No. 3 FSU Softball wins at No. 17 Florida; sweeps Gators on the season

For the finale of the Sunshine State Showdown, Florida State softball started the game against Lexie Delbrey for the Florida Gators.

Starting it off, Delbrey only allowed a walk to Jahni Kerr, but sat down her other FSU batters. Defensively for FSU, Mack Leonard got the start in the circle. Facing lead off Skylar Wallace, the walk was issued and she came around on two wild pitches and a ground out. With the early 1-0 UF lead, Leonard got the next two outs, with the help of her defense.

Down to their rival in the top of the 2nd, Hallie Wacaser drew a one out walk. Following the walk, Devyn Flaherty and Bethaney Keen both reached base to load the bases. With the bags full of Seminoles, Delbrey hit Krystina Hartley to tie the game.

With a tie game, and the lineup turned over, Kaley Mudge singled to give FSU the lead. The second straight single off the bat of Kerr brought in another run. A base running error from the Seminoles resulted in the second out, while Delbrey induced a fly out to end the inning.

After a scoreless frame from Leonard in the circle, Michaela Edenfield started the 3rd off with a single. Following Edenfield, Leonard also had a single and Flaherty walked with one out.

With the bases loaded for the second straight inning, Florida went to the bullpen to replace Delbrey. In relief, Rylee Trlicek got a fly out and strike out to keep the bases loaded.

In the bottom half of the inning, Leonard issued a lead off walk to Kendra Falby. After she stole second, Leonard responded with a strike out to Wallace. With a runner in scoring position, an error from the FSU infield allowed the run to come across.

A walk and passed ball soon had runners on the corners for the Gators. With only one out, a fielder’s choice that failed to get an out had the bases loaded. In a tough spot, FSU went to the bullpen for Allison Royalty. Facing her first batter, Royalty walked in the tying run.

Now a 3-3 game, with the bases still loaded and one out, Royalty got her first strike out of the game. FSU was able to get out of the inning without any further damage off of a fly out.

In the 4th, a two out homerun to Wallace gave the Gators another lead. After the homerun, Royalty walked Charla Echols and allowed her to advance after an error. Royalty got out of the inning without giving up any further runs.

Rolling into the 5th inning, Wacaser produced a one out single. Coming back from her error in the previous inning, Flaherty doubled into right field. With runners in scoring position, Katie Dack came up with a pinch hit 2 RBI single.

After the single, Avery Weisbrook walked on four balls. Looking to pad the lead, Kerr came up with a two out double to score the pair of runners. After a multiple RBI inning, UF went back to the bullpen for Elizabeth Hightower. With two outs, Hightower got the out she needed, but FSU took a sizable lead.

Back out for the bottom of the 5th, Royalty led off with a hit by pitch to Pal Egan. Two outs later, Sarah Longley went yard off of Royalty to make it a 7-6 ballgame.

Looking for some insurance in the 6th, Michaela Edenfield led off with a walk. After the walk, she was replaced by Amaya Ross who was able to steal second and advanced to third on a wild pitch. A sacrifice fly from Leonard helped Ross cross home and tack on the 8th run for FSU.

After two more outs from Hightower, Royalty stepped back in for the bottom of the inning, where she gave up a lead off homerun to Wallace. Following the long ball, she hit Echols to put a runner on. With no outs, and up by one run, FSU went to Makenna Reid out of the bullpen. In relief, Reid sat down her minimum of two batters.

A 1-2-3 inning in the top of the 7th, brought up the last chance for the Gators. Set to face 6-7-8 of the lineup and gave up a lead off single. Following the baserunner, two outs were produced by Reid before a single from Kendra Falby. With Wallace back up, the intentional walk was given to load the bases. With the bases full of Gators, Echols popped up to Edenfield on the first pitch.

Florida State won 8-7, swept the Gators for the second straight season, and now has the longest win streak of the series with 5 games.

Gwyn’s Player of the Game

Still hot at the plate, Jahni Kerr helped the team out in multiple ways. 3-3 at the plate, Kerr had 3 RBI, 1 2B, 1 BB and 0 K.

Up next

FSU will host Louisville for senior weekend:

• Friday May 5th 6 pm ACCNX
• Saturday May 6th 2 pm ACCN
• Sunday May 7th 12 pm ACCN