CLEARWATER, Fla. — The sixth-ranked Florida State Seminole softball team defeated No. 15 Tennessee 9-3 on day one of the St. Pete Clearwater Elite Invitational.
Danielle Watson started and pitched six innings in the circle for the Seminoles (6-0). She struck out four batters, allowed five hits and three earned runs.
Kathryn Sandercock entered the game and pitched the final inning and did not allow a hit.
The Seminoles' offense was led by a pair of home runs, one from Kalei Harding and one from Mack Leonard. Harding got the Noles on the board in the first inning with a two-out, two-run home run. Leonard got on base with a two-out single to the shortstop before Harding stepped up to the plate and hit a bomb to left field.
Both teams traded blows until the fourth inning when the Noles put up a five spot on two hits and three Tennessee errors. Michaela Edenfield started the inning off by reaching first on an error by the second baseman. After a walk and another error, Devyn Flaherty scored to make it 3-0. Another error by Tennessee scored D’Aun Riggs making it 4-0.
Leonard then stepped in the box with two on base and hit a three-run home run, her second of the year, giving FSU a 7-0 lead.
Tennessee (5-1) bounced back in the top of the fifth and scored two runs on two hits and two errors. The Volunteers made it 7-3 in the sixth. Ivy Davis led the inning off with a single to third base and advanced to third after a pair of wild pitches. She was then sent home after Lair Beautae sent a ball to left field for a sacrifice fly.
Florida State finished off the game by putting up two runs in the sixth inning. The Noles loaded the bases with no outs and then Autumn Belviy was hit by a pitch to make it 8-3. Flaherty then singled to the second baseman to make it 9-3.
