The University of Central Florida (UCF) Knights Softball team has successfully advanced to the Super Regionals round of the Women’s College World Series. This significant achievement came after a thrilling victory in a winner-take-all game held at JoAnne Graf Field in Tallahassee.

The Knights took an early lead thanks to Beth Damon’s powerful two-run home run, marking her 16th of the season. However, Florida State University (FSU) mounted a strong offensive effort, putting UCF in a precarious position with bases loaded and two outs. FSU’s right fielder, Shelby McKenzie, delivered a single to center field, seemingly scoring three runners. Yet, in a dramatic turn, the umpires ruled that the runner on second base left early, nullifying the runs and keeping UCF in the game.

In the fourth inning, with the score tied at 2-2, UCF’s left fielder Izzy Mertes hit a crucial two-run home run, her 12th of the season, to regain the lead for the Knights. This pivotal moment secured their victory with a final score of 4-2, improving their season record to 41-16-1.

UCF will now face the winner of the Los Angeles regional, contested between UCLA, the national 8 seed, and South Carolina. The Super Regional games are scheduled to begin on Thursday, bringing the Knights one step closer to the ultimate goal of competing in Oklahoma, the home of the Women’s College World Series.

Original reporting: WESH Orlando — read the source article.