ORLANDO — The UCF softball team (20-14 overall, 3-6 Big 12) saw a dominant start by freshman right-handed pitcher Yessenia Lopez go to waste as her offense couldn’t muster support as the Knights dropped the series finale to the Iowa State Cyclones (14-14, 4-2 Big 12), 1-0, at the UCF Softball Complex Saturday afternoon.
That was the story of the weekend for the Black and Gold as it also got strong pitching efforts from Isabella Vega and Kaitlyn Felton, but could only manage to score two runs over the three games.
Lopez, making her 12th start of the spring and 18th appearance overall by head coach Cindy Ball-Malone, turned in a career best seven-inning, two-hit complete game in the loss, throwing seven innings in a start for the second time this season.
The right-hander also posted her second outing this season of at least five innings without yielding a walk.
After surrendering a single to the Cyclones leadoff batter in the top of the first inning that would turn into the only run of the game, Lopez authored a masterful final six frames, retiring 16 consecutive Iowa State hitters following the Cyclones’ first-inning leadoff single.
The visitors managed just one baserunner the remainder of the contest, a one-out single in the top of the sixth inning which was erased after she left early on an attempted stolen base to end the inning.
The UCF offense, meanwhile, accumulated seven hits, including two doubles, but the Knights would be unable yo push a run across the plate, stranding eight runners.
The home squad enjoyed a fast offensive start, but the team dropped its second straight to the Iowa State Cyclones Friday evening, 3-2, at the UCF Softball Complex.
The visitors, one day removed from earning a 2-0 win in nine innings over the Black and Gold in the teams’ opener Thursday, first grabbed the offensive momentum Friday with a pair of tallies in the top of the first frame against right-hander Kaitlyn Felton.
UCF then drew up an immediate response in the home half, beginning with a leadoff triple down the right field line by third baseman Sierra Humphreys.
Freshman right fielder Izzy Mertes was next, and she sent a fly ball to center field deep enough to score Humphreys from third to cut into the Cyclones’ early advantage.
Junior shortstop Aubrey Evans soon followed with her third home run of the season to left-center field, tying the affairs at two runs apiece.
Felton quickly bounced back with a scoreless top of the second inning, but Iowa State would tack on what would prove to be the decisive third score in the third frame.
The Knights’ senior right-hander quieted the Cyclones offense from there, spinning four scoreless innings to conclude her evening.
In her latest outing, Felton notched her seventh appearance of the season with at least seven innings pitched, and recorded at least six strikeouts in an outing for the third time this year.
Redshirt freshman right-hander Vega turned in a career night, but the UCF softball team fell in a Thursday evening pitchers’ duel in nine innings to the visiting Iowa State Cyclones, 2-0, in the teams’ series-opener at the UCF Softball Complex.
Vega, tabbed for her seventh start of the year and 14th appearance overall, dazzled throughout the longest appearance of her young collegiate career, spinning 8.2 innings of scoreless ball before a pair of runners reached base and she departed for Felton, who saw a liner to right be misjudged into a 2-run double.
The right-hander’s Thursday outing was not only the longest of her career, but also marked the most innings worked by a Knights pitcher in a single game since then-senior Sarah Willis tossed a 12-inning complete game in UCF’s 2-1 loss to Auburn in the NCAA Tallahassee Regional May 18, 2024.
After Iowa State’s leadoff hitter reached on a first-pitch bunt single in the first inning, Vega yielded just one more hit in her next seven frames of work, a leadoff double in the top of the second that she managed to strand with a pair of flyouts.
Vega retired eight consecutive Cyclones on the heels of the second-inning double, and after allowing a hit-by-pitch with two outs in the fourth, went on to set down the next seven consecutive Iowa State hitters.
UCF, meanwhile, managed a trio of hits on the night, coming from Izzy Mertes, Ashleigh Griffin and Coco Jaimes.
Up Next:
The Knights will look to snap their skid in their homestand finale this (Wednesday) evening against the No. 3 Florida Gators, a contest during which the program will also recognize its annual Autism Awareness and Acceptance Game. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. from the UCF Softball Complex and will be streamed on ESPN+. UCF will then head to Waco, Texas, to take on Baylor at Getterman Stadium on Friday (7:30 p.m.), Saturday (3 p.m.) and Sunday (noon) with those games also being streamed by ESPN+.
