OKLAHOMA CITY, OK (Seminoles.com) — The No. 10 Florida State softball team (48-11-1) advanced to the championship series for just the second time in program history after defeating No. 3 Alabama (52-9) 8-5.
The Seminoles have now won their last eight Women’s College World Series elimination games. The eight straight elimination wins ties the WCWS record that was set by UCLA from 1984-87 and 1988-91.
Florida State was led by Kaley Mudge, who went a perfect five for five with two runs and two RBI. Her five hits tied a WCWS record for the most hits in a game and it the first to do it in just seven innings.
No. 3 Alabama 5, No. 10 FSU 8
The Seminoles pitched three pitchers against Alabama with Kathryn Sandercock starting in the circle for the Noles. She pitched the first three innings, allowing two runs on five hits with two strikeouts. Caylan Arnold came in during the fourth inning and allowed two hits and two runs. Danielle Watson finished off the Crimson Tide, pitching the final 2.2 innings while only allowing one run and two hits. Watson earned her 11th win of the season.
Montana Fouts entered the game recording 22 straight outs, but the Seminoles scored three runs before she could even record her first out of the game. Kaley Mudge led off the game with a single up the middle, Sydney Sherrill then walked to put runners on first and second with no outs for Elizabeth Mason. Mason loaded up and sent a bomb halfway up the outfield bleachers to give the Noles a quick 3-0 advantage.
The Noles extended their lead to four in the second inning. Josie Muffley led off with a walk, three pitches later the Garnet and Gold had runners on the corners after Anna Shelnutt reached on a fielder’s choice and an error allowed Muffley to reach third. Mudge then put down a perfect bunt back to the pitcher, scoring Muffley from third.
Florida State extended its lead to eight in the top of the third inning. After back-to-back singles and a sacrifice bunt, Kalei Harding singled through the left side, scoring Devyn Flaherty and Dani Morgan. Mudge then singled up the middle, scoring Harding. Mudge scored the fourth run of the inning for the Noles after Sydney Sherrill doubled to left field.
Alabama got two runs back in the bottom of the third on four hits. Bailey Hemphill singled to right field, scoring Taylor Clark and Kaylee Tow singled to second base, scoring Elissa Brown.
The Crimson Tide narrowed the lead to three after five innings. They earned three runs after a Bailey Hemphill two-run home run to left field and a Savannah Woodard single up the middle, scoring Jenna Johnson.
The Florida State defense tightened up in the last two innings as they got six of the last seven batters of the game out to secure the Seminoles' second trip to the WCWS championship series.
Scoring Summary
- T1 | Elizabeth Mason hit a three-run home run to left field. (FSU 3, Alabama 0)
- T2 | Kaley Mudge bunted back to the pitcher for a single, scoring Josie Muffley. (FSU 4, Alabama 0)
- T3 | Kalei Harding singled through the left side, scoring Dani Morgan and Devyn Flaherty. (FSU 6, Alabama 0)
- T3 | Kaley Mudge singled up the middle, scoring Kalei Harding. (FSU 7, Alabama 0)
- T3 | Sydney Sherrill doubled to left field, scoring Kaley Mudge. (FSU 8, Alabama 0)
- B3 | Bailey Hemphill singled to right field, scoring Taylor Clark (FSU 8, Alabama 1)
- B3 | Kaylee Tow singled to second base, scoring Elissa Brown (FSU 8, Alabama 2)
- B5 | Bailey Hemphill hit a two-run home run to left field. (FSU 8, Alabama 4)
- B5 | Savannah Woodard singled up the middle, scoring Jenna Johnson (FSU 8, Alabama 5)
Up Next
Florida State plays Oklahoma on Tuesday, June 8 at 7:30 pm ET in the first of a best of three series for the National Championship
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