TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - The No. 3 Florida State softball team (51-8) cruised to a 9-0 victory in five innings over Marist (29-29) in the first game of the 2023 Tallahassee Regional on Friday evening in front of a packed house at JoAnne Graf Field. The Seminoles have now won 10-straight opening games in the NCAA Tournament.
Mack Leonard and Makenna Reid combined to throw the 34th no-hitter under Head Coach Lonni Alameda and the 117th no-hitter in FSU history. This is also the second consecutive NCAA Regional that the Seminoles have thrown a no-hitter as Danielle Watson threw one against Howard last season.
Neither team was able to get much offense going in the first inning. The Noles had their best threat in the second inning as three-straight walks loaded the bases for the Noles, but they were unable to convert.
The Noles struck in a big way in the third inning as Kalei Harding singled, and Mack Leonard hit a double off the wall to get the Noles on the board. Back-to-back singles from Devyn Flaherty and Hallie Wacaser put two more runs on the board for the Noles. Michaela Edenfield then hit her team-leading 11th home run of the season to give the Noles their fifth run of the inning.
After Jahni Kerr singled, Harding hit a two-run home run across the street in left field to extend the Noles' lead to 7-0 in the fourth inning.. Katie Dack hit her 11th home run of the season on her birthday in the fifth inning to end the game.
Kerr, Harding and Flaherty each picked up multi-hit games for the Noles. Leonard was terrific in the circle for the Noles going 4.0 innings while not allowing a hit and striking out two. Leonard earned her first win of the season. Reid came in and retired the Red Foxes in order in the fifth inning.
The Seminoles will play the winner of South Carolina and UCF at 1 p.m. tomorrow with a spot to the regional final on the line.
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