TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Kathryn Sandercock got a strikeout with the bases loaded, and the party was on at JoAnne Graf Field as the No. 3 Florida State softball team (45-8, 20-2) clinched their 14th ACC Regular Season Championship with a 6-4 win over Louisville (35-15, 16-5) on Friday night in front of 1,301 fans.
The Seminoles clinched their first ACC Regular Season Championship since 2019 and clinched the No. 1 seed in next week’s ACC Tournament. This is the seventh time the Noles have won the regular season title under Head Coach Lonni Alameda.
After two scoreless innings, the Seminoles finally broke through in the bottom of the third inning. A single by Kaley Mudge got the Noles going in the inning, and Jahni Kerr poked one out to left field which was mishandled by the fielder allowing Mudge to score and allowing Kerr to advance to third. Michaela Edenfield brought Kerr home with a single for her team-leading 47th RBI to give the Noles the early lead.
The Cardinals responded with a two-run home run in the top of the fourth to tie the game, but the Noles came right back with back-to-back singles from Josie Muffley and Mudge to put runners in scoring position for Kerr. Kerr delivered again with a single to bring Muffley home to give the lead back to the Noles.
A couple of singles from Mack Leonard and Edenfield put runners on second and third for the Noles, and Hallie Wacaser got the job done with a sacrifice fly to extend the lead to two heading into the sixth inning.
The Cardinals added a run in the top of the sixth, but Edenfield picked up her third hit of the night to score Muffley and Mudge to give the Noles some insurance with a 6-3 lead heading into the final inning.
The three outs did not come easy in the top of the seventh as back-to-back walks put runners on first and second for the Cardinals. Makenna Reid then recorded back-to-back outs, but the Cardinals used a walk and an infield single to load the bases with the nation’s home run leader in the batter’s box.
Sandercock re-entered the game and got the strikeout with just four pitches to keep the ACC trophy in Tallahassee.
Sandercock picked up her 19th win of the season to improve to 19-3 on the year. The Seminoles got big offensive days from Mudge, Kerr and Edenfield as they each recorded three hits for the Noles.
The Noles will look to win the series tomorrow at 2 p.m. ACC Network will have the coverage.
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