Congratulations are in for Knights as they trash Auburn in their home game securing…

The UCF Knights had a challenging third inning, allowing the Auburn Tigers to gain a significant four-run lead during Friday afternoon’s NCAA Tournament opener at the Tallahassee Regional. Initially, it appeared that UCF pitcher Sarah Willis’s shaky start might determine the outcome of the Knights-Tigers matchup at JoAnn Graf Field.

However, a late collapse by Auburn became the main focus as the Knights rallied, scoring nine consecutive runs in the final three innings to secure an 11-6 victory. Auburn’s Maddie Penta, their top pitcher, had an unusual start, conceding two runs off three hits in the first inning. Despite this, Penta regained composure, leading to a scoreless second inning for the Knights and allowing Auburn to tie the game at 2-2 with two runs of their own, courtesy of hits from Axe Milanowski, Rose Roach, and Nelia Peralta.

When Auburn stepped up to bat again, they capitalized on several mistakes made by the Knights. Icess Tresvick started with a walk, followed by a ground out from Amelia Lech. Anna Wohlers then singled to right field, marking the only hit of the bottom of the third inning. Meanwhile, UCF found themselves in trouble, loading the bases with a hit by pitch, followed by two bases-loaded walks, allowing the Tigers to score two runs. A UCF catcher error and a sacrifice flyout helped Auburn add two more runs, extending their lead to 6-2 going into the fourth inning.

Auburn maintained their lead until UCF started hitting against Penta in the top of the fifth, scoring two runs before Penta was replaced by senior pitcher Shelby Lowe after pitching 4.1 innings, allowing eight hits, four earned runs, and recording six strikeouts on 94 pitches. With Lowe pitching, the Knights dominated the Tigers in the top of the sixth inning, with Shannon Doherty and Jasmine Williams each hitting three-run home runs, turning the game around from a four-run lead for the Tigers to a four-run deficit.