Game recap: Florida State softball beats UCF in NCAA Tournament Tallahassee Regional
Florida State softball continued its run in the Tallahassee Regional on Saturday.
Last year's No. 2 overall seed for the tournament was upset by Mississippi State on the final day of the regional for a premature ending of the season.
For this year's NCAA Tournament, FSU (51-8) is the No. 3 overall seed and No. 1 in the regional. The Seminoles beat No. 4 seed Marist (29-29) 9-0 in a five-inning no-hitter Friday. Mack Leonard and Makenna Reid combined for the no-hitter, while Michaela Edenfield, Kalei Harding and Katie Dack each added home runs.
FSU played again Saturday afternoon at JoAnne Graf Field at Seminole Softball Complex.
No. 3 UCF (40-19) pulled off a 6-1 upset over No. 2 South Carolina (37-21) in the second game Friday, rounding out the double-elimination Tallahassee Regional.
The Knights and Seminoles played in the winner's bracket at 1 p.m. Saturday. The winner advances to the championship game Sunday.
The winner of the regional advances to the best-of-three Super Regional series scheduled for next weekend.
'A different team now': Florida State softball looks to avoid last year's fate
Pitch clock needed? '26, 27, 28!' UCF pitcher Sarah Willis' long time between pitches sparks Florida State
Tallahassee Regional breakdown: Analysis of FSU softball's opponents
7:03 p.m. Sunday's game time adjusted due to weather
Due to expected inclement weather in the Tallahassee weather, the NCAA has adjusted tomorrow’s schedule to the 2023 Tallahassee Regional. Game 6 between Florida State and the winner of tonight’s South Carolina and UCF game will begin at 11 a.m. The Game 7 If Necessary game will begin at 1:30 p.m. or 30 minutes after the conclusion of game one.
-FSU Sports Information
4:20 p.m. Makenna Reid shuts door on UCF with bases loaded in seventh
Makenna Reid finished off the 5-1 victory for Florida State. She retired Shannon Doherty with the bases loaded and two outs to end the game.
Kathryn Sandercock struck out six and walked two hitters, allowing one earned run on eight hits in 6 ⅔ innings.
The Seminoles have won 18 straight games.
UCF did threaten in the bottom of the seventh with back-to-back one-out singles. Sandercock induced a groundball out, which was nearly a double play to end the game. She was replaced by Reid following the play. Evans reached on an infield single to load the bases.
Kaley Mudge doubled, drove in two runs, and scored twice for FSU, while Kalei Harding and Mack Leonard added an RBI.
FSU will play in the championship game at 11 a.m. Sunday. UCF, South Carolina and Marist have games to play tonight to determine who the Seminoles will face.
The Gamecocks and Red Foxes will play an elimination game 35 minutes after the conclusion of the FSU-UCF game. The winner will play the Knights in another elimination game to determine who plays tomorrow and who goes home.
4:05 p.m. Seminoles add insurance runs, three outs away from Tallahassee Regional Championship game
Kaley Mudge doubled to drive in Josie Muffley to push the FSU lead to 4-1. Mudge lined a curveball to center field to plate Muffley, who reached on a hit by a pitch to lead the inning off.
Muffley stole second base before the double but was initially called out before the call on the field was overturned by replay.
Grace Jewel took over on the mound for Angelina DeVoe following Mudge’s double.
Kaeli Harding reached on a fielder’s choice to score Mudge and pick up an RBI to push the lead to four runs.
The Seminoles are three outs away from advancing to the Tallahassee Regional Championship.
3:45 p.m. Katyrn Sandercock, Seminoles head to seventh inning with 3-1 lead
Since a two-out infield single by Johneisha Rowe in the fourth inning, Kathryn Sandercock has slowed down the Knight offense. She has retired seven of the last eight hitters, including four groundball outs.
Sandercock has six strikeouts and nine groundball outs through six innings, allowing just one run on five hits.
She has started a hitter 0-2 12 times on the day.
In the top half of the inning, Devyn Flaherty collected the third hit of the game for the Seminoles
with one out. She advanced to second on a groundout by Hallie Wacaser. Michaela Edenfield reached on a walk, but the Knights worked out of the inning with a groundout by Bethaney Keen.
3:25 p.m. Kathryn Sandercock records first 1-2-3 inning since first
Sandercock retires the side with three groundball outs for a shutdown inning in the bottom of the fifth. She threw just seven pitches.
Jada Cody, the No. 2 hitter, grounded out to third base, while Aubrey Evans grounded out to shortstop and Chloe Evans grounded out to first base.
3:13 p.m. Florida State softball takes first lead
Florida State plated two runs when Amaya Ross and Josie Muffley scored on a throwing error by UCF on a groundball off the bat of Kaley Mudge, giving the Seminoles their first lead of the game, 3-1, in the top of the fifth inning. The play was reviewed to check if the ball was fair or foul and the call was upheld.
