Friday, April 21
UCF 2, South Florida 1 – Box Score
Tulsa 7, Houston 0 – Box Score
Wichita State 5, East Carolina 1 – Box Score
 
Recaps
UCF 2, South Florida 1 – Box Score
ORLANDO – As far as debuts into rivalry series go, Chloe Evans and Sarah Willis couldn't have done much better.

In leading the UCF softball team to its 2-1 walk-off win over the rival South Florida Bulls Friday night, the former recorded both RBI, including the eighth-inning game-winner, and the latter twirled an eight-inning masterpiece that kept her team in the game throughout the evening in the first appearances in the War on I-4 series by both players.

The win moved the Knights (28-19, 7-3 The American sole possession of second place in the American Athletic Conference behind the No. 22 Wichita State Shockers, who also earned a Friday win to move to 11-2 within The American. UCF also handed the Bulls (27-20, 6-4 The American) their second consecutive walk-off defeat after South Florida fell to No. 13 Florida Wednesday evening on a walk-off grand slam in the bottom of the seventh inning.

The Knights' walk-off win marked the team's first in extra innings this season as well, moving to 1-3 beyond seven innings in 2023 after UCF suffered a pair of walk-off defeats to No. 16 Duke (10 innings) and No. 12 Alabama (8 innings) during the TaxAct Clearwater Invitational Feb. 18. It also represented the Knights' third walk-off win of the season, following UCF's 9-8 win over the then-RV Boise State Broncos Feb. 10 and the Knights' 3-2 victory over North Florida March 29.

With the win, UCF also extended its win streak over the Bulls to nine consecutive games dating back to the Knights' 4-3 win over South Florida May 8, 2021.

Willis, already having thrown seven innings of one-run ball with seven strikeouts, trotted back to the circle looking for three more outs in the top of the eighth after neither the Knights nor Bulls could break their 1-1 tie in the regulation seven innings.

The Ontario, California, native quickly dispatched of the Bulls in the eighth, retiring the side in order via a trio of groundouts. The perfect frame represented a microcosm of how Willis only grew stronger as the game wore on.

After surrendering the game's first tally in the top of the second, Willis stranded Bulls baserunners at third base in both of the next two innings, retiring 15 of the final 17 hitters she faced in the process.

Since the Knights' Feb. 23 doubleheader against Gardner-Webb, Willis has served as the team's most consistent starter, posting a team-best 1.21 ERA (75.1 IP, 13 ER) with 72 strikeouts against just 27 walks while limiting her opposition to a .171 batting average-against.

Sparked by a leadoff double by third baseman Jada Cody, the 39th of her career that pushed the utility player into sole possession of sixth place on the UCF all-time doubles list, the two Evans handled the rest.

Aubrey Evans advanced Cody to third on a groundout to Bulls pitcher Gabriella Nori, and Chloe, after tying the game at one run apiece with a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the sixth, dropped a base hit into right field to lift UCF to its 28th win of the season.

The base hit extended Chloe Evans' active hit streak to a career-long-tying seven straight games, during which the right fielder is hitting a team-best .520/.536/.920 (13-for-25) with six extra-base hits (three doubles, two triples and one home run), 12 RBI and 23 total bases. She has driven in at least one run each of her last seven games, including multiple runs in three games during that span.

It also marked the Seymour, Wisconsin, native's second walk-off hit of the season, and the first since her walk-off two-run homer in the bottom of the seventh inning against Boise State in UCF's third game of the season Feb. 10.
 
Tulsa 7, Houston 0 – Box Score
HOUSTON, Texas – Maura Moore tossed a complete game four-hitter, and Rylee Keith drove in a career-high four runs as the Golden Hurricane shutout the Houston Cougars 7-0 in the series opener Friday evening at Cougar Softball Stadium.
 
Tulsa improved to 18-23 and 4-6 in The American in 2023. Houston fell to 19-22 and are 6-4 in conference play.
 
Moore (11-10) picked up her 11th complete game of the season and fifth shutout as she had command of the Houston offense for most of the game. The Cougars loaded the bases in the first and runners on the corners in the third, but other than that, Moore was nearly unhittable, striking out two and walking just one. After Houston's final hit of the third, Moore retired the next nine before a two-out single in the sixth finally snapped the streak. That would also be the final runner of the evening for the Cougars.
 
