Saturday, May 22
South Florida 5, Baylor 0/South Florida 1, South Alabama 0
The University of South Florida softball team, led by two stellar efforts from Georgina Corrick in the circle and a pair of home runs from freshmen Alanah Rivera and Josie Foreman, won both elimination games in the Gainesville Regional to advance to the regional finals.
The Bulls won the first game of the day against the Baylor Bears, 5-0, behind Corrick's (Sanford, Fla.) fourth no-hitter of the season. Rivera (hit her first collegiate home run for the game-winner, a solo shot to left field. In game two, Corrick tossed her second shutout of the day, allowing only three hits, while Foreman hit the game-winning homer.
Game One – USF 5, Baylor 0
The Bulls were quick to get on the board. In the second inning, Rivera sent a solo home run over the left-field wall for her first collegiate homer, putting USF up 1-0.
Corrick took a perfect game into the fifth inning before walking a batter for Baylor's first baserunner of the game.
The Bulls added to its lead in the bottom of the fifth. Kyndall Williams (Trenton, Fla.) drove home AnaMarie Bruni (Schwenksville, Pa.) and Alexis Johns (Sarasota, Fla.) to extend South Florida's lead to three. Megan Pierro (Lutz, Fla.) scored on a wild pitch, and Williams scored off an RBI bunt-single from Brooke Hartman (Port Orange, Fla.) to cap the scoring at 5-0.
Corrick completed the no-hit bid, striking out nine along the way to earn the victory.
Game Two – USF 1, South Alabama 0
Another freshman got the Bulls on the board in game two. Foreman crushed a solo shot to left, giving USF a 1-0 lead.
Corrick continued her domination in the circle in game two of the day. She continued her streak of hitless innings, extending it to 10 before allowing a single to the Jaguars in the fourth inning.
South Alabama threatened in the bottom of the sixth, loading the bases with two outs, but Corrick forced a groundout to Bethaney Keen (Bradenton, Fla.) to end the inning.
Corrick shut down the Jaguars again in the seventh, earning her 15th shutout of the year and improving her record to 24-8.
Quotable
Head coach Ken Eriksen on Georgina's day in the circle and Josie Foreman's role…
"It was unprecedented at USF and it may be unprecedented if you go back through the history of the regionals. If you take a look at three games in a row, only giving up one run and 10 hits against some of the best competition in the country. Florida, Baylor and South Alabama is a powerhouse in their region. Our pitcher and our catcher are great. It goes without saying that (Josie Foreman) did a hell of a job and Georgina was ham and egging it together. If you ask me if I had anything to do with it, the answer is absolutely not. I trust them completely in what they do. They've got a great feel for the game. We're very happy to have not just physically talented pitcher and catcher but cerebrally talented pitcher and catcher."
Notables
Corrick tied Sara Nevins for the most solo no-hitters by a USF pitcher in a season with four. Nevins participated in five in 2014, four on her own and combining with Erica Nunn for the fifth.
Corrick tied the program single-season record for shutouts with 15. She's atop the list with Leigh Ann Ellis, who tossed 15 in 2004.
Corrick moved up to No. 2 on the program's single-season strikeout list. With her 22 strikeouts today, she now has 324 on the year, passing Leigh Ann Ellis' 320 in 2003. She's 12 behind Sara Nevins' 336 in 2012.
Bruni needs one stolen base to become the second Bull to steal 100 bases in a career. She'd join Shelly Riker, who stole 104 between 2001 and 2004.
The Bulls improve to 29-32 all-time in the NCAA tournament, and 14-11 in Gainesville regionals.
No. 1 Oklahoma 7, Wichita State 5/Wichita State 9, Texas A&M 6
For the second time in program history, Wichita State will play in an NCAA Regional after splitting two games Saturday at Marita Hynes Field.
Wichita State (41-12-1) gave the No. 1 overall seed Oklahoma all they could handle in the first game of the day before falling, 7-5. The Shockers came back in an elimination game vs. Texas A&M and dispatched of the Aggies, 9-6.
Wichita State and Oklahoma square off in the championship final at 3 p.m. CT. The Shockers will have to beat OU twice for a Super Regional berth.
Caitlin Bingham started the finale vs. Texas A&M and picked up her 10th win of the season in 5.0 innings. Bailey Lange registered her fifth save of the season, striking out four in 2.0 innings.
