ATLANTA — The Third-ranked Florida State softball team (22-1) took down Georgia Tech (15-7) twice on Friday in Atlanta in a marathon day of softball. The Noles defeated the Yellow Jackets 4-1 in game one and 6-2 in a 12-inning game two. Game two lasted four hours and 12 minutes.
Game 1: Florida State 4, Georgia Tech 1
Danielle Watson pitched her second complete game of the season, allowing just one run on three hits. She recorded six strikeouts and improved to 9-1 on the season as the Seminoles defeated the Yellow Jackets 4-1.
After the first six batters of the Seminole lineup went down in order things changed in the top of the third inning. Sydney Sherrill led off the inning with a single to left-center and then advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Josie Muffley. Kaley Mudge then singled to put runners on the corners with two outs.
Florida State plated their first run of the game after a throwing error by the Georgia Tech catcher. She threw down to second as Mudge stole her fifth base of the season. A bad throw hit Mudge in the back allowing Sherrill to score from third.
One pitch later Mack Leonard hit her fourth home run of the year to right field to make it 3-0. Kalei Harding decided to get in on the party, hitting her third home run of the season on the first pitch she saw.
It was the first time the Seminoles have hit back-to-back home runs since Anna Shelnutt and Cassidy Davis did it on April 17 of last season.
Georgia Tech scored their only run of the game in the bottom of the fifth inning. Ella Edgmon led off the inning with a single up the middle. She then advanced to third after a stolen base and a groundout to the first baseman. The Yellow Jackets scored on a sacrifice fly to centerfield.
Game 2: Florida State 6, Georgia Tech 2
In a marathon game that lasted over four hours, the Noles were victorious over the Yellow Jackets 6-2 in 12 innings.
The game was scoreless through nine innings before Florida State hit two solo shots in the top of the 10th, one by Kalei Harding and one by Devyn Flaherty. Georgia Tech retaliated in the bottom of the inning, scoring two runs on a Tricia Awald two-out double.
Florida State secured the win in the top of the 12th after scoring four runs. Sydney Sherrill hit a hard ball to the shortstop that scored Mack Leonard to give the Noles a 3-2 lead. Jahni Kerr finished off the Yellow Jackets with a three-run home run in the 12th, the third of the season for her.
Kathryn Sandercock pitched 8.1 innings for the Noles allowing no runs while throwing 158 pitches. Mack Leonard came in and pitched 2.2 innings in relief, earning her first win as a Seminole. Bri Enter ended the game, pitching the final inning of the game, allowing only one hit.
