The No. 9 Florida State softball team tried to bounce back from a narrow loss to Texas Tech at the Shriners Clearwater Invitational on Friday, taking on a distraught FAU team, rallying from a 4-1 deficit to defeat the Owls 9-5.
FSU’s bats struggled in Game 1, and the Owls started the game with impressive pitching and defense, leading by three and trailing by three.
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Ashtyn Danley started on the mound for the Seminoles, striking out FAU’s first batter and giving up a walk, and FSU managed to get out of the inning before any runners could reach second.
FSU’s offensive woes looked like they would continue in the second, but facing two outs, the Seminoles saw Shelby McKenzie single and eventually be brought home by Hayley Griggs on a highlight-reel triple, the first of her career.
FAU managed to hit two runners with two outs in the bottom of the inning and took the lead after the Owls hit a triple and scored two more runs before the end of the inning to make it 4-1.
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The Seminoles didn’t get anywhere in the third inning, with two runners loaded on walks, but that was about it.
Marlee Gaskell relieved Danley in the second inning, but she gave up a single in the bottom of the third. After a flyout, FAU got another runner on base after a walk, at which point FSU made another change on the mound, sending out Jazzy Francik. She struck out the first batter she faced and struck out the next to end the inning.
Florida State got off to a good start in the fourth quarter with a single by Anna Hinde and then found itself scoring on a double by Griggs. Griggs scored on Mekenna Sturges’ double to make it 4-3. FSU tied the score again, this time with Isa Torres, who found herself in third place after FAU attempted to eliminate Sturgis at home. Marin Heller sent home the Seminoles on her fifth hit of the inning, giving FSU the lead again.
It was a serious base run for Florida State, where French gave up a walk but nothing else, striking out her second batter of the game.
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FSU continued to score in the fifth inning when Danley homered to make it 2-1, then Hind hit a homer of his own to give the Seminoles a 7-4 lead. Facing a 2-2 score with one on, Angelee Bueno put Sturgis in scoring position with two outs, but Torres couldn’t pull off any more miracles as her grounder sent the game down the line – the Owls’ first no-hitter of the game, recording two flyouts and a grounder.
In the top of the sixth inning, Florida State managed to hit its first two batters but got no benefit as the next three batters failed to reach base. Soon after, FAU found itself back on the scoreboard, with some hesitation on defense by FSU, which led to a runner on base and the eventual score. The Owls then tied the game on the bases with just one out, and a flyout to right field put one in scoring position. FSU managed to end the inning without inflicting any further damage, ending the game at 7-5.
In the seventh inning, Florida State further expanded its lead when Sturgis hit a two-run home run, scoring for himself and Griggs. FSU got Torres in scoring position with two outs and Heller led off the scoring, but Danley’s grounder brought it down to the bottom of the seventh inning, giving the Seminoles a 9-5 lead.
FAU did its best to mount a comeback in the bottom of the seventh inning, allowing two runners with two outs, but ended the game with a grounder to secure Florida State’s victory in Saturday’s game against UCLA.