No. 6 FSU Softball sweeps Florida A&M

For the midweek double header, Ali DuBois got back out into the circle for Florida State, who looked to have a strong outing after a tough weekend.

Game 1: FSU 8-0 FAMU

DuBois shut down the Rattlers offense easily in the top of the first. In the bottom half of the inning, Kaley Mudge led off by reaching the base via an error, and came around to score on a hard double off the left field wall by Mack Leonard, who ended on second base. The Seminoles added another baserunner after Kalei Harding walked, bringing Michaela Edenfield to the plate. Wit the 2-1 count, Edenfield jacked another homerun, pushing the run advantage to 4-0.

Cris’Deona Beasley, the starting pitcher for FAMU, gave up a single to Devyn Flaherty, and walked Katie Dack to put the 6th straight runner on base, still with no outs. Dack was soon erased as Bethaney Keen grounded into a double play, quickly putting two outs on the board but moving Flaherty to third.

Flaherty was left on third and DuBois went back to work in the circle. As efficient as possible, Dubois went three pitches to get three FAMU outs, turning the game quickly back to her offense.

In the. bottom of the 3rd, Edenfield led off with a walk and was replaced by Autumn Belviy. Flaherty doubled, but Belviy was tagged out at home trying to score a 5th run, on a great play by the FAMU outfield. Now batting, Dack singled to bring home Flaherty, now making it 5-0.

After a stolen base by Dack, Josie Muffley tripled to score her teammate. The 6th run of the game prompted a pitching change for FAMU, to Nadia Zenetno. Facing Hallie Wacaser, who singled to bring in Avery Weisbrook, the pinch runner for Muffley.

A double from Mudge, her and Wacaser were left on base to end the inning. Now in the 4th, with a seven run lead, Kat Sandercock entered the circle for DuBois after three scoreless innings. In her first outing of the game, the lead off single she gave up went unsecured as the defense helped her leave the runner.

In the bottom of the 4th, Belviy led off with a double, and was on third when Dack hit a two out single. The one run was all that fared for the Seminoles, now in run rule territory of FAMU heading into the 5th.

After one out, Emma Wilson came in to close out the victory for FSU. A strikeout and fly out ended the first game.

Game 2:

Florida A&M’s last pitcher started off the second contest against the ‘Noles. Nadia Zenetno and Mack Leonard, the starter for FSU, shared two innings of 1-2-3, keeping both offenses stalled.

In the top of the 3rd, Allison Royalty entered in relief, still keeping the Rattlers off the bases. In the bottom half, Wacaser started things off with a double into the gap of right centerfield. A ground out moved her further, to third base as Amaya Ross drew a walk and quickly stole second. Now, with two runners in scoring position, Mudge used small ball and scored Wacaser.

A second fielders choice soon turned disastrous for the Rattlers, as Leonard reached, Mudge advanced to third, and Ross scored on an error. With a 2-0 scoring advantage, Harding tripled to clear the bases.

Edenfield’s walk put Madi Frey in as a pinch runner, still with one out. The third fielder’s choice of the inning allowed Flaherty to make her way on, and Frey was taken off and Harding scored easily. Still in the circle, Zenetno ended the inning with a groundout.

A five run inning wasn’t added on as Royalty and Zenetno kept it a clean 4th. In the 5th, Royalty allowed a lead off single, but came back by striking out the next two batters. With two outs, another single was added and an error by the Seminole defense allowed the earlier runner to score, making it a 5-1 game.

In the bottom of the 5th, two outs were quickly recorded and Edenfield and Krystina Hartley drew back to back walks. Autumn Belviy added on to her RBI total with an RBI double, scoring Edenfield and Hartley.

In the top of the 6th, Freshman Madi Balk made her Seminole debut in the circle. Her leadoff walk was soon a mere memory as the pick off of the runner was recorded as the first out. A two out single reached and advanced to second on another error, but was not an issue for the freshman as she struck out the final batter.

In the bottom of the 6th, Muffley lead off with a walk, and a stolen base and error later she stood on third base. Avery Weisbrook added her name to the RBI total with a single, making it a 8-1 game. Now looking at a run-rule, Mudge singled and Leonard doubled and Weisbrook scored, ending the game.

Gwyn’s Player of the Game

Autumn Belviy had a great two games, making it hard to keep her out of the lineup. In game one, she went 1-1 with 1 run and a double. Game two only got better for her bat as she went 1-1 with 2 RBI and another double.

Up Next

The Seminoles will travel to the TaxAct Clearwater Elite Invitational

• Thursday 2/16: #10 Arizona at 4 pm EST on ESPNU
• Friday 2/17: #4 Arkansas at 1 pm EST on ESPNU
• Saturday 2/18: #2 UCLA at 10 am EST on ESPNU
• Sunday 2/19: Louisiana at 1 pm EST on ESPN+ // #15 Alabama at 5 pm EST on ESPN