UCF softball head coach Cindy Ball-Malone knew something had to change in the Fall of 2025 if the Knights wanted to stop being okay with making it to the Regional round of the NCAA Softball Tournament. So, Ball-Malone, best known as Coach Bear, lived by the motto for her players of 'hate me now, love me later," meaning she put together the toughest softball offseason yet.
The work that was put in the Fall offseason for the Knights led them to have a 38-16-1 regular season record and a spot in the Tallahassee Regional. After a tough stretch of games where the Knights dropped five of their final eight game of the regular season and the Big 12 Tournament, the Knights needed to find a spark in the Regional round.
In their first game of the regional, facing Jacksonville State, it took the Knights till their final out to tie the game at one and then an extra inning to get the walk-off win. Then the offense exploded on Saturday against Stetson in Game 2, which ended in a run-rule win for the Knights to send them straight to the Regional final.
A loss early to Florida State didn't have the Knights hanging their head, but head for the win-or-go-home matchup that the Knights came out on top of, punching their ticket to their second-ever Super Regional.
Key reveiw early vs. Florida State gave UCF all the momentum it needed
In the top of the third inning, with the Seminoles down 2-1, with two outs, Florida State got a hit that cleared the bases, giving them a 4-2 lead. However, Ball-Malone was quick out of the dugout, and many thought it was obstruction at the plate by one of the runners who scored for Florida State on catcher Beth Damon.
Instead, Ball-Malone was actually challenging that the runner of second left the base early. Now, those who may not know a lot about softball, it is different from baseball in this manner that runners can get a lead off the base, but they must wait until the pitcher has released the ball in her windup.
We got you, Greg!
— SpaceKnights (@TheSpaceKnights) May 18, 2026
WATCH: The most important replay review in UCF Softball history.
Video credit: @espn https://t.co/z1Mk74VW38 pic.twitter.com/gXA2arghYL
It was a close review that took quite some time for the umpires to look at, and in the end, the call was overturned that the runner did leave the base early, which resulted in the third out of the inning, clearing all the runs off the board.
Ball-Malone gave credit where credit was due to her players, stating that even if one of her players isn't starting or in the field, they have a big job to do.
"Taylor Kittleman, one of our players," Ball-Malone said. "She saw it, and we have assignments in the dugout. Everyone is a starter in the game in some way, and she saw it, and we went with it. She was 100% convicted in what she saw, so we went with that before we went with anything else we had talked about with that play, and what an incredible moment for her."
It truly was the momentum swing that UCF needed in the game and deflating to the Seminoles. UCF went on to win 4-2 to punch their ticket to a Super Regional, where they will have to travel across the country to face UCLA. The Bruins won't be an easy team to face, especially slugger Meghan Grant, who currently holds the single-season record for most home runs.
UCF will take on UCLA in a three-game series with a trip to the Softball College World Series on the line. Games begin on Friday, May 22, with UCF and UCLA first pitch set for 9:00 p.m. EST on ESPN U. Game 2 will be at 9:00 p.m. EST as well, but that one will be on ESPN, and Game 3 time and where to watch will be announced if necessary.
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