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ORLANDO, Fla. – The No. 25 UCF softball team extended its impressive start to the season, completing a dominant sweep of Sunday’s twin bill against Notre Dame and Charleston Southern at the UCF Softball Complex. The Knights defeated Notre Dame 3-1 and Charleston Southern 5-1, capping off a 5-1 weekend that included victories over Ohio as well, with their only loss coming against Penn State on Friday evening.

UCF’s performance brings their record to 14-4, marking the program’s best start through 18 games since 2021, when the team began the season with a 15-3 record. Head coach Cindy Ball-Malone emphasized the team’s potential while acknowledging areas for improvement. “Our pitchers today, we did better with less freebies, but we’re still working,” she said. “We’re young and it’s still early in the season, so it’s a good sign, but I don’t want us to be satisfied with just our record. We have a lot more improving to head.”

A key factor in the Knights’ success has been the performance of their pitching staff. Hildie Dempsey, Ava Stuewe, and Isabella Vega combined to allow just two runs, one earned, across 14 innings on Sunday. Dempsey, in particular, delivered a standout performance, securing her first career seven-inning complete game against Notre Dame, allowing only one unearned run on three hits while striking out a career-high five batters.

The UCF pitching staff limited opponents to a .199 batting average (29-for-146) and a combined ERA of 2.42 over the weekend, the lowest team ERA through 18 games since the 2021 team posted a 1.95 ERA, according to UCF Athletics. Opposing batters managed just 9 hits in 50 at-bats against Dempsey, Stuewe, and Vega on Sunday, scoring only two runs.

Against Notre Dame, the game remained scoreless until the sixth inning when the Knights rallied for three runs. Izzy Mertes started the inning with a double and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by Destiny Washington. Ashleigh Griffin then drove in Mertes with a sacrifice fly to right field, tying the game at one. A hit by pitch and a subsequent walk loaded the bases, and a pair of Irish errors, combined with a single from Coco Jaimes, allowed Samantha Rey and Zoe Calvez to score, giving UCF a 3-1 lead. Dempsey closed out the game with a perfect seventh inning, securing the win.

In the second game against Charleston Southern, the Knights responded to an early Buccaneers run with two of their own in the bottom of the first. Izzy Mertes contributed with an RBI groundout, and Ashleigh Griffin added a sacrifice fly. Griffin extended UCF’s lead in the third inning with an RBI single, plating Ayala Durant. The Knights added two insurance runs in the sixth on a run-scoring single by Rey and a wild pitch that allowed Calvez to score.

Ava Stuewe pitched five innings, her longest outing since February 5th against Boston U, while Isabella Vega secured her third save of the weekend with two scoreless innings. Vega has been instrumental in closing out games for the Knights throughout the weekend.

The UCF softball team’s strong performance this season demonstrates their potential within the Big 12 Conference. As the season progresses, the Knights will glance to build on their success and continue to improve, aiming for a strong finish and a potential postseason run.

The Knights will continue their season with upcoming games against challenging opponents. The team’s focus will remain on refining their pitching, improving their offensive consistency, and maintaining their strong team chemistry. Fans can stay updated on the team’s progress and schedule through the UCF Knights official website.

A newly discovered species of dinosaur, Spinosaurus mirabilis, is rewriting our understanding of these massive, fish-eating predators. Unearthed in the Sahara Desert, this ancient reptile, which lived approximately 95 million years ago, sported a striking, foot-long curved horn protruding from its skull – a feature unlike any previously seen in its known relatives. The discovery, published last week in the journal Science, marks the first new species of Spinosaurus identified in over a century.

The fossil remains, found in what is now Niger, suggest Spinosaurus mirabilis was roughly the length of a school bus and inhabited a marshy, inland environment. This finding adds another layer of complexity to the ongoing debate about how aquatic these dinosaurs truly were, challenging previous assumptions about their lifestyle and hunting strategies. The international team of scientists, led by paleontologists from the University of Chicago, believes the crest may have played a role in attracting mates or communicating with others of its kind.

Lead author Paul Sereno, comparing the new species to modern herons, suggests Spinosaurus mirabilis likely hunted in relatively shallow water – around three feet deep, though capable of wading in up to six feet. “I suspect that this animal was fishing largely in about 3 feet of water,” Sereno explained to NPR. The rivers of the Cretaceous period teemed with large fish, some exceeding nine feet in length, providing ample prey for these formidable predators.

A Unique Crest and Potential Communication

The most distinguishing characteristic of Spinosaurus mirabilis is its prominent, foot-long curved horn. Researchers speculate that the texture of the fossil suggests the crest may have been brightly colored, potentially used for display and communication within the species. The initial discovery of a crest fossil occurred during a 2019 expedition, with further specimens unearthed during a return trip in 2022 to the remote Saharan site.

Aquatic Adaptations and Ongoing Debate

The environment in which Spinosaurus mirabilis lived was drastically different from the arid desert landscape of today. During the mid-Cretaceous period, the region was crisscrossed by rivers, though still located hundreds of miles from any ocean. The degree to which Spinosaurus species were adapted to aquatic life remains a central question for paleontologists. A 2020 study of Spinosaurus aegyptiacus fossils found in Morocco indicated a powerful swimming ability, with a tail structure comparable to that of modern aquatic animals, as reported by paleontologist Nizar Ibrahim to NPR’s Short Wave podcast.

However, the characteristics of Spinosaurus mirabilis suggest a different adaptation. Sereno posits that this new species may have been a less proficient swimmer, more akin to a heron, preferring to hunt in shallower waters and not diving for its prey. “Like blue herons, we imagine it to be a poor swimmer that never dives for its meals,” Sereno said.

The discovery of Spinosaurus mirabilis provides valuable new insights into the evolution and diversity of these remarkable dinosaurs. Further research and analysis of the fossil remains will undoubtedly refine our understanding of their behavior, habitat, and place in the prehistoric world. The ongoing investigation of the Jenguebi dig site in Niger promises to yield even more clues about this fascinating creature and its ancient ecosystem.

What comes next for the research team is a detailed analysis of the bone structure and potential muscle attachments of Spinosaurus mirabilis, which will aid to further refine our understanding of its locomotion and hunting techniques. The team too plans to continue excavations at the Jenguebi site, hoping to uncover additional fossils that will shed more light on this newly discovered species and its environment.

Share your thoughts on this incredible discovery in the comments below!