TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (Seminoles.com) — The ninth-ranked Florida State Softball team continued its dominant ways from the circle, defeating No. 20 Duke, 3-0, to record its fifth consecutive shut-out on Saturday night at JoAnne Graf Field.
Junior pitcher Danielle Watson (5-0) continued her strong showing by tossing seven scoreless innings and allowing just three hits and striking out two in 29 batters faced. She did not allow an extra base hit to the Blue Devils (27-7, 15-7) tonight.
Duke pitcher Shelby Walters (11-3) took the loss after allowing three runs on six hits in six innings pitched. Walters entered the matchup with an impressive 0.94 ERA.
The Seminoles (25-6, 13-2) opened the game up in the bottom of the second inning. Anna Shelnutt led off the frame with a walk, followed by a single up the middle from Cassidy Davis. Josie Muffley then singled to third base on a bunt to load the bases with no outs, and Kiersten Landers hit a soft groundout that was just enough to score Shelnutt from third base.
Elizabeth Mason then recorded an RBI groundout to the second baseman to make it 2-0, and veteran Dani Morgan followed with a nice piece of hitting as she went for an opposite field RBI single through the right side, making it 3-0.
Sydney Sherrill (1-for-2), Kalei Harding (1-for-3), Davis (1-for-3), Muffley (1-for-2), Landers (1-for-3) and Morgan (1-for-1) each provided FSU’s six base hits on Saturday night.
Sunday is now a doubleheader vs. Duke. It begins at Noon on ACC Network Extra, then at 3 p.m. on the ACC Network.
