Game recap: Seminoles softball dominant in 8-1 win over Georgia in Game 1 of Super Regional
Florida State softball will play host to Georgia starting Thursday in the Tallahassee Super Regional. Scroll down or click here for live updates.
The Seminoles (53-9) and Bulldogs (42-13) are scheduled to begin a best-of-three-game series at 7 p.m. with the winner advancing to the eight-team Women's College World Series in Oklahoma City. The tournament starts Thursday, June 1 and runs through June 8 or June 9.
The Seminoles are seeking a 12th trip to the Women's College World Series, the Bulldogs their sixth.
The Seminoles defeated Marist 9-0 to open the Tallahassee Regional behind three home runs in the game and pitchers Mack Leonard and Makenna Reid combined for a no-hitter.
FSU took down UCF 5-1 Saturday before falling to USC 4-0 in the first game of the championship Sunday. The Seminoles bounced back to beat the Gamecocks 1-0 behind a perfect game from Kathryn Sandercock to advance.
Georgia swept through the Athens Regional, scoring 32 runs across three games with wins over North Carolina Central to open the tournament and back-to-back wins against Virginia Tech.
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9:26 p.m. Florida State takes Game 1 in a dominant performance
Florida State softball left no doubt with an 8-1 victory to open the NCAA Tallahassee Super Regionals.
The No. 3 seeded Seminoles used four-run innings in the third and fifth innings to take down No. 14 Georgia 8-1 to take a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three series.
FSU will now need one win in two games to advance to the Women’s College World Series, which kicks off June 1.
Mudge had three hits and drove in three runs for the Seminoles, while Hallie Wacaser added two RBI. Kaeli Harding doubled twice and scored two runs, while Michaela Edenfield reached base in all three plate appearances, drawing two walks.
Kathryn Sandercock went 5 ⅔ innings, allowing one earned run on six hits, including a home run to Sydney Kuma in the second inning. She struck out two and did not walk a hitter.
Ali DuBois picked up three strikeouts in her 1 ⅓ of innings in relief of Sandercock, including back-to-back punchouts to end the game.
Game 2 is scheduled for 8 p.m. Friday and will be broadcast on ESPN.
9:09 p.m. Ali DuBois takes over for Kathryn Sandercock
Following two groundball outs to begin the sixth inning, FSU head coach Lonni Alameda decided to take out Kathryn Sandercock. Ali DuBois comes in to take over.
Sandercock went 5 ⅔ innings, allowing one earned run on six hits, including a home run to Sydney Kuma in the second inning. She struck out two and did not walk a hitter.
She threw 63 pitches, with 46 going for strikes. It will be interesting to see if she goes in Game 2.
9:00 p.m. Seminoles take commanding lead over Bulldogs
Following the pitching change, Bethaney Keen drew a walk to load the bases with one out. Josie Muffley grounded into a fielder’s choice where Mack Leonard was thrown out at the plate.
Kaley Mudge drove in two runs on an RBI to center field to plate Keen and Hallie Wacaser.
Keen was thrown out at home but called safe due to obstruction by the catcher, not allowing Keen a lane to home plate.
The Seminoles were not able to plate the game-winning walk-off hit to win by the run-rule.
8:47 p.m. Hallie Wacaser helps Seminoles build lead in bottom of fifth
Kaeli Harding led off the bottom of the fifth inning with the 117th double of the season for the Seminoles, which is a school record and the most in D-1 this season. Michaela Edenfield drew a walk and then Devyn Flaherty moved both runners up on a sac bunt.
Mack Leonard then walked to load the bases with one out for Hallie Wacaser, who drove in two runs on a single.
Wacaser’s hit chased Shelby Walters from the game, with Kylie Macy taking over.
8:38 p.m. Seminoles cruising
Jaiden Fields led off the top of the fifth with a single. Ellie Armistead took her place when she grounded into a fielder’s choice and Dallis Goodnight bunted Armistead to second base.
But Kathryn Sandercock got Lyndi Rae Davis to ground out to end the threat.
The Bulldogs have had four hitters lead the inning off with a hit in the first five innings but only Sydney Kuma’s home run resulted in a run.
Josie Muffley reached on a one-out fielding error by the UGA shortstop and Mudge pushed her to second on a sacrifice bunt. But she was stranded there in the bottom of the fourth.
8:24 p.m. Shutdown inning for Kathryn Sandercock
After her team gave her a big lead in the bottom of the third inning, Kathryn Sandercock tossed a shutdown inning for FSU.
Sydney Kuma led off the inning with a single but was out on a double play when Mack Leonard caught a liner at first base and stepped on the base.
Leonard also recorded an unassisted putout on the next play, a grounder to first base, to retire the side.
