No. 5 FSU Softball comes from behind to defeat No. 22 Virginia Tech

After taking game one from the Virginia Tech Hokies on Thursday night, Florida State got right back at it in Blacksburg on Friday.

Friday’s pitching matchup was Lyndsey Grein for VT, and Ali DuBois for FSU. In the first, only an error allowed a baserunner for FSU, but was left stranded by Grein.

For DuBois in the first, it was a rough first inning. A lead off single came around on the second at bat of the game, as Cameron Fagan doubled and scored the runner from first. With a runner in scoring position, DuBois walked her next batter. Another batter reached on the second walk of the inning, but a foul out, strike out and fly out ended the inning with a 1-0 Hokies lead.

Heading into the top of the 2nd, Jahni Kerr got it started with a single up the middle. However, she was soon erased on a double play ball turned by the Hokies infield. With two outs, Katie Dack and Michaela Edenfield drew back to back walks. A single up to the second baseman scored Dack and put Edenfield on third.

The fly out from Devyn Flaherty moved the game into the bottom of the inning, where DuBois gave up a one out walk. A single and passed ball soon had two runners in scoring position for the threatening Hokies. Before exiting the game, DuBois issued a walk to Fagan to load the bases.

Entering in relief, Makenna Reid found herself with three runners and one out. For her first batter, Reid induced a fly out, but was deep enough to score a runner and put VT up 2-1. Getting Jayme Bailey to fly out, Reid got her team out of the jam in the 2nd.

Through the 3rd and 4th inning, both freshman pitchers kept it a 2-1 lead for Virginia Tech. Makenna Reid produced the first 1-2-3 inning of the game in the 4th, with help of her infield defense.

In the top of the 5th, Kaley Mudge doubled with two outs. Having a runner on second, Kalei Harding had a double of her own that tied the game at 2 a piece.

In the bottom the 5th, a one out single to Bre Peck was issued from Reid, and Emma Ritter reached on an error by Harding. The catcher Rachel Castine reached on the fielder’s choice that erased a runner from second, but the lead runner scored on the throw from second to first that was bobbled by Bethaney Keen. The throw from Keen to Edenfield was late and Virginia Tech retook the lead.

For FSU offensively in the 6th, they would face off against the day one starter, Emma Lemley. In her first inning of work, Lemley retuned all three Florida State batters to their dugout.

Down to their final inning in the top of the 7th, Edenfield led off with a walk and was replaced on the bases by Amaya Ross. In her first chance, Ross stole second and ended up on 3rd after the throwing error by the catcher. With Muffley up to bat, she reached on a fielder’s choice throw to home that was not in time to get Ross.

Muffley advancing on a wild pitch, Devyn Flaherty singled up the middle to score the Seminoles first lead of the game.

Up 4-3, Mudge reached on an error by the third baseman. With Harding at bat, she roped a single into center field that tacked on the 5th run for the ‘Noles. The run ended the day for Lemley, as the Hokies opted to go back to Grein.

Grein faced Leonard and Kerr, getting both to fly out to left field. Stepping in with two on base, Hallie Wacaser singled into left and scored Mudge from second. Grein got Keen to fly out, and FSU had their largest lead of the game going into the bottom of the 7th.

Up 6-3 in the 7th, Kathryn Sandercock entered to close out the game against 4-5-6 in the VT batting order. A 13 pitch at bat strike out to Jayme Bailey, pop up from Bre Peck, and ground out to Emma Ritter secured the come from behind win for the Seminoles.

Gwyn’s Players of the game

Both Josie Muffley and Kalei Harding came up big for their team when it was needed. A combined 3-7, 1 R, 4 RBI, 1 2B, 0 BB, 2 K.

Up next

FSU will look to sweep the Hokies tomorrow at 4 pm. Weather in the area in Blacksburg pushed the game time back, and will now be aired on ACCNX.