After battling through the Tallahassee Regional losers’ bracket following an opening loss to Stetson University, No. 9 Florida State softball were tasked with defeating the University of Central Florida (UCF) Knights twice in a row to keep the season alive on May 17.
The Seminoles took game one 2-1 before falling 4-2 in the winner-take-all final at JoAnne Graf Field, ending FSU’s 2026 season. Ultimately, the ’Noles struggled to hit the ball throughout the day as the lineup went a combined 8-for-45, with junior shortstop and USA Softball Player of the Year finalist Isa Torres going 1-for-7.
“[Torres] is one of the best hitters. We just had a really good plan against her and some of the other players,” UCF head coach Cindy Ball-Malone said in the postgame press conference. “We told ourselves the entire [Florida State] team is going to have to beat us.”
FSU earns second game after strong pitching and timely power hitting in first
After a scoreless two innings in the first game, the Knights struck first after a double from leadoff senior shortstop Aubrey Evans that drove in junior outfielder Samantha Rey for the 1-0 lead in the third inning.
Shortly after beginning 0-for-6 on the afternoon, the Garnet and Gold offense responded accordingly with freshman utility player Hayley Griggs hitting a solo home run to left-center field on the eighth pitch of the at-bat to tie the game in the bottom of the frame.
Florida State’s momentum continued into the fourth inning when freshman designated player Anna Hinde launched the Seminoles’ second solo home run of the game to secure their first lead of the afternoon with a 2-1 advantage.
FSU’s defense backed up its offense as sophomore pitcher Jazzy Francik held the Knights’ offense in check. Francik allowed one run on two hits through 6.1 innings pitched and retired seven of the final eight batters she faced to tally her 24th win of the season. Junior pitcher Ashtyn Danley relieved Francik in the seventh inning, securing her fifth save of the year.
UCF halts FSU offense to clinch Tallahassee Regional win
The Knights’ power hitting appeared early in the second game with sophomore catcher Beth Damon blasting a two-run home run in the first inning for a 2-0 lead.
Hinde picked up where she left off in game one, lacing a single to center field to bring junior third baseman Jaysoni Beachum home in the third inning to cut the deficit to 2-1.
The ’Noles were poised to take the lead later in the inning when sophomore right fielder Shelby McKenzie doubled and seemingly drove in three runs. However, UCF challenged that Hinde left second base early before the pitch, leading to the runs being erased and the inning ending with the Garnet and Gold still down 2-1.
Florida State continued battling in the fourth inning, as Torres doubled to left-center field to drive in junior outfielder Kennedy Harp and tie the game at two runs apiece.
Danley exited after allowing two runs on two hits through three innings pitched, with freshman pitcher Bella Dimitrijevic entering in relief. The Knights immediately capitalized, as sophomore utility player Izzy Mertes crushed a two-run home run to give UCF a 4-2 advantage in the fourth inning.
“A new pitcher came in, so I just tried to attack that girl early, get her out, but there was a runner on first, so just trying to score runs when we can,” Mertes said in the postgame press conference. “We didn’t have many runners on, but when we did, I knew I needed to get them.”
The Knight’s offensive success signaled Danley’s re-entrance into the defensive dogfight, where she pitched an additional inning and allowed zero runs.
Despite Danley and Francik combining to allow no additional runs through the final 2.2 innings, the Seminoles’ offense wasn’t able to get going as UCF secured the regional-clinching upset.
Following the game, FSU head coach Lonni Alameda reflected on the emotional toll the loss took on the ’Noles’ freshmen.
“Our freshmen are feeling it big time, they just wanted to do so much for this program … [and] it’s going to take them days to fill that emotional bucket back up, but I know our returners will pick them up and we’ll have plans moving forward,” Alameda said in the postgame press conference. “Now it’s fueling the fire for next year; we got some good experience.”
Hunter Milligan is a Staff Writer for the FSView & Florida Flambeau, the student-run, independent online news service for the FSU community. Email our staff at contact@fsview.com.
This article originally appeared on FSU News: Knights eliminate Seminoles as UCF wins Tallahassee Regional
Reporting by Hunter Milligan, Staff Writer, FSView / FSU News
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