UCF Falters Late vs. Michigan, Faces Elimination on Saturday

Originally posted on Heartland College Sports
By Bryan Clinton | Last updated May 16, 2025 4:26 PM ET

UCF appeared to be off to an incredible start in the Austin Regional, holding a 3-1 lead over Michigan with just four outs left in the game.

Isabella Vega had been excellent through 5.2 innings, and had Wolverines’ slugger Lauren Putz worked into a full count. Unfortunately, that’s where it all went wrong.

Vega left the ball hanging over the plate, and Putz squared it up, driving it over the centerfield wall to flip the game in UM’s favor for the first time. From there, the Wolverines would squash any momentum that UCF was able to muster and was able to hold on to a pivotal 4-3 win on the afternoon.

Coming into the fifth, Vega had surrendered just two hits and one run in 21 batters faced, but was pulled after giving up three hits and three runs in the sixth.

Another chance to bounce back tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/WhlFAPV00R
— UCF Softball (@UCF_Softball) May 16, 2025

The Knights would threaten in the bottom half of the inning, getting two on board with one out, but saw their chance to respond vanish with Madison Simon grounded into a double play. They would threaten again in the final frame, getting a one-out single from Sierra Humphreys and advancing to second after Ashleigh Griffin reached on a HBP with two outs.

The Wolverines decided to return to starter Lauren Derkowski to get the final out, and she did just that, getting Izzy Mertes to strikeout with three straight changeups for strike to give Michigan a 4-3 win.

With the win, UM advance to face the winner of Texas vs. Eastern Illinois on Saturday.

The loss puts UCF’s season in jeopardy, as they’ll have to hope to win four-straight games to get out of the weekend still alive. They’ll be back in action tomorrow at 2:30 p.m. in an elimination game against the loser of this afternoon’s contest.

This article first appeared on Heartland College Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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