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No. 8 FSU (2-0) softball defeated No. 1 Alabama (1-1) by a score of 8-7 on Friday evening for their second extra-inning win of the day after 5-run storm in seventh inning.
Game Recap
The Seminoles got off to a much different start in game two on Friday evening. Sophomore Kathryn Sandercock got the start on the hill and quickly ran into trouble. Sandercock hit the ‘Bama leadoff hitter on the very first pitch of the game before giving up a single to Alexis Mack. After a groundout, the Tide cracked the scoreboard first on a wild pitch. The early defensive issues continued for the Seminoles as a two-out error by freshman Devin Flaherty led to two unearned runs. By the time the ‘Noles touched their bats, they were in a 3-0 hole.
Halfway through, FSU faced a 6-1 deficit. Despite a leadoff walk, FSU couldn’t get anything going in the bottom half as Fouts continued to deal. Bama extended their lead to 7-1 after 5, FSU had nothing going and the game looked all but over. With Bama’s ace on the mound it would take a minor miracle for FSU to storm back in the last three innings, and that’s exactly what happened.
The ‘Noles wouldn’t go down without a fight. The Seminoles come back in the late innings started when Cassidy Davis drove in a run with a double with two outs in the bottom of the sixth. FSU then loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom of the 7th and cut the lead to four on a Kiersten Landers infield single with no outs in the inning.
Then Dani Morgan came up to the plate. All she did was tie the game with one swing of the bat. The senior unleashed on a ball and sent it well over the left field wall, tying the game at seven with a grand slam and sending JoAnne Graf Field into mayhem. After the grand slam, an Elizabeth Mason walk, Davis intentional walk, and Flaherty intentional walk loaded the bases with two outs for Josie Mufley. A well-played slow roller at third by Alabama sent the game to extras.
Mufley made an errant throw to first to start the eighth, putting the runner at second with one out after a sacrifice bunt. Davis was able to work around the error, getting a weak ground ball before a strikeout to end the inning and give the ‘Noles the chance to walk it off. Morgan Noah led off the bottom half of the inning with a single, before Landers laid down another bunt single. After a double play and an intentional walk, Elizabeth Mason had a chance to win the game with 2 on and 2 outs. She did just that, walking off the game with a bullet to right field and driving in Landers to win the game. Comeback kids are back.