Kenna Wilkey (14-10) pitched well herself but was tagged with the loss. The Cougar tossed six innings and allowed four runs, three earned, on three hits while striking out five. She also walked four. Saleen Flores pitched the seventh, giving up three runs on two hits and a walk.
 
At the plate, Keith powered the Hurricane offense with a 2-for-3 night. The senior catcher gave Tulsa some breathing room with a two-run home run in the fourth inning, her fifth homer of the season. She came up again in the seventh and blew the game open with a two-run single. Behind the plate, she nabbed a Cougar trying to steal second to end the sixth.
 
Haley Morgan drew a leadoff walk and came around to score the first run of the game. Imani Edwards continued her hot-hitting with a two-hit performance, driving in Morgan in the first. Claira Skaggs also had a hit and a run and drove in a runner with a fielder's choice in the seventh.
 
Tulsa struck first in the opening frame and did so quickly. Morgan led things off with a walk. After MacKenzie Denson sacrificed her to second, Edwards lined a pitch past a diving shortstop into the outfield, bringing Morgan in to score.
 
Houston looked ready to strike right back in the bottom of the frame. A throwing error allowed the first runner to reach safely. After a one-out walk and a single, the Cougars had the bases full. However, Moore forced a groundball to third and Skaggs delivered a perfect strike to Keith at home for the force out. Then a harmless fly ball to left ended the threat.
 
In the third, Houston recorded a two-out double and single to put two in scoring position. Moore and the Tulsa defense wasn't fazed as the next batter flew out to Morgan in center. Moore would get the next eight batters as well and that was the last inning where Houston had a runner reach further than first.
 
The Hurricane extended its lead in the fourth. Skaggs singled and Gracie Jarvis came in to pinch run after Kylee Nash laid down a sacrifice bunt. Jarvis wasn't left with much to do as Keith drove a 1-2 pitch over the wall in left center for a two-run home run, giving Tulsa a 3-0 lead.
 
TU took advantage of a Cougar error in the sixth to make it 4-0. With runners on first and second thanks to a walk and hit-by-pitch, Celeste Wood hit a ground ball toward third. The third baseman kicked the ball, which got away from everyone and allowed Tara Hall to score from second.
 
If there was any doubt heading into the seventh, Tulsa put it to bed. Skaggs hit into a fielder's choice with Edwards at third and Kailyn Bearpaw at second. The Houston second baseman chose to go home with the throw but was unable to nab the speedy Edwards as Tulsa went up 5-0. Keith came to the plate again with two outs and two in scoring position, and she drove a single to left, scoring both to give Tulsa the 7-0 advantage, which would become the final.
 
Game two of the three-game series is set for Saturday afternoon. First pitch between the Cougars and Golden Hurricane is set for 2 p.m. and will air on ESPN+.
 
Wichita State 5, East Carolina 1 – Box Score
WICHITA, Kan. – Addison Barnard and Lauren Lucas hit back-to-back home runs to secure a 5-1 win over East Carolina in the series opener Friday night at Wilkins Stadium.
 
In front of a sellout crowd, Wichita State improved to 38-8 overall and 11-2 in the American Athletic Conference to remain alone in first with five games to play.
 
Barnard led the offensive attack, going 2-for-3 with a triple, home run and two RBI. Lucas homered for the fourth time this season to go with a walk. Taylor Sedlacek singled and doubled, Lainee Brown doubled and Sydney McKinney singled to round out the hitters.
 
Lauren Howell (16-2) won her team-leading 16th game, allowing just one run on four hits and striking out four in 6.0 innings. Alison Cooper stuck out two in a perfect inning of relief.
 
After a 1-2-3 top of the first inning from Howell in the circle, her offense immediately produced some run support. A leadoff double from McKinney led to a Barnard RBI triple off the very top of the wall. Lucas drew a walk in the next at bat, which led to a double steal with Lucas swiping second and Barnard stealing home uncontested.
 
It wasn't until the fifth inning before another run crossed the plate. An RBI single in the top of the fifth cut Wichita State's lead in half, 2-1. The Shockers would have a response. Back-to-back solo homers from Barnard and Lucas upped the margin to 4-1.
 
Wichita State scratched across its final run in the bottom of the sixth on an ECU error, allowing Sedlacek to score from second after a double.