8:18 p.m. Smart base running by Autumn Belviy expands Seminoles’ lead
Shelby Walters took over for Madison Kerpics with Autumn Belviy on second, pinching running for Michaela Edenfield. Devyn Flaherty was hit by a pitch.
Mack Leonard grounded out in a fielder’s choice but was safe at first and Belviy took advantage of the throw to first to score the fourth run of the inning.
FSU’s offense continues to stay hot in the postseason the second time through the order.
8:09 p.m. The Seminoles score three runs and force Kerpics from game
Kaley Mudge collected an RBI double to even the game, scoring Josie Muffley who led off the bottom of the third inning with a single.
Two batters later, Kaeli Harding doubled to left field for a double to plate Mudge to give the Seminoles their first lead of the game.
Michaela Edenfield then singled off the shortstop’s glove to score Harding and give FSU a 3-1 lead.
Edenfield’s hit chased Madison Kerpics from the game. Shelby Walters has taken over in the circle.
Harding’s double set a new school record for doubles in a single season for FSU.
Kathryn Sandercock allowed a one-out single but was able to strike out power hitter Jayda Kearney for the second time and worked out of the top of the third without any damage.
7:48 p.m. Georgia defense keeps FSU off the board
Following the home run from Sydney Kuma, the Seminoles had a chance to respond in the bottom of the inning with runners on the corners with no outs.
Michaela Edenfield, who had batted seventh in the Tallahassee Region, was moved up to clean up for the Seminoles and led the bottom of the second inning off with a walk. It was her team-leading 45th of the season.
Devyn Flaherty moved Edenfield to third base on a single to right field. It extended her hitting streak to seven straight games. Flaherty stole second base with Wacaser at the plate.
Mack Leonard flew out to center field before Flaherty stole second base with Hallie Wacaser at the plate.
Wacaser grounded out and Edenfield was thrown out in a rundown. Katie Dack lined out to end the inning, stranding two runners in scoring position.
7:35 p.m. Georgia strikes first on Sydney Kuma's solo home run
Sydney Kuma took a hanging pitch from Kathryn Sandercock to the opposite field for a solo home run to lead off the top of the second inning. It was the first home run surrendered by Seminole pitching in the last six games.
Sydney Chambley followed it up with a single up the middle on a 2-0 count.
Sandercock then retired Jaydyn Goodwin, Jaiden Fields and Ellie Armistead out to end the inning.
But the Bulldogs scored a run and also turned the lineup over to the top of the order to start the this.
7:25 p.m. Kaley Mudge leadoff hit doesn't result in any runs
Kaley Mudge lined a ball for an opposite-field single to left field. However, on a 2-2 count to Jahni Kerr, she was caught stealing second base.
Kerr ended her at bat looking at a called third strike and Kalei Harding struck out swinging to end the inning in order.
FSU’s offense now has one run in its last 15 innings.
7:15 p.m. No perfect game tonight for Kathryn Sandercock
Dallis Goodnight made sure Kathryn Sanderock wouldn’t repeat her heroics from Sunday with a leadoff bunt single. Goodnight subsequently stole second base.
Sandercock bounced back to induce a popout from Lyndu Rae Davis and then got the powerful Jayda Kearney to strike out swinging on a pitch running away from her.
Goodnight advanced to third on a passed ball but got Sara Mosley to get out of the first inning jam.
6:33 p.m. Starting lineups for Georgia-FSU for Game 1 of Tallahassee Super Regional
Bulldogs:
Dallis Goodnight, CF
Lydni Rae Davis, C
Jayda Kearney, RF
Sara Mosley, 3B
Sydney Kuma, 2B
Sydney Chambley, DP
Jaydyn Goodwin, LF
Jaiden Fields, 1B
Ellie Armistead, SS
Madison Kerpics, P
Seminoles
Kaley Mudge, LF
Jahni Kerr, CF
Kalei Harding, 3B
Michaela Edenfield, C
Devyn Flaherty, 2B
Mack Leonard, DP
Hallie Wacaser, RF
Michaela Edenfield, C
Bethaney Keen, 1B
Kathryn Sandercock, P
Where is Florida State playing in the NCAA softball tournament?
JoAnne Graf Field, Tallahassee, Florida
What time is FSU softball game?
7 p.m. Thursday, May 25
How can I watch FSU softball vs. Georgia on TV, streaming?
TV: ESPN2 (Channel 209 on DirecTV, Channel 143 on Dish)
Live stream: ESPN+ ($9.99 per month), WatchESPN (cable subscription needed) and the ESPN app, YouTube TV (2-week free trial), Hulu + Live TV (7-day free trial), fuboTV (7-day free trial)
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: FSU softball score, Super Regional live updates vs. UGA Game 1
