left to bring in yet another UCF insurance run, making it a 4-1 game.

NOTABLES
Both UCF starting pitchers had no-hitters headed into the sixth innings of their respective games
The start in game one marked White's 114th of her career, passing Shelby Turnier for second all-time at UCF. Mackenzie Audas holds the record with 125 career starts in the circle.
The shutout marked White's second of the season and 20th of her career which is now tied for fourth all-time with Dottie Cupp.
Mancha's 10 strikeouts are the second highest in her UCF career (11 on 2/22/20 vs FIU)
With the wins, UCF is now 8-2 on the season
UCF's only two losses have come by one run.

Houston 6, Abilene Christian 5

A two-run home run in the sixth inning from Bethany Busch lifted the Houston softball team past Abilene Christian, 6-5, on Friday night inside Cougar Softball Stadium. 

The Cougars (5-4) rallied with a three-run sixth inning to knock off the Wildcats (2-6). Bethany Busch hit her second home run of the season to give Houston the lead for good. The junior finished 1-for-3 at the plate with three RBIs. Lindsey Stewart-Vaughn was 3-for-3 with one walk and two runs scored. Rock Benavides finished 2-for-2 with an RBI. 

Rachel Hertenberger (2-1) earned the win in relief, throwing 3.0 innings out of the bullpen. The junior struck out four and allowed one run on three hits. Megan Lee took the no-decision, tossing 4.0 innings and giving up four earned runs, four hits and striking out two. 

KEY INNINGS

1st | After Abilene Christian put two runs on the board in the top of the first with a pair of solo home runs, the Cougars responded with two-run frame in the bottom of the inning. After reaching base on a single, Lindsey Stewart-Vaughn came around to score on a wild pitch. One batter later, Rock Benavides' RBI single tied the game at 2-2. 
 
2nd | Bethany Busch's sacrifice fly put Houston in front 3-2. 
 
3rd | Abilene Christian tied the game at 3-3 with a solo home run from catcher Avery Miloch. 
 
6th | After the Wildcats took the lead in the fourth, Houston rallied with a three-run sixth inning. Busch's two-run homer to right center field put the Cougars in front 5-4. UH added an insurance run on a wild pitch by Abilene Christian Alivia Sinnott, plating Stewart-Vaughn.

No. 4 Alabama 8, Memphis 3/No. 4 Alabama 5, Memphis 1

Memphis Softball started its second weekend of competition at the University of Alabama against the Crimson Tide. No 3 Alabama won game one 8-3 and game two 5-1.

GAME 1

Montana Fouts started in the circle for No 3 Alabama Crimson Tide. Fouts would get her fifth win of the season on a big day for the Tide in the circle. She recorded 11 strikeouts and only four hits through 4.1 innings on 82 total pitches. The Tide started the scoring in the bottom of the 2nd as 3rd baseman Maddie Morgan scored on a wild pitch. No 3 Alabama would add three more runs in the third inning. 

The Tigers answered the Tide in the top of the fourth as first baseman Kendell Lee hit a monster two run homerun over the left field fence to score Gracie Morton from first to cut the lead to 4-2. The Tigers would record three of their five hits in the fourth inning.

In the bottom of the inning, No 3 Alabama scored four in the fourth including a single to right by Morgan to score  second baseman Bailey Dowling and Bailey Hemphill to extend their lead to 8-2. The Tigers would get one run back in the top of the fifth, as senior Delaney Smith would score on a wild pitch into the lead. That would be all the scoring however for the first game as No 3 Alabama beat the Tigers 8-3.

Chyennee Ellett got her third start of the game going 3.1 innings giving up four runs on six hits with three walks and 52 total pitches. Mariah Nichols came in relief giving up two runs on two hits. She did however record the only strikeout for the Tigers and had back-to-back three up three down in the fifth and sixth inning.

GAME 2

Mariah Nichols got the start in the circle for game two of the doubleheader against No 3 Alabama. Nichols went five innings giving up 4 earned runs on five hits. She recorded two strikeouts and three walks on 84 total pitches. Senior Krystal Goodman started for the Tide. She went the distance throwing a complete game giving up one earned run on six hits with two strikeouts.

Tigers had some trouble in the field early on in game two, as they had two errors in the first inning that cost them a run as Ellissa Brown of the Tide scored an unearned run on a fly out to right by Bailey Humphill. Second baseman Alyssa Dean also had a throwing error in the bottom of the third.

The Tigers and Crimson Tide traded zeros until the bottom of the fifth when Hemphill singled to center to score Grill from third with two outs, to extend the lead to 2-0. Kailey Tow then came up to bat and hit a three run homerun off of Nichols to left center to make the score 5-0.

Freshman Olivia Johnson replaced Nichols in the center to start the bottom of the sixth. The Tigers showed some life in the top of the seventh as sophomore DP, Brady Rowland, hit a solo homerun to left center to get the Tigers on the board 5-1. Unfortunately after a single from Dean, Meagan Chism hit into a double play to end the game.

Texas A&M 9, Tulsa 5

The Hurricane took an early 2-0 lead but fall in the end to the Texas A&M Aggies 9-5 Friday night at Davis Diamond.
 
Kylie Norwood led the Hurricane from the plate going 2-4, including a double and infield single. Norwood scored a run and drove in Kyndal Pirtle in the second inning.
 
Senior Alexis Perry continued where she left off last season going 1-3 with two RBIs and a solo home run. Perry recorded the first run batted in of the season with a sacrifice fly to center field in the first inning.
 
Tulsa began their season with a Norwood single and walks by Sarah Briers and Chenise Delce. After the Perry RBI, the Hurricane stranded two on first and second to end the top half of the inning.
 
With one out in the second inning, Pirtle laid down a bunt beating out the throw, giving the Hurricane its fifth baserunner of the game. Three pitches later, Norwood drove a ball into the left-center gap, scoring the Hurricane second run.
 
Texas A&M stormed back, hitting a three-run home run in the bottom of the second inning. After a scoreless third inning for both teams, the Aggies tacked on two more runs in the bottom of the 4th.
 
Freshman Imani Edwards sparked life into the Hurricane with two outs in the top of the 5th with her first career hit, a double. Haley Morgan was hit by a pitch and Abby Jones singled to right to load the bases for TU. Aubree Seaney reached on an error to first, scoring Edwards and Morgan, cutting the Texas A&M lead to 5-4.
 
Perry's first home run of the season came after the Aggies extended their lead to 9-4 in the bottom of the 6th inning.
 
Chenise Delce (0-1) went 5.0 innings allowing 6 hits, 9 runs, 7 earned runs while striking out two in the contest.  Freshman Kylee Nash saw her first action as a Hurricane allowing just 1 hit and recording her first career strikeout.