No. 3 FSU Outlasts No. 17 Florida for Fifth-Straight Win Over Gators
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (www.sportsdayjax.com)– The No. 3 Florida State softball Team (44-8) took the season sweep over No. 17 Florida (36-15) as they won an 8-7 thriller at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium. This marks the longest win streak over the Gators in program history with five straight victories. It also marks the first time the Seminoles have won back-to-back games in Gainesville since 2003.
The Gators were able to score a run in the bottom of the first off a groundout, but Florida State answered promptly. Two walks and a single into right by Devyn Flaherty loaded the bases with Krystina Hartley up to bat. She was hit by a pitch to allow Hallie Wacaser to walk home to tie the game.
Kaley Mudge then smacked a single up and through the middle to move everyone a base further and scored Flaherty for the lead. On the next at-bat, Jahni Kerr powered her single to right to score Bethaney Keen for the third straight run.
Florida was able to tie the game with two runs in the bottom of the third and used a solo shot to take the lead at 4-3 in the fourth. The Noles were connecting with the ball consistently throughout the night with 11 hits but had difficulty scoring with 7 runners left stranded after four innings.
The Seminoles regained some offensive rhythm with a Wacaser single and a Flaherty double to once again put themselves in scoring position. Katie Dack stepped in as a pinch hitter and fired the ball down the left field line for the single and drove in the runners to take the lead right back.
A few plays later, Kerr had her third hit of the day with a screaming double over the left fielder’s outstretched glove to score Dack and Mudge for a three-run advantage. Kerr recorded three hits in a game for the fifth time in her career. Florida responded with a two-run home run to cut the lead to one.
Amaya Ross came in to pinch run for Michaela Edenfield who was walked on a full count and she just beat out the tag on second base for the steal. A wild pitch sent her to third before Leonard hit a sac fly to send Ross home.
This proved to be the winning run as Florida hit a solo home run to cut the lead to 8-7 in the sixth. With two outs and bases loaded, the final batter popped up to Edenfield at the plate.
Mack Leonard started in the circle and delivered a solid outing with 2.1 innings of work with three punchouts and no extra base hits. Allison Royalty then came in for 2.2 innings with two strikeouts, earning her first road win as a Seminole before Makenna Reid closed out the final 2.0 innings with her fifth save of the season.
