FSU softball gets clutch hitting to defeat GT

FSU sports information

In front of 1,777 fans, the seventh-ranked Florida State softball team (27-7, 6-1 ACC) used some clutch hitting to fight past Georgia Tech (17-16, 2-8) by a score of 6-4 at JoAnne Graf Field on Friday night.

Friday's crowd was the fifth largest in Seminole Softball Complex history and the largest crowd to witness an ACC game at JoAnne Graf Field.

After a scoreless first inning, Jahni Kerr took the first pitch she saw over the right field fence for her seventh home run of the season to give the Noles a 1-0 lead. Just two batters later, Mack Leonard took one opposite field that just got over the left-field fence to give the Seminoles a 2-0 lead after two innings.

Neither team threatened in the third or the fourth inning, but the Yellow Jackets had a huge fifth inning where they plated four runs off an error and a three-run home run to take the 4-2 lead.

The Yellow Jackets didn't hold the lead for long as Devyn Flaherty singled to get on base, and Kalei Harding hit a no-doubt home run to tie the game. The Yellow Jackets threatened again in the top of the sixth and had runners on second third with just one out, but Makenna Reid got a lineout and a groundout to end the inning.

Michaela Edenfield led off the bottom of the sixth inning with a walk, but the next two batters were retired. The Noles then went on a two-out rally with a Josie Muffly single, and Kaley Mudge hit one off the left-field wall to score both Edenfield and Muffley to give the Noles the 6-4 lead heading into the final inning.

Reid surrendered a leadoff walk, but she responded with three-straight strikeouts to end the game. Reid was credited with the win and improved to a perfect 7-0 on the year.

The two teams will meet again Saturday at 11 a.m. The game was originally scheduled for 1 p.m. but was moved up due to expected weather.