Neleigh Herring was a perfect 4-for-4 with a double and an RBI vs. the Aggies. Kaylee Huecker and Addison Barnard both homered in the game.
The Shockers broke up a scoreless affair in the top of the third, scoring three runs with two outs. Sydney McKinney opened the scoring with an RBI double down the left field line, scoring Bailey Urban all the way from first. The very next batter, Barnard delivered a towering home run over the left-center wall to make it 3-0. The long ball for Barnard was her 22nd of the season and the team's 100th.
A run in the top of the fourth extended the margin to 4-0 on a bases loaded walk for Urban.
Texas A&M turned a four-run lead into one on a three-run home run in the bottom of the fourth.
In the ensuing at bat, Wichita State punched back with a pair of RBI doubles from Herring and Buck. The Aggies returned the favor in the home half to make it 6-5.
Again in the sixth Wichita State and Texas A&M traded runs with the Shockers putting two on the board and the Aggies responding with one. With play moving to the seventh, the Shockers led 8-6.
Wichita State's final run would come on a Kaylee Huecker solo shot in the top of the seventh.
In the highly-anticipated matchup vs. No. 1 Oklahoma, Lange (22-7) gave the Shockers a great chance in the circle, facing the top offensive unit in the country. Until a six-run fifth, Lange held the Sooners' to just a single run through four innings.
Ryleigh Buck was 2-for-3 with two huge home runs and four RBI. Madison Perrigan launched her third bomb of the NCAA Regional in the first inning on a 2-for-3 day at the plate. McKinney had another multi-hit game, which included a double.
Perrigan's solo shot in the top of the first gave Wichita State an early 1-0 lead on the No. 1 team in the nation.
Oklahoma would answer with a solo shot of its own in the bottom of the second to tie the game at 1-1. The third home run of the game would come in the top of the fourth on Buck's 10th of the season, putting Wichita State back on top, 2-1.
The Sooners' high-powered offense put six runs on the board in the bottom of the fifth to take their first lead, 7-2.
Wichita State didn't throw in the towel, however. In the top of the sixth, Buck launched her second homer of the game, this one a three-run shot to make it 7-5 OU.
The Shockers had one last chance in the top of the seventh. After the first two Shockers were retired, Barnard and Perrigan singled in consecutive plate appearances to bring the go-ahead run to the plate in Neleigh Herring. After a long battle, Herring would strikeout swinging, putting an end to a comeback bid.
No. 10 Florida State 3, UCF 0/UCF 2, Kennesaw State 0
The UCF softball team (41-18-1) will play in an NCAA regional championship for the fifth time in program history as the Knights took down Kennesaw State (27-27) Saturday evening at the Seminole Softball Complex in Tallahassee, Florida to eliminate the Owls and secure their spot against Florida State (41-10-1) in the regional championship game.
UCF will take on Florida State at 2:00 p.m. ET on Sunday, May 23. The Knights dropped their first game to the Seminoles on Saturday afternoon, falling 3-0, before bouncing back in the win over Kennesaw State.
Because the Knights lost to Florida State and the Seminoles have yet to lose a game so far in the regional, the Knights will need to win game one on Sunday to force a game two, which would take place at 4:30 p.m. ET.
"Defensively and pitching-wise, we played a very solid day today," said head coach Cindy Ball-Malone. "I truly believe that this group has the ability and the capability to bring our best game and make some competitive softball come about tomorrow."
TALLAHASSEE BRACKET/SCHEDULE
Friday, May 21
UCF 5, Auburn 4
Florida State 6, Kennesaw State 2
Saturday, May 22
UCF 0, Florida State 3
Auburn 0, Kennesaw State 1
UCF 2, Kennesaw State 0
Sunday, May 23
UCF vs. Florida State – 2:00 p.m. ET (Broadcast TBD)
*If Florida State loses, a second game will be played
GAME ONE – UCF 0 // FLORIDA STATE 3
The bats were silenced in game one on Saturday as the Knights were held scoreless, tallying just three hits to fall, 3-0, to regional No. 1 seed Florida State.
UCF had its chances to get on the board but came up short on multiple occasions. The Knights were 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position, including stranding the bases loaded in the fifth inning.
