Florida State struggled to adjust to the change-up for most of the night. But in the sixth inning, the Seminoles identified it and drove in some much-needed runs.
Devyn Flaherty had a two-out triple to score the game-winning run as FSU rallied to take a 3-2 win over Chattanooga in the Tallahassee Regional on Friday evening.
"Our game is really growing — that's a really good ballclub," FSU coach Lonni Alameda said. "It was fun to compete against them. For our upperclassmen to just kind of settle the team down and enjoy the moment was big. Just real excited to survive and advance and just move forward."
FSU (44-14) advances to the winner’s bracket in a game against UCF, which earlier knocked off Auburn, on Saturday afternoon. With rain in the forecast early in the day, the ability to get games in will be challenged and times could shift. But FSU-UCF is tentatively set for 1 p.m., with TV to be determined.
Chattanooga right-hander Peja Goold kept FSU’s bats quiet for four shutout innings. Hallie Wacaser had an RBI single in the fifth to get the Seminoles on the board before they took the lead an inning later.
Goold had used an effective change-up throughout the night but it also meant she left some pitches up in the zone. FSU’s hitters finally timed them up in the sixth, with Isa Torres bringing in the tying run on a line-out sac fly.
That set the stage for Flaherty, who drove the 2-2 pitch off the wall in right-center field for a triple that brought home pinch-runner Annie Potter.
Allison Royalty tossed three shutout innings before giving up two runs in the fourth. While she battled, Royalty gave up five walks and was charged with both earned runs coming on Acelynn Sellers' two-run double.
Ashtyn Danley (17-5) settled in and finished off the Mocs with three strikeouts over 2.2 hitless innings. Danley wrapped it up with a 1-2-3 seventh inning, recording the final one with a strikeout.
The Seminoles are hosting a regional for a 10th straight season and enjoyed the home crowd of 1,442.
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