ORLANDO, Fla. – Kansas softball lost a heartbreaker as UCF hit a walkoff home run in extra innings to win game one of the series, 6-3, at the UCF Softball Complex on Friday.
Kansas took a 3-1 lead in the third inning off of an Anna Soles sacrifice fly and a Hailey Cripe RBI single, but UCF was able to tie the game in the sixth inning and walked the Jayhawks off with a three-run home run in the eighth inning.
Kansas falls to 29-14, while UCF improves to 34-11-1. Game two of the series is set for 4 p.m. CT and will be streamed live on ESPN+.
How It Happened | vs. UCF
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In the bottom of the first, UCF took a 1-0 lead when catcher Beth Damon doubled down the left field line.
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Kansas was able to answer in the top of the second after back-to-back singles from Anna Soles and Hailey Cripe to start the inning off. Ava Wallace singled up the middle with one out to score Soles from third, knotting the game at one.
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In the top of the third, Limbaugh walked, Ella Boyer doubled and Kadence Stafford walked, loading the bases with just one out. The Jayhawks were able to add two runs as Soles drove in Limbaugh with a sacrifice fly and Cripe hit her second single of the game to score Boyer from second, giving Kansas a 3-1 lead.
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UCF was able to cut the deficit in half in the bottom of the fourth as the designated player, Zoe Calvez, drove in a run with a single up the middle to make the score 3-2.
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UCF threatened in the bottom of the fifth, getting the tying run in scoring position with one out, but Lila Partridge and the Kansas defense were able to work around it, forcing two groundouts, to get the Jayhawks out of the inning unscathed.
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In the bottom of the sixth, UCF tied the game 3-3 when center fielder Samantha Rey singled, driving in the tying run from second base.
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After a scoreless top half of the seventh inning for Kansas, Chloe Barber stepped into the circle for the Jayhawks. UCF got its first two runners on base, but Barber was able to get out of the jam and send the game into extra innings.
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Kansas went scoreless in the top half of the eighth inning, and UCF was able to take advantage. With two outs and runners on second and third, right fielder Kendall Yarnell hit a walk-off three-run home run to give the Knights a 6-3 win.
PITCHERS OF RECORD
Win: Isabella Vega (16-5)
Final Line: 7.2 IP, 8 H, 3 R, 3 BB, 5 SO
Final Line: 7.2 IP, 8 H, 3 R, 3 BB, 5 SO
Loss: Chloe Barber (8-5)
Final Line: 1.2 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 2 BB, 1 SO
Final Line: 1.2 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 2 BB, 1 SO
Notables:
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Ella Boyer’s third-inning double marked her ninth of the season and moved her into a tie for third on the team.
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Hailey Cripe logged her 15th multi-hit game of the season. Cripe’s two singles brings her hits total to 48 on the season.
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After a second-inning single, Anna Soles has now hit safely in eight of the last nine games.
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Presley Limbaugh’s walk in the third inning extended her on-base streak to seven games.
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Lila Partridge tied her season high with 6.0 innings pitched. Partridge also threw six innings on March 15th against Houston.
Up Next:
Kansas and UCF will play game two of the series Saturday, with first pitch scheduled for 4 p.m. CT. Game two will be streamed on ESPN+ with live stats available on StatBroadcast.
Kansas and UCF will play game two of the series Saturday, with first pitch scheduled for 4 p.m. CT. Game two will be streamed on ESPN+ with live stats available on StatBroadcast.
Courtesy of KU Athletics