TEMPE, Ariz. — Arizona State softball followed an all-too-familiar script on Saturday, April 11.

The Sun Devils are 4-1 in Big 12 series openers, but with Saturday’s loss, ASU (31-12, 5-9 Big 12) drops to 1-8 in the second and third games of Big 12 series. No. 22 UCF (31-11-1, 9-7-1 Big 12) rebounded from a 7-1 loss on Friday, blasting three home runs en route to an 8-1 victory at Farrington Stadium. 

Head coach Megan Bartlett said she doesn’t know why her team has specifically struggled to win Games 2 and 3 of conference series, and she pointed out that the Sun Devils were a few bounces away in recent series against Arizona and Kansas.

“There’s nothing mechanically happening,” Bartlett said. “They’re not out of gas, they just need to learn to rebound after Saturday.”

Sophomore catcher Beth Darmon, sophomore right fielder Kendall Yarnell and junior second baseman Sierra Humphreys all homered for the Knights.

Darmon and Yarnell are tied for the team lead in home runs with 12 each.

Yarnell finished the night 2-for-4 with two RBI.

Senior shortstop Aubrey Evans also recorded two RBI on the night and sophomore left fielder Izzy Mertes had one RBI.

Senior left-handed pitcher Aissa Silva started the game for ASU, only lasting 2⅔ innings after allowing three earned runs.

Junior right-hander Meika Lauppe struggled as well, surrendering five earned runs over 4⅓ innings.

Bartlett said Lauppe struggled with her command and emphasized that you can’t give a team that hits as well as UCF too many opportunities at the plate.

“That is a very good hitting ballclub,” Bartlett said, “and they do a brilliant job of capitalizing on middle misses.”

Bartlett said her pitchers allowed too many big innings, and allowing even just one run in those spots makes a huge difference. 

On the other side, the Knights’ pitching duo of freshman left-hander Reagan Voukoun and senior right-hander Lena Elkins kept the Sun Devils’ bats in check.

Vokoun started the game and pitched three scoreless innings, and Elkins pitched the final four innings, only allowing one earned run.

UCF has the second-lowest team ERA in the Big 12, only trailing No. 1 Texas Tech.

ASU had its opportunities at the plate, but it left eight runners on base and finished 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position.

In the fourth inning, the Sun Devils trailed 4-0 but had the bases loaded with nobody out. However, it failed to score a single run.

Bartlett said the Knights did a good job keeping her team off balance with off-speed pitches.

However, junior catcher Samantha Swan was a bright spot at the plate for ASU, going 3-for-3.

“She’s really walking this beautiful line of competing really well at the plate and picking good pitches,” Bartlett said. “She’s not trying to hit a home run every time she’s up to bat; she’s just trying to shoot gaps and hit line drives, which is certainly what we believe in.”

Swan has recorded 10 hits in her last 11 at-bats, and this is her sixth consecutive multi-hit game.

Sophomore right fielder Ashleigh Mejia, senior designated player Tanya Windle, senior center fielder Kaylee Pond and freshman left fielder JazMarie Roberts also recorded hits for the Sun Devils.

Mejia had ASU’s lone RBI, and Windle got her first hit in conference play this season.

The teams will play the rubber match on Sunday, as the Sun Devils look to avoid letting another Big 12 series win slip away.

“We didn’t capitalize in big moments,” Bartlett said. “I expect them to show up and execute at a much different level tomorrow.”