Angelina DeVoe is entering the game for Sarah Willis.
Michaela Edenfield opened the top of the fifth with a walk. Ball four was called on Sarah Willis after she took too long to get a pitch in. She had been warned earlier in the game.
Ross came into pinch hit for Edenfield and promptly stole second on the second pitch of Katie Dack’s at bat. Dack struck out looking.
Ross beat out a throw to third on a fielder’s choice ground ball by Muffley, giving the Seminoles first and third with one out. Muffley stole second base on the first pitch of Mudge’s at bat.
Jahni Kerr and Kaeli Harding were retired to end the inning by DeVoe.
2:50 p.m. Sandercock escapes another jam for shutdown inning.
For the third straight inning, Kathryn Sandercock stranded two runners to escape a jam, earning a shutdown inning after the Seminoles tied the game in the top half of the inning.
Olivia Elliott reached base for the second time in the game, this time singling with one out in the bottom of the fourth. Johneisha Rowe reached base on an infield single with two outs to flip the order for the Knights. It’s the second hit of the game for the 9-hole hitter for UCF.
Sandercock struck out Kennedy Searcy for the second time on a rise ball to end the threat.
2:36 p.m. Florida State responds, ties game
The Seminoles quickly responded with a run to tie the game after the Knights took the lead in the bottom of the third.
Kaley Mudge broke up Sarah Willis’ perfect game and no-hitter with a leadoff infield single to start the top of the fourth. Kaeli Harding add an infield single to put runners on the corners with one out and Mudge scored on an RBI groundout by Mack Leonard.
Willis walked Devyn Flaherty with two outs, putting runners on first and second. Following a mound visit, Willis bounced back to retire Hallie Wacaser to get out of the inning.
2:18 p.m. Knights strike first
Chloe Evans singled off the glove of shortstop Josie Muffley to plate the first run of the game. Evans’ hit drove in Johneisha Rowe, who led off the bottom of the third inning with a bunt single. Following an out, Kathyrn Sanderock walked Jada Cody for a first and second situation for 3-hole hitter Aubrey Evans. She struck out Shannon Doherty to get out of the jam.
Another 1-2-3 inning for Sarah Willis. She is perfect through three innings. The Seminoles lineup had three home runs yesterday, no hits so far.
1:48 p.m. Sandercock escapes jam
Kathryn Sandercock escaped a big jam in the bottom of the second inning when she struck out Sarah Willis with runners on second and third.
Leadoff double for Chloe Evans, her 16th of the season, to start the threat. The double was the first hit allowed by a Seminole pitcher in six innings for the regional.
Sandercock induced a popout to centerfield and one to first base before Olivia Elliott drew a walk and Evans advanced to third on a wild pitch. Elliot stole second.
Willis retired the Seminole' 4-5-6 hitters in the top of the second inning on four pitches.
1:30 p.m. Kathryn Sandercock responds in first inning
The Seminole ace matched the 1-2-3 inning from Sarah Willis with a 1–2-3 inning of her own.
Sandercock begins the first inning with a strikeout on a rise ball to Kennedy Searcy on a 1-2 count.
She struck out Aubrey Evans to end the first.
Runs are likely going to be at a premium with this pitching matchup.
1:21 p.m. Sarah Willis strikes out two, retires Seminoles 1-2-3
FSU to the plate first with UCF the designated home team.
First pitch at 1:05 p.m., 84 degrees, partly cloudy.
Sarah Willis strikes out Kaley Mudge to start the game. Mudge is 0 for 4 so far from the leadoff spot in the regional.
Jahni Kerr grinded out a 13-pitch AB but ended up grounding out to Willis. While she lost the battle, it could be an at-bat that could help the FSU offense down the line as Willis showed the lineup everything she throws.
Kalei Harding struck out looking to end the frame.
Kathryn Sandercock to take the hill for FSU in the bottom of the inning.
12:40 p.m. Starting lineups for FSU and UCF
Knights:
Kennedy Searcy, LF
Jada Cody, 3B
Aubrey Evans, 2B
Chloe Evans, RF
Shannon Doherty, 1B
Jasmine Williams, SS
Olivia Elliott, DP
Sarah Willis, P
Johneisha Rowe, CF
Carson Frier, C
Seminoles
Kaley Mudge, LF
Jahni Kerr, CF
Kalei Harding, 3B
Mack Leonard, DP
Devyn Flaherty, 2B
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?
1 p.m. Saturday, May 20
How can I watch FSU softball on TV, streaming?
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)
Florida State vs. UCF will be available on streaming only.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: FSU softball score, game recap vs. UCF in NCAA Tallahassee Regional
