UCF softball loses freshman starting pitcher Hildie Dempsey to injury
UCF softball lost a crucial piece to its pitching staff after freshman lefthander Hildie Dempsey announced in a statement on Monday that she will miss the rest of the season after suffering an ACL and meniscus injury. Dempsey took to social media to share the news of the injury that occurred earlier this month. “I experienced an ACL and meniscus injury that has unfortunately led to my season ending early,” Dempsey said in a statement on X.
“This patch was definitely unexpected and not how I envisioned my freshman season happening, but I put full faith in God and His timing. ” The Wisconsin native also said she would be medically redshirting this season. Dempsey took the mound 13 times this season, starting in six games and finishing with an impressive 6-0 record.
She led the team with an outstanding ERA of 1. 88 and ranked second in innings pitched with a total of 41, while allowing 11 earned runs on 34 hits, walking 15 batters and striking out 15. It was the latest in a stretch of tough news for a Knights’ squad that was swept in a three-game series by No.
2 Texas Tech last weekend. It was the second straight conference series loss for UCF, which had previously lost two out of three games against Baylor on March 13-15. “We’re still very young, but that’s not an excuse,” said coach Cindy Ball-Malone .
“We want to be at our best and right now, we are at a point in our year that’s not our best. I’m not mad at that, but I’m ready to move on. ” Dempsey’s injury took place right before UCF opened Big 12 play with a three-game road series at No.