SYRACUSE, NY. (Seminoles.com) — The No. 9 Florida State softball team (31-6, 19-2 ACC) completed a four-game weekend sweep of Syracuse (15-15, 8-13) by taking both games of a Sunday doubleheader. The Seminoles earned a 3-2 extra-inning win in game one and a 13-1 run-rule victory in game two.
In the first inning of game two, Sydney Sherrill tied the ACC career record with her 58th double. The redshirt junior from Moore, Oklahoma, broke the FSU record on Feb. 27 and currently ranks fifth nationally among all active players.
FSU hit six more home runs on Sunday and smashed 13 total home runs during the four-game series.
Game 1 – No. 9 Florida State 3, Syracuse 2 (8 Innings)
Florida State showcased its clutch gene in the morning contest. The Seminoles twice came back from one-run deficits, including with two outs in the top of the seventh inning. Kalei Harding singled to left with two outs in the seventh, allowing Kiersten Landers to score from second and tie the game at 2-2.
Syracuse scored first on a solo home run in the bottom of the fifth. Anna Shelnutt quickly tied the game with a leadoff home run in the top of the sixth. The Orange plated an unearned run in the bottom of the frame, and then with two outs in the top of the seventh Landers doubled to keep the game alive. After Sydney Sherrill worked a walk, Harding stepped up and delivered the game-tying RBI.
Cassidy Davis smashed a leadoff single to start the eighth and was replaced on the basepaths by D’Aun Riggs. Riggs then stole second and came around to score on a throwing error by Syracuse for what proved to be the game-winning run.
Caylan Arnold started the game and provided a solid outing in the circle. She registered three strikeouts, giving her 11 for the weekend, and only two hits in 5.1 innings of work. Kathryn Sandercock came on in the sixth and finished the game with 2.2 shutout innings to earn her 16th win of the year.
Scoring Summary
- B5 | Angel Jasso hit a leadoff solo home run to right field with no outs. (Syracuse 1, Florida State 0)
- T6 | Anna Shelnutt hit a leadoff solo home run to right field with no outs. (Florida State 1, Syracuse 1)
- B6 | Toni Martin singled to center field, scoring Neli Casares-Maher from second with one out. (Syracuse 2, Florida State 1)
- T7 | Kalei Harding singled to right field to score Kiersten Landers from second with two outs. (Florida State 2, Syracuse 2)
- T8 | D’Aun Riggs scored from second on an error with one out. (Florida State 3, Syracuse 2)
Game 2 – No. 9 Florida State 13, Syracuse 1 (6 Innings)
Florida State wasted no time getting the offense going in game two, scoring three runs in the first and never looking back. After Sherrill’s record-tying double, Harding hit a two-run home run to left-center. One batter later, Cassidy Davis hit her second home run of the weekend over the fence in right center.
Dani Morgan hit two home runs for five total RBI, knocking a two-run homer in the fourth and a three-run shot in the sixth for the final three runs of the game. Kalei Harding also hit two home runs, knocking consecutive two-run blasts in her first two at-bats of the game. Sherrill ended the game 4-for-5 at the plate with three runs scored.
Florida State scored three runs in the first inning, two in the third, three in the fourth and five in the sixth to finalize the run-rule win.
Danielle Watson earned the win after pitching 3.0 no-hit innings in relief with four strikeouts. Kathryn Sandercock started the game and pitched 2.0 innings with two strikeouts and two hits allowed. Emma Wilson came in and pitched a perfect sixth inning, ending the game with a strikeout.
Scoring Summary
- T1 | Kalei Harding hit a two-run home run to left-center field, scoring Sydney Sherrill from second with one out. (Florida State 2, Syracuse 0)
- T1 | Cassidy Davis hit a solo home run to right-center field with two outs. (Florida State 3, Syracuse 0)
- B2 | Angel Jasso hit a leadoff solo home run to right field with no outs. (Florida State 3, Syracuse 1)
- T3 | Kalei Harding hit a two-run home run to left field, scoring Sydney Sherrill from first with no outs. (Florida State 5, Syracuse 1)
- T4 | Dani Morgan hit a two-run home run to left field, scoring Elizabeth Mason from first with no outs. (Florida State 7, Syracuse 1)
- T4 | Devyn Flaherty hit an infield single to second base to score Sydney Sherrill from third with two outs. (Florida State 8, Syracuse 1)
- T6 | Kalei Harding scored from third on a fielder’s choice for the second out. (Florida State 9, Syracuse 1)
- T6 | Elizabeth Mason singled up the middle to score Kaia LoPreste from third with two outs. (Florida State 10, Syracuse 1)
- T6 | Dani Morgan hit a three-run home run to center field, scoring Josie Muffley from third and Elizabeth Mason from second with two outs. (Florida State 13, Syracuse 1)
From Head Coach Lonni Alameda:
“Today was a really big day for our offense. It was awesome for Sydney Sherrill. It’s always nice to be part of history, and she’s such a tremendous teammate. Kalei Harding had a good day as well. We showed nice fight in game one to get back into it late in the ballgame and have some good at-bats led by Kiersten Landers. I’m proud of the team and proud of the fight. When you’re playing four games in back-to-back days with doubleheaders, they’re getting a lot of looks at our hitters and we’re getting a lot of looks at them. Getting different looks today with Danielle Watson and Emma Wilson coming in was great. It was good to get everyone in the game because this is a dogfight and it’s going to take everybody. Everyone was in it giving quality at-bats and quality pitches in the circle.”
Up Next
Florida State stays on the road next weekend for a four-game series at Louisville. The series begins Friday, April 23, at 7 p.m. Saturday’s 5 p.m. game and Sunday’s Noon game are scheduled to air on ACC Network.
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