The Seminoles called on Caylan Arnold to start. Arnold was lights out, tossing 4.2 innings of shutout ball and allowing just three hits while striking out six to move to 10-6 on the year. Following her out of the bullpen was Danielle Watson, who was equally as impressive, closing the game out with 2.1 shutout innings. Watson did not allow a hit and struck out one to pick up her first save of the season.
Meanwhile, UCF starting pitcher Gianna Mancha was on her game as well. Mancha held the Seminoles hitless through 4.1 innings before surrendering a solo home run in the fifth inning. After surrendering another two-run home run in the seventh, Mancha was pulled for Breanna Vasquez, who faced three batters and recorded three outs, including a strikeout, to get the Knights back into the dugout.
Unfortunately, UCF would not rally in the seventh and fell, 3-0, to the Seminoles. The Knights then had to wait for Auburn and Kennesaw State, the two teams in the loser's bracket, to face off at 2:30 p.m. to find out who they would play next.
Key Moments
Back-to-back walks with two outs in the bottom of the first had UCF threatening early, but Karissa Ornelas struck out after a 14-pitch at-bat to end the inning and keep the game tied at zero.
The Knights again threatened to get on the board in the fourth inning with runners on first and second, but a strikeout ended the inning to maintain the 0-0 tie.
The Seminoles struck first in the top of the fifth as Cassidy Davis hit a solo home run for Florida State's first hit of the game to give them the 1-0 lead.
The Knights loaded the bases in the bottom of the fifth, but Jazmine Esparza popped up to the infield to end the inning.
Davis homered again in the seventh, this time a two-run shot, to extend Florida State's lead to 3-0.
GAME TWO – UCF 2 // Kennesaw State 0
In her first career NCAA Tournament start, Alea White was nothing short of dominant, throwing a complete game shutout to guide UCF to the 2-0 win and avoid elimination. With the win, UCF secured a spot in the regional championship, where the Knights will do battle with Florida State at 2:00 p.m. ET on Sunday, May 23.
The Knights scored both of their runs within the first two innings, and that's all White needed. White picked up career victory No. 99 in the complete game effort. Tossing seven shutout innings, she allowed just seven hits while striking out a pair to move to 22-7 on the season.
"I was just trusting in my stuff and letting the defense work behind me," said White.
Jada Cody was 2-for-3 in the win, including scoring the first run of the game in the first inning after a two-out double put her in scoring position. Going 1-for-3, Jazmine Esparza drove in the lone RBI of the game to give the Knights the lead. The second UCF run came courtesy of a Kennesaw State misplay.
Key Moments
The Owls threatened with runners on the corners and just one away in the top of the first but a line drive to shortstop Kaitlyn Jensen turned into a double play to end the inning and keep the game tied at zero.
With two away in the bottom of the first, Jada Cody doubled and came around to score on a Jazmine Esparza RBI single, giving the Knights the early 1-0 lead.
Kennesaw State threatened again the top of the second with runners on second and third and just one away, but an infield pop up and a fly ball ended the inning to get the Knights back into the dugout with the one-run lead.
Shannon Doherty doubled with one away in the bottom of the second and came around to score on a Kennesaw State error, moving UCF's lead to 2-0.
The Owls threatened in the top of the seventh with two runners on but White induced the infield pop up to get the final out and secure the 2-0 UCF victory.
NOTABLES
The win in game two marked UCF head coach Cindy Ball-Malone's second as a head coach in the NCAA Tournament.
With the win, UCF moves to 41-18-1. The 41 wins are the seventh most in program history and this is the seventh time in program history that the Knights have had at least 40 wins in a season (2002, 2004, 2005, 2008, 2014, 2015 and 2021).
The win marked UCF Softball's first ever over Kennesaw State in the NCAA Tournament.
It is the fifth time in program history that the Knights have won at least two games in an NCAA regional (2008, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2021).
This is UCF Softball's fifth regional final (2008, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2021).
Alea White is just the third UCF pitcher to throw a shutout in the NCAA Tournament in program history, joining Allison Kime (vs No. 1 Florida in 2008 Gainesville regional) and Shelby Turnier (vs FAU in 2016 Gainesville regional).
White is just the second UCF pitcher to win two games in the same regional in program history, joining UCF Athletics Hall of Famer Allison Kime (2008, Gainesville regional).