The No. 3 Florida State softball team (49-5) swept NC State (33-22) behind a record-setting day by the Seminole offense on Sunday. The day started with FSU defeating NC State in game three, 8-4, before the completion of game two, which started on Saturday afternoon.
In game two, the Seminoles hit a program-record seven home runs, led by Sydney Sherrill’s program-record three in one game. The Seminoles defeated the Wolfpack 10-6 in game two.
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Game 3
Florida State started strong for the second game in a row, jumping out to a 2-0 lead. Kaley Mudge led off with an eight-pitch walk and just two pitches later Sydney Sherrill hit her second home run of the weekend and sixth of the season to give FSU an early lead.
NC State loaded the bases in the first inning after a pair of singles and a hit by pitch. The Wolfpack then scored from third on a throwing error by Katie Bright.
The Noles put two more runs on the board in the third inning. Sherrill led off with her 79th career double and scored four pitches later after Kalei Harding hit one back up the middle. On a 3-1 count, Mack Leonard followed suit and hit one up the middle to score Harding and give FSU a 4-1 lead after three innings.
The Garnet and Gold opened the game wide open in the top of the fifth inning, scoring three more runs. Leonard led off with a single up the middle and two pitches later, Devyn Flaherty hit a two-run home run off the scoreboard in right field. Mudge capped off the inning with a single, scoring Michaela Edenfield before Josie Muffley was thrown out at home.
NC State scored three solo home runs in the sixth inning after Emma Wilson entered in relief for Kathryn Sandercock. After only recording one out Wilson was replaced by Sandercock who got back-to-back outs to end the sixth.
Florida State put a cap on game three with an eighth run in the seventh inning. Flaherty led off with a double to left field and then scored after Edenfield singled through the left side. It was Edenfield’s 49th RBI of the season.
Kathryn Sandercock started and pitched the first five innings, allowing four hits and one unearned run with five strikeouts. Emma Wilson came in and got one out but not before she let up three solo home runs. Sandercock entered the game once again and pitched the final 1.2 innings. She finished with 6.2 innings pitched, allowing just one unearned run while striking out seven NC State batters.
Game 2
A record-breaking offensive performance by Sydney Sherill and the Seminole offense led to FSU’s 10-6 win over NC State to wrap up the weekend against the Wolfpack.
The Seminoles jumped out to a 2-0 lead against NC State with a pair of home runs by Kaley Mudge and Sydney Sherrill to lead off the game on Saturday before the weather delay that pushed the game to Sunday.
After a delay overnight, NC State stuck back in the bottom of the first with a solo home run in their second at-bat. Sherrill said anything you can do I can do better as she hit her second home run of the game in as many at-bats with an opposite-field home run in the top of the second inning.
FSU extended its lead to 4-1 after Devyn Flaherty hit her fifth home run of the season and second of the day as she hit one in the first game. FSU’s first four runs were all scored by way of the home run.
NC State narrowed the lead to two with one run in the bottom of the third inning. With two outs, Brittany Jackson walked and then scored from first after Libby Whittaker singled to right-center field.
The Seminole bats exploded once again in the fourth inning as Sherrill and Kalei Harding hit a pair of solo home runs. Sherrill’s was her third home run in three at-bats. She became the first Seminole to hit three home runs in a single game. Harding’s home run was the sixth of the game for FSU, tying an FSU record.
The Wolfpack joined in on the home run party with their second of the game, this time by Alaina Smith to bring the score to 6-3 in favor of the Seminoles.
Florida State broke its team home run record in the top of the sixth inning after Mack Leonard hit the FSU’s seventh home run of the game. Harding reached on a fielding error and three pitches later Leonard hit one way over the wall to give FSU an 8-3 lead.
NC State copied the Noles in the bottom of the sixth inning with a two-run home run of their own. Sam Sack hit the two-run home run after Whittaker singled up the middle.
The wild game ended up with the Noles winning 10-6 after Kaley Mudge singled up the middle to score Josie Muffley and Edenfield.
Kathryn Sandercock was scheduled to start but due to the rain delay yesterday Mack Leonard started this game against NC State. She pitched the first 1.2 innings allowing one hit and one run while striking out two batters. Danielle Watson entered the game in the second inning and recorded the final out of the inning. She went on to pitch five innings, recording seven strikeouts while allowing five hits and five runs. Sandercock entered the game and recorded the final out by way of a groundout.
FSU BASEBALL TAKES GAME 3, 8-1, WINS SERIES AT BOSTON COLLEGE
The Florida State baseball team (28-17, 13-11) won its second road series of the year with an 8-1 win over Boston College (19-30, 5-22) Sunday afternoon at Harrington Athletics Village in Massachusetts.
The Noles have won all nine road series against the Eagles since BC joined the ACC for the 2006 season.
Bryce Hubbart (7-1) allowed just one hit and hit a batter in 7.0 innings, with 11 strikeouts. Both of Boston College’s runners against Hubbart came in the second inning, on a leadoff double and a hit batter. Hubbart rallied to force a fly out and struck out Sam McNulty looking to keep BC off the board.
After the hit batter, Hubbart retired the final 17 batters he faced before Dylan Simmons worked a perfect eighth inning and ran that streak to 20 batters.
The Seminoles scored all eight runs in the first three innings, highlighted a six-run third. FSU sent 11 batters to the plate, with six hits, a walk and a hit batter in the frame.
Florida State had eight consecutive batters reach base in the third – James Tibbs was hit by a pitch, followed by singles from Jaime Ferrer, Reese Albert, Brett Roberts, Alex Toral and Jackson Greene. After Colton Vincent walked, Tyler Martin singled to make the score 7-0. Jordan Carrion followed with a sacrifice fly for what proved to be FSU’s final run of the game.
Roberts led the Seminoles at the plate, tying a season high with three hits.
Boston College hit a solo home run in the ninth inning to avoid the shutout.
FSU next plays a doubleheader Tuesday against Jacksonville beginning at 4 p.m. Both games will be 7-innings, with a 45-minute break between games. Both games will stream on ACC Network Extra.
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