Leonard home run lifts Florida State softball to 18th ACC Championship title

PITTSBURGH, PA. (seminoles.com) — No. 3 Florida State (52-5) earned its 17^th ACC Tournament Championship with an 8-6 win over No. 15 Clemson (39-15). Mack Leonard hit a three-run home run in the bottom of the sixth inning to lead the Seminoles to the Championship.

Clemson got on the board in the top of the first inning after a pair of Seminole errors. Cammy Pereira got on in the lead-off position due to an error and then scored from first after an error on the next play.

Florida State quickly retaliated scoring three runs in the bottom of the first. Kaley Mudge, Sydney Sherrill and Kalei Harding led off with three consecutive singles. Harding’s single scored Mudge from second. Devyn Flaherty then singled to left field scoring both Sherrill and Harding, giving FSU a 3-1 lead.

In the top of the second inning, Clemson scored three more runs to take a 4-3 lead. A pair of walks and a single loaded the bases for the Tigers before a foul out scored Clemson’s first run of the inning. A double down the left-field line by McKenzie Clark gave Clemson the lead as it scored two runs.

The Seminoles tied things up in the bottom of the second off a solo home run by Harding, her 15^th of the season. Clemson took back the lead in the top of the fourth with a solo home run of their own by Sam Russ.

Clemson took a one-run lead in the top of the fourth and held on to it until the sixth inning. FSU tied things up after Amaya Ross scored on a sacrifice fly by Mudge. After Sherrill was walked and Harding was intentionally walked, Mack Leonard stepped up the play with two outs and hit her eighth home run of the season to give FSU an 8-5 lead.

Clemson would score one final run in the top of the seventh but that was not enough as FSU would win its 17^th ACC Tournament Championship.

Mack Leonard, Devyn Flaherty, Kathryn Sandercock and Kalei Harding were all named to the All-Tournament Team. Harding was named the tournament MVP.

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Florida State finds out who they will host in the Tallahassee Regional on Sunday at 7 PM during the selection show on ESPN.