Friday, March 26
No. 22/24 UCF 2, Houston 1 (8)/No. 22/24 UCF 5, Houston 1
The Knights couldn't have asked for a better start to the conference portion of their schedule as UCF took both games of a doubleheader with Houston on Friday to move to 22-6 on the season and 2-0 in conference play.
"It gives us good momentum heading into tomorrow and for a four-game series, that is very important," said head coach Cindy Ball-Malone. "We're glad to get those wins under our belt and we'll be ready to get back after it tomorrow."
UCF will play the Cougars again on Saturday at 3:00 p.m. before wrapping up the series on Sunday with a noon start time.
GAME ONE – UCF 2 // Houston 1
It was a pitcher's duel in game one as the two sides were tied at one after regulation, needing extra innings to settle a winner before a walk-off home run from Jada Cody gave UCF the 2-1 walk-off victory over the Cougars.
Alea White was called on to start and was her usual ace self, tossing eight innings of one-run ball, allowing just five hits while striking out four. With the win, White moves to 11-1 on the season.
White was opposed by Houston starter Rachel Hertenberger, who tossed an equally impressive seven strong innings, allowing just two earned to a UCF lineup that has posted on average over six runs per game in 2021.
The walk-off marked UCF's second straight as the Knights also walked off No. 5 Florida on Wednesday to win 8-6. The home run by Cody was her third of the season and UCF's 31st as a team.
Key Moments
Houston struck first with a sacrifice-fly in the top of the first, putting them up 1-0.
With a runner on second and two away, Juliana Wilson singled up the middle to drive in a run and tie the game at one.
The Cougars almost took the lead in the top of the seventh on an RBI double down the line, but on further review, the ball was called foul. Alea White went on to strike out the batter and get out of the inning unscathed.
Jada Cody led off the bottom of the eighth for UCF and hit the second pitch she saw to over the fence, walking it off for the Knights with a final score of 2
GAME TWO – UCF 5 // Houston 1
Another strong performance in the circle by UCF, as well as some timely hitting and long balls would guide the Knights to the 5-1 win over Houston in game two.
After allowing a run in the top of the first, UCF starter Gianna Mancha was on her A-game, striking out the four batters through her first two innings and allowing just the one run on six hits. With the win, Mancha moves to 9-3 on the season.
The long ball was a key factor in the win for the Knights as Shannon Doherty hit a two-run shot in the third to give the black and gold the 2-1 lead and Jazmine Esparza knocked one out of the park in the sixth to give UCF two more insurance runs, putting them up 5-1. The two home runs marked the Knights 32nd and 33rd of the season, respectively.
Both Doherty and Esparza finished game two 2-for-3. Denali Schappacher also turned in a multi-hit performance as the right fielder was 2-for-3 at the dish and also made a stellar defensive snag in the fifth to save the Cougars from hitting an extra base hit.
With the win in game two, UCF moves to 22-6 on the season.
Key Moments
Houston was first to score in game two as the Cougars as they began the ballgame with back-to-back single and a double later in the first would drive in a run, putting them up 1-0.
Shannon Doherty hit a two-run shot in the bottom of the third to give the Knights the 2-1 lead.
Georgia Blair added to the Knights lead with an RBI groundout in the fourth, extending their lead to 3-1.
Jazmine Esparza hit a two-run home run to put the Knights up 5-1 in the sixth.
USF 8, Memphis 0 (6)
The University of South Florida softball team kicked off its conference schedule with an 8-0, six-inning run-rule victory over Memphis.
Georgina Corrick (Sanford, Fla.) earned the complete game shutout, tallying 11 strikeouts while only allowing one hit. AnaMarie Bruni (Schwenksville, Pa.) went 2-for-3 at the plate with two RBIs, a run and a triple.
USF opened the scoring in the bottom of the first. Brooke Hartman (Port Orange, Fla.) hit a sac-fly that scored Alexis Johns (Sarasota, Fla.) to give the Bulls a 1-0 lead.
After walking the first batter in the first and third innings, Corrick would come back to strike out the side on both occasions. Overall, the Great Britain National Team member would tally seven strikeouts through the first three innings.
USF added to its lead in the bottom of the fourth with a four-run two-out rally. The rally started with a double from Josie Foreman (West Palm Beach, Fla.). Alanah Rivera (St. Petersburg, Fla.) was hit by a pitch in the next at-bat, and then Megan Pierro (Lutz, Fla.) singled home Foreman and advanced Rivera to third. Johns grounded into a fielder's choice, allowing Rivera to score while Pierro was held at second. After a double-steal, Pierro and Johns scored on a triple from Bruni, pushing the score to 5-0.
Two innings later, the Bulls completed the run-rule win. With Pierro on base, Bruni singled and Pierro scored on an error on the play. Hartman then grounded into a fielder's choice, allowing Bruni to score. After Corrick bunted Hartman into scoring position, Bethaney Keen (Bradenton, Fla.) drove her home on a single to second base, giving USF the 8-0 victory.
Notables
Corrick threw USF's first one-hitter since she completed the task in the 2019 American Athletic Conference Tournament, also against Memphis.
Pierro stole three bases in the game, the first time a Bull swiped three since Astin Donovan against Elon in 2018.
Quotable
Assistant Coach Tommy Santiago on the win…
"We executed well in every aspect of the game: running, hitting, fielding and pitching. Our baserunning in particular was huge for us today. Our ability to move runners over was great. Our execution with two outs in the fourth inning was really what separated the game and gave us the win. It spread the game out and allowed us to seal the win in the sixth. Really, it was just a solid performance all-around and we'll look to keep it consistent throughout the weekend."
No. RV Wichita State 16, East Carolina 1 (5)
Wichita State scored four runs in the first inning and never looked back in a 16-1 rout of ECU in the American Athletic Conference opener Friday night at Wilkins Stadium.
Wichita State (18-4, 1-0) pounded out 12 hits on the night, while holding the Pirates to a single hit.
Bailey Lange (9-1) gave up just the one hit and run in the top of the fourth to collect another win. Hailey Martinez pitched an inning of relief, allowing just one walk and striking out one.
Neleigh Herring led the offensive attack, going 2-for-3 with a home run and four RBI, while Madison Perrigan also drove in four runs on a double and two walks. Bailee Nickerson doubled in three plate appearances and tallied three RBI. Ryleigh Buck went 1-for-3 with a double and two RBI.
Wichita State wasted no time getting on the scoreboard. The Shockers scored in all four innings, beginning with a four-run first. Three of those runs came on Herring's sixth home run of the season, a bomb to straightaway center field.
A pair of sacrifice flies from Perrigan and Nickerson capped a two-run second. Four more runs came across in the third behind a bases loaded walk from Perrigan, a wild pitch and a two-run double from Buck.
ECU scored its lone run in the top of the fourth after a double and an error. The Shockers came right back in the home half of the fourth with six of their own. One of Sydney McKinney's three hits came in the fourth to score a run. A two-run double from Perrigan, an RBI single from Herring and another two-run double from Nickerson finished the scoring onslaught.
Martinez came in to pitch the final inning to seal the victory in only five innings.