UCF determined to stick around beyond this NCAA Softball Regional

If UCF coach Cindy Ball-Malone needs extra motivation to head into the weekend’s NCAA Softball Regional in Tallahassee, she only needs to look at her desk.

There sits a constant reminder from last season’s regional in Tallahassee.

“There was an article posted after we lost that first game against Florida State,” Ball-Malone said. “We beat South Carolina last year and then we lost to Florida State and it said, ‘UCF was outlasted by FSU.’

“I printed them and put them all over the softball building because I didn’t want them to forget that.”

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The Knights lost two of three games in last year’s tournament. They fell to FSU 5-1 and 10-1 to the Gamecocks.

“Literally, I have to move it to see my computer screen and I won’t take it down and it will have to move it every time,’ she said of the article. “It’s just to remind me daily that it’s our time. We’ve been through the grind and I’m done being outlasted.”

Ball-Malone is determined that things will be different as her team prepares to face Auburn in Friday’s regional opener (ESPNU, 2 p.m.). No. 15 FSU will host Chattanooga in their opener.

UCF (30-23) wrapped up its first season in the Big 12 and was among the last four teams to make field.

“This is the flame to heat it a little for us,” said Ball-Malone. “Maybe our women needed to be in the hot seat a bit. I will put my faith in what we’ve been about in the process, but my message to the team was that we’ve been process-oriented enough. It’s time to execute and get results down.”

The Knights opened their conference schedule by losing seven of their first nine games but rallied to win eight of the next nine. However, the team finished on a slide, losing five of their last seven, capped by a 3-2 loss to Baylor in the Big 12 Tournament.

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“What happened in the Big 12 tournament isn’t what we wanted, and there is much more for us to show,” said outfielder Chloe Evans. “We didn’t go as far as we wanted to, but making the regional shows we still have more to give.”

This is the second time the two programs have met in the postseason. They squared off in the 2021 Tallahassee Regional, and UCF won 5-4. The Knights used a five-run second inning highlighted by a two-run double from first baseman Shannon Doherty and an RBI single by Jada Cody.

“We have to go out and compete and show the [NCAA selection] committee why we deserve to be in this spot,” said Cody.

Auburn (27-19-1) dropped six of its last 10 games, including a 6-5 loss to Georgia in the SEC Tournament. The Tigers finished next to last in the conference in batting (.249 average) but were middle of the pack in pitching with a 2.47 ERA.

For UCF, the challenge comes in the form of offense.

The Knights were 5-11 in games decided by one run, including 3-7 in the Big 12.

While the team finished with one of the better pitching performances in the conference (3.16 ERA), UCF batters struggled to produce runs at critical times. That can’t happen in the tournament.

“We know we need more than one run to help our pitcher out,” said Cody. “Knowing that and having that in the back of our heads, we must get more than one run in the game.

The winner of Friday’s contest advances to face FSU (43-14) or Chattanooga (42-14) on Saturday with a spot in Sunday’s championship.

Matt Murschel can be reached at mmurschel@orlandosentinel.com