Houston Pitcher/Infielder M pitches the ball during the top of the 5th inning of the series final against the University of Central Florida on March 29, 2026, in Houston. | Payton Gaskill/The Cougar
Houston’s softball fell in a demolishing three-game sweep against the University of Central Florida Knights by a combined score of 49-9.
The Cougars’ pitching staff had no answers for UCF’s bats, allowing the Knights to tie a single-game home run record for a single player and later allow them to break a program-record as a team.
UCF tallied 19 home runs altogether in the series, and no game was close as Houston lost every game by at least 11 runs. The Cougars’ record now sits at 17-21, with their conference record at a measly 1-11, while UCF improved their record to 28-10 and their conference record to 6-6.
Game 1: Houston loses 16-1 in run-rule finish, UCF’s Evans ties single-game record
While Houston was able to gain only three hits, UCF’s senior infielder Aubrey Evans tied the program single-game home run record with three in the opening game 16-1 run-rule.
Houston finally came across its first run of the game in the fifth and final inning when it was down by 16. However, the Cougars were quickly down five runs off two homers in the first inning before they even got their second out.
In the second frame, Evans laced her second homer in as many at-bats to give the Knights a 7-0 lead. After two more UCF dingers, Evans launched her third to tie the Knights’ single-game record and put UCF up 11-0.
UCF’s sophomore utility hitter Kendall Yarnell’s second homer capped UCF’s scoring marathon at 16-0.
Additionally, Houston’s junior infielder Makenna Mitchell’s RBI single scored freshman infielder Leilani Garcia to put Houston on the board. However, Houston’s comeback effort was washed away when sophomore infielder Maddie Hartley struck out to give UCF the run-rule victory.
Senior pitcher Nicole Bodeux was given the loss after pitching 0.1 innings and giving up five earned runs off two homers. Mitchell, Garcia and sophomore outfielder Ariel Redmond were the only Cougars to record a hit in the contest.
The Knights recorded 14 hits as a team, with four batters smacking a home run. Redshirt senior infielder Ashleigh Griffin also had two homers. Redshirt sophomore right-hander Isabella Vega was given her 10th win of the season as she pitched four innings of no-run, one-hit ball.
Game 2: Vega’s perfect game gives UCF series win in 11-0 run-rule
Vega pitched her first career perfect game as Houston got run-ruled again, losing 11-0. The Cougars didn’t draw a walk as it got no-hit for the second time this season, as Vega pitched all five innings, picked up seven strikeouts and her 11th win.
UCF scored all 11 runs within the first two innings, with 10 coming in the second, as the Knights drew first blood off a bases-loaded walk that brought home sophomore infielder Coco Jaimes in the first frame.
After a couple of RBI singles, bases-loaded walks and a score off a wild pitch, Jaimes smacked a grand slam to cap the Knights’ scoring at 11.
The loss was given to sophomore pitcher Nevaeh Brown after having a most bizarre stat line: no hits, seven walks, five earned runs and one batter hit in 1.1 innings. Junior pitcher Gigi Solis was the lone bright spot for Houston in the middle game as she gave up no runs, just one hit and struck out two batters in the final three frames.
Despite having 11 runs, only three Knights recorded a hit, with junior outfielder Samantha Rey leading the team with two, while Jaimes led UCF with four RBIs.
Game 3: Houston gives up 10 homers to help break UCF’s single-game record in 22-8 loss
The Knights added the loudest exclamation point possible against the Cougars in the series finale, smacking 10 home runs in the 22-8 demolition. The 10 homers broke UCF’s single-game record and were the most by any team this season.
Hartley belted her 15th homer of the season in the third inning before Cougars’ freshman utility hitter Hailey Gore tallied her first career home run over the left center wall in the fourth frame.
The loss was given to Brown after she allowed five earned runs off seven hits in two innings pitched. Three Cougars had two hits, those being Hartley, sophomore infielder Madox Mitchael and senior infielder Mandy Esman. Hartley led the team in RBIs with four.
Three Knights had multiple homers with junior infielder Sierra Humphreys and sophomore utility hitter Izzy Mertes having three each.
Yarnell had two homers while Griffin and sophomore catcher Beth Damon both added one. Vega once again picked up the win to bump her up to 12 after pitching 4.1 innings and allowing three earned runs off five hits with four walks.
The Cougars will look to get back in the win column when they travel to Corpus Christi to take on the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Islanders on March 31 at 4 p.m. to begin a seven-game road trip.
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