Cindy Ball-Malone proud of UCF’s fight after Super Regional exit: ‘The best is yet to come’
Cindy Ball-Malone sat between Aubrey Evans and Ashleigh Griffin late Saturday night, emotional but still defiant.
UCF’s season had just ended with a 14-4 loss to No. 8 national seed UCLA in Game 2 of the NCAA Los Angeles Super Regional. The Bruins swept the best-of-three series and advanced to the Women’s College World Series, while the Knights fell two wins short of getting there for the first time in program history.
But Ball-Malone did not sound like a coach who believed UCF’s opportunity had passed. She sounded like one who believes the Knights are getting closer.
“We set out on a mission this year, and I know we fell short just by two games — two wins,” Ball-Malone said. “But there were a lot of odds against us, and we overcame so much.”
UCF finished the season 41-19-1, reached the NCAA Tournament for the sixth straight year and advanced to the second Super Regional in program history. The Knights got there by doing something the program had never done before — winning an NCAA Regional in Tallahassee, including a 4-2 victory over No. 9 overall seed Florida State in the winner-take-all regional final.
The season ended against a UCLA team that showed why it has been one of the most dangerous lineups in the sport. The Bruins finished Saturday with 13 hits and four home runs. Aleena Garcia hit two home runs and drove in seven runs, while Bri Alejandre and Alexis Ramirez also homered. Taylor Tinsley threw a complete game, allowing four runs on nine hits while striking out 11.
Ball-Malone opened her postgame press conference by giving UCLA its due.
“I just want to congratulate the UCLA team,” Ball-Malone said. “What a dynamic lineup, and I have so much respect for those coaches. Good luck on their run.”
Then she turned the focus back to her team.
Ball-Malone said the Knights could have faded at multiple points this season. One of those moments came when freshman pitcher Hildie Dempsey went down with an injury. Instead, UCF kept going, leaning on a young pitching staff, a veteran core and a belief that became part of the team’s identity.
“People might think when Hildie went down that was probably going to be the end of our run,” Ball-Malone said. “And our team said, ‘No, we’re going to keep going.’
“I couldn’t be more proud.”
Seniors leave their mark
For Ball-Malone, much of the emotion came from sitting beside Evans and Griffin, two seniors who helped push the program to another level.
Evans hit her 12th home run of the season Saturday. Griffin, like Evans, has been part of UCF’s rise under Ball-Malone and helped the Knights build toward moments like this.
Ball-Malone said both seniors lived up to one of the program’s core expectations.
“We talk about leaving it better than we found it, and I say that every year,” Ball-Malone said. “These two women did that, along with the rest of their class.
“I couldn’t be more thankful for what they’ve given to our program and me, and I’m very excited for what’s yet to come for them.”
Ball-Malone compared the moment to being a parent watching children grow up faster than expected.
“I’m emotional because it’s kind of like being a parent,” Ball-Malone said. “You can’t blink. They grow up so fast.
“I have three boys, and these guys are my daughters. Their parents let me borrow them for a few years, just to see where they started and where they are now and what they’re going to do.”
Ball-Malone said that growth is part of what makes building a program difficult and rewarding.
“We fight. We’re the disruptors,” Ball-Malone said. “Some people may think it’s hard to protect something, but building something is really freaking hard.
“We do more with less all the time. We exhaust every single thing we have, and I couldn’t be more proud of our entire team.”
‘We’re chippy’
Even in a game where UCLA repeatedly answered, UCF did not go quietly.
The Knights fell behind 6-1, but responded with a three-run fifth inning.
The comeback did not hold. UCLA scored three runs in the sixth and five more in the seventh to put the game away.
But Ball-Malone said the response still showed something about the group.
“We’re chippy, and we’re not going to think it’s over until you tell us there’s no more game to be played,” Ball-Malone said. “That’s them in a nutshell. They don’t have to say it. They show it on the field.”
Ball-Malone acknowledged the Knights will have to get better in the circle to take the next step. UCF pitchers allowed 13 hits, walked eight batters and hit three more Saturday, one night after free passes also hurt the Knights in a 9-1 Game 1 loss.
“I know our pitchers need to be better,” Ball-Malone said. “If you look at how many hits we gave up versus how many hits we had and then the runs, we’ve got to be better at the freebies.
“I do think we shut down some good hitters in their lineup this weekend, but that doesn’t matter if we’re not able to make adjustments on the other batters in the order.”
Still, Ball-Malone said UCF’s fight mattered.
“Don’t count us out,” Ball-Malone said. “We’re just going to continue to get a little bit better each day. I think with this experience under our belt, next year we’re going to be in a better spot.”
Still chasing Oklahoma City
Earlier Saturday, Ball-Malone posted a message on social media about all the things she and the program have been told they could not do.
She listed them off: becoming a two-way All-American, becoming a Division I head coach, becoming a Power Four head coach while also being a pitching coach, mom and wife, putting UCF softball on the map and getting past a Tallahassee Regional.
Each had been checked off. One remained.
“Can’t get to the WCWS,” Ball-Malone wrote. “There is still time. Team 25 still has time. Team 25 keep chasing your dreams.”
A few hours later, UCF’s season ended short of Oklahoma City. But Ball-Malone did not back away from the message.
“I don’t usually make statements saying things are going to happen in the future,” Ball-Malone said. “But I made a statement earlier via social media, and I 100 percent believe it. Maybe it didn’t happen this year, but we’re going to be there.
“We are.”
Ball-Malone said seeing programs like UCLA up close only reinforced what UCF is chasing.
“We’re going to have to do it quicker than those two programs did it because that’s what’s going to be required,” Ball-Malone said. “But these women are built for it.
“It’s because of anybody that’s worn this jersey. So much love from our alumni, so much love from our future athletes that will be a part of this team. Us playing today, it wasn’t just for Team 25.”
UCF’s 2026 season will still stand as one of the best in program history. The Knights reached 40 wins for the first time since joining the Big 12, won 14 conference games, placed six players on All-Big 12 teams and knocked off a national seed on the road to reach the Super Regional round.
Ball-Malone said the program is still young compared to the sport’s powers, but she believes UCF’s trajectory is clear.
“We may be small and young and all those things that you might say,” Ball-Malone said. “But at the same time, the best is yet to come for us.
“Watch out, because we’re disruptors.”
