TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — The No. 14 Florida State softball team (5-1, 2-0) took it to Georgia Tech (5-2, 0-2) Thursday defeating them twice 8-1 and 7-3.
The Noles were led by Danielle Watson in the circle during the first game as she pitched 5.1 innings allowing four hits and one run with a season high tying five strikeouts.
The win marks the second win of the season for Danielle Watson. Offensively the Noles were led by Dani Morgan who recorded four RBIs on two hits.
Game 1 – Florida State 8, Georgia Tech 1
The Noles got it going early in the first game of the afternoon against Georgia Tech. Freshman Jahni Kerr got the day started for the Noles with a leadoff single. Devyn Flaherty would then reach base on a fielder’s choice. The Seminoles would then load the bases with two outs in the first inning. Dani Morgan would come in and hit a chopper back to the Georgia Tech pitcher, she would be safe on a slightly high throw by Georgia Tech, scoring Sydney Sherrill and Elizabeth Mason. This marked Morgan’s second and third RBIs of the season on her second hit of the year.
Danielle Watson would remain dominant in the third inning grabbing two more strikeouts to bring her total up to four on the afternoon.
The Seminoles would strike again in the bottom of the third, grabbing one more run on another RBI by Dani Morgan. FSU would get the bases loaded after hits by Sherrill, Mason and Davis. Morgan would send a strongly hit ball to shortstop that would result in the second out of the inning but the third run of the game for Florida State.
Georgia Tech would finally get on the board in the top of the sixth inning. They would get back-to-back doubles from Stanford and Roper getting their only run of the inning and of the game.
Florida State would strike back in the bottom of the sixth with five runs. D’Aun Riggs would score the first run of the inning on Dani Morgan’s fourth RBI of the afternoon. Morgan would score next as Kalei Harding would hit a single to right-center. Harding would advance to third on a throwing error and then score on the next at-bat after a sac bunt from Josie Muffley. FSU would then hit back-to-back home runs by Jahni Kerr and Devyn Flaherty to make it 8-1.
Game 2 – Florida State 7, Georgia Tech 3
The Noles were led by Caylan Arnold in the circle for the second game of the afternoon as she pitched a stellar five innings allowing just two hits and no runs with six strikeouts.
The win marks the second win of the season Caylan Arnold. Offensively the Noles were led by Freshman Kalei Harding who recorded four hits and three RBIs. Harding’s four-hit game was the Seminoles’ first four-hit game since Cali Harrod did so on May 11, 2019, against UNC in the ACC Tournament.
Florida State got their scoring started in game two in the third inning when the Noles put two runs on the board. FSU grabbed two runs on three hits and an error. Muffley led off the inning reaching first on a throwing error by the first baseman. She would score on a Flaherty single. Flaherty would score shortly after on a double up the middle by Elizabeth Mason.
The Seminoles got back on the board in the top of the fifth with four more runs. Flaherty got things started by walking with two outs. She then advanced to third after a throwing error by the catcher on a stolen base. Sherrill singled to short left field bringing home Flaherty and she was then brought home after a double by Mason. A Kalei Harding double added two more for the Noles with two outs.
Georgia Tech brought it back within four with two runs in the sixth inning. With two runners on Black singled up the middle bringing home one run. A single by Mora then loaded the bases for the Yellow Jackets. GT scored their second and last run for the inning on a sac fly to right field.
In the top of the seventh, Florida State put one more run on the board. Dani Morgan singled and advanced to third on back-to-back wild pitches. Kalei Harding sent her home on a single to right with a 3-1 count, giving the Noles a 7-2 lead.
The Yellow Jackets would get one back in the seventh but that would be it as the Noles would win 7-3.
Florida State finishes off its three-game series against Georgia Tech Friday at 1 p.m. The game will be on the ACC Network.
