• Final stats

The UCF Knights (15-8) won their fifth game in a row by beating Saint Joseph’s University (7-5) 9-1 in five innings at the University of South Florida Under Armour Invitational in Clearwater on Friday.

Sophomore Kamryn Toney (2-2) was credited with the win for the Knights, pitching 4.1 innings and striking out two batters while also giving up one run on two walks and five hits. Sophomore Alea White pitched the last two outs of the game, striking out both batters.

The Hawks started senior Madison Clarke (2-2) for 1.1 innings, as she gave up three earned runs on five hits. Sophomore Ashley Stokes and junior Ashley Ventura relieved Clarke, giving up a combined total of five earned runs on seven hits and four walks.

After a scoreless first inning, the Knights had a four-run second inning to put them up 4-0. UCF had the bases loaded and one out when redshirt sophomore Tamesha Glover was walked, allowing infielder Aubrey Johnson to score the first run of the game.

Freshman Hayley Bejarano was next to bat and reached base on a fielder’s choice, but outfielder Kyra Klarkowski was called out trying to score from third; it was the second time Saint Joseph’s gunned down a Knights runner at home in the inning.

UCF loaded the bases, again, which set up junior Brooke Barlow for a two-RBI single to right field. Bejarano scored the last run of the inning when Senior Courtney Rotton singled to the left side before a lineout ended the second.

The Knights picked up where they left off to start the third. Junior Cassady Brewer reached base on an error from the Saint Joseph’s first baseman and advanced to second on a passed ball. Johnson, then, homered to left-center field, putting the Knights up 6-0.

Klarkowski placed herself in position to score another Knights run by singling to first and advancing to third, first, by an error in right field and, then, by a passed ball. She scored the last run of the inning when Glover reached base on a fielder’s choice, giving UCF a 7-0 lead.

UCF scored once more in the fourth with the bases loaded, as sophomore Jazmine Esparza singled to the pitcher’s circle with two outs, allowing Rotton to score the only run of the inning.

Both the Eagles and the Knights each scored a run in the fifth: Sophomore Molly Kapala doubled so Jancarla Herrara could score, and Knights senior Megan Greenwell scored off a triple by Rotton to finalize the score.

Who’s Next?

UCF plays another double-header in the same tournament on Saturday, first facing Western Michigan University at 2 p.m.

For more on the Knights, as they continue the USF Under Armour Invitational, follow Nick Santiago on Twitter at @NickSantiagoUCF.