STOCKTON, Calif. -- The Pacific softball team fell to UCF, 8-0, in five innings Tuesday evening at Bill Simoni Field.
 
The Tigers (6-14) fell behind early as the Knights (16-7) came out and took a 6-0 lead in the top half of the first inning. Bethany Hammer earned the start in the circle and allowed four earned runs on five hits in one inning of work. Hammer has made five starts during the season and has accumulated 22 strikeouts in 31.2 innings pitched.
 
The Tigers eased back into the game as Amiyah Aponte made her sixth relief appearance of the season. Aponte shined and kept the Knights at bay, recording three scoreless innings and tallying a season-high three strikeouts. The sophomore from Riverside, Calif., only gave up one hit during her outing and kept the Knights off the base path, allowing no walks.
 
Pacific threatened in the bottom of the fourth inning as Carly Lucchetti and Reagan Hamilton tallied back-to-back singles to open the inning. The Knights, however, came out of the inning unscathed as starting pitcher Kama Woodall struck out two of the following three batters to keep the shutout intact.
 
Lucchetti, Hamilton, Delaney Scully, and Rian Dirmeyer recorded a hit for the Tigers, increasing the season total to 136. Dirmeyer, returning to the lineup after missing the last three games, went one-for-two at the plate, raising her batting average to .351, which ranks second-best on the team. Lucchetti continues to lead the team with a .426 batting average.
 
"We had a rough first inning, but we competed well," Head Coach Brian Kolze stated after the game. "We had a lot of good at-bats from the kids that are normally in the lineup, we made some great defensive plays, and Amiyah [Aponte] was stellar."
 
Pacific returns to action on Saturday, March 12, as the Tigers travel to San Luis Obispo, Calif., to compete in the Mustang Classic, hosted by Cal Poly.