Game recap: FSU softball defeats Oklahoma State in opener of Women's College World Series

Florida State softball is set to begin the 2023 NCAA Softball Women's College World Series Thursday.

The Seminoles (55-9) begin the double-elimination tournament with a matchup against No. 6 Oklahoma State (46-14) at 7 p.m. Thursday (ESPN). Scroll down or click here for the latest updates.

The Cowgirls took two of three games against FSU on March 10-12 in Stillwater, Oklahoma earlier this season. OSU leads all-time series 14-12. The Seminoles had won four straight in the series prior to the back-to-back losses to lose the series.

FSU won its only softball championship in 2018 and finished as runners-up in 2021. It is the second-highest seed left standing after UCLA lost in the Los Angeles Regional.

The Seminoles went 3-1 with wins against Marist, UCF and South Carolina to win the Tallahassee Regional. Kathryn Sandercock delivered a perfect game against the Gamecocks following a loss earlier in the day to win that championship.

FSU then swept Georgia in two games in the Super Regional to advance to its 12th WCWS.

The Cowgirls went 3-0 at Stillwater Regional before sweeping Oregon 2-0 in Stillwater Super Regional.

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12:25 p.m. Jahni Kerr scores Amaya Ross to earn walk-off, run-rule win

A pair of rain delays could not slow down No. 3 Florida State, its bats and ace pitcher Kathryn Sandercock in an 8-0 win in six innings over No. 6 Oklahoma State in the NCAA Softball Women’s College World Series in Oklahoma City.

It's the first time since 2002 the Seminoles opened the WCWS with a win. They had lost their last five openers.

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Jahni Kerr scored Amaya Ross from third on an infield single in the sixth inning to end the game on the run rule.

Kathryn Sandercock went five innings, allowing just four hits and two walks to go along with four strikeouts. Mack Leonard pitched a scoreless sixth inning, including a strikeout.

Kaley Mudge was 2-for-3 with a three-run home run, while Michaela Edenfield hit a two-run home in the bottom of the first to get the scoring going.

Mudge is 16-for-32 in the postseason.

Josie Muffley also added an RBI on a fielder’s choice on a squeeze bunt in the fourth inning preceding the home run from Mudge.

The Seminoles will play the winner of the Washington-Utah game at 7 p.m. Saturday in the winner’s bracket. The Utes and Huskies are scheduled to play at 1 p.m. Friday after their game was moved to Friday from its scheduled 9:30 p.m. start following a combined three-hour rain delay between the Seminoles and Cowgirls.

12:09 p.m. Seminoles get a runner into scoring position, but can’t score the game-clinching run

Devyn Flaherty reached first base on a one-out walk, the fifth of the game for Seminoles’ hitters. But she was left stranded at second when Hallie Wacaser grounded out to end the inning.

The Cowgirls will get at least one more chance to bat and cut the FSU lead.

Mack Leonard takes over in the circle for FSU

End 5th | FSU 7, OSU 0

11:55 p.m. Kathryn Sandercock delivers a scoreless fifth inning

FSU ace Kathryn Sandercock completed her fifth inning of shutout ball against a tough Oklahoma State softball lineup. She worked out a of mini-jam which saw the Cowgirls get runners on first and second with just one out.

If the Seminoles don’t score a run in the bottom of the inning to get the run-rule victory, it will be interesting to see if Lonni Alameda continues with her ace or turns to her bullpen in a game with a sizeable lead for FSU.

Mid 5th | FSU 7, OSU 0

11:42 p.m. Kaley Mudge goes deep, extends FSU lead

Kaley Mudge hit a three-run home run to push the Seminoles’ lead to 7-0 in the bottom of the fourth inning. Mudge took the first pitch of the AB to deep left field on a ball that just went over the wall.

Mack Leonard led the bottom of the fourth inning. It was just her second hit in 20 ABs during the postseason. Autumn Belviy pinch-ran for Leonard. She promptly stole second base on the third pitch of Hallie Wacaser’s at-bat. Wacaser drew a walk to set up Katie Dack with runners on first and second, no outs. Dack grounded out to the pitcher to get two runners into scoring position with one out.

Josie Muffley reached on a fielder’s choice on a squeeze bunt to score Belviy from third.

We are in the run-rule territory now.

End 4th | FSU 7, OSU 0

11:31 p.m. Kathryn Sandercock gets another shutout inning

Kathryn Sandercock continues her dominance despite the delay. She is through four innings with four strikeouts.

FSU is back to the plate looking to add to its lead as we are 30 minutes away from Friday.

Mid 4th | FSU 3, OSU 0

11:18 p.m. FSU expands its lead to 3-0

Kyra Aycock took over for Kelly Maxwell in the bottom of the third inning. Maxwell allowed two earned runs on two hits in her two innings.

Kaley Mudge led the inning off with a swinging bunt infield single. She took off on the first pitch and stole second but was called out for leaving the bag too early.

Jahni Kerr drew a one-out walk, the third walk of the game for Seminoles’ hitters. Kalei Harding doubled, putting two in scoring positon for Michaela Edenfield, who struck out on three pitches looking.

It was the 22nd double of the season for Harding.

Devyn Flaherty reached on an error by first baseman Micaela Wark, allowing Kerr to score from third. Harding was thrown out trying to score from second to end the inning.

End 3rd | FSU 3, OSU 0

11:05 p.m. Jahni Kerr makes defensive gem throw

Kathryn Sandercock strikes out Rachel Becker looking for the second out following the delay. It’s the fourth K of the game for Sandercock and the second time she’s rung up Becker.

Sandercock walked her first hitter of the game Chyenne Factor with two outs. Kiley Naomi singled but was thrown out at second to end the inning.

Jahni Kerr made a perfect throw to second baseman Devyn Flaherty who tagged Naomi out high to end the inning.

Mid 3rd | FSU 2, OSU 0

10:56 p.m. Game restarts, Kathryn Sandercock in circle

Following a weather delay of one hour and 46 minutes, Kathryn Sandercock returned to the circle for the Seminoles. The game was initially delayed for one hour and 14 minutes pregame.

That’s three hours of delay so far.

FSU leads 2-0, top of the third.

10:36 p.m. | Game set to restart at 10:55 p.m.

The Seminoles and Cowgirls will resume their game at 10:55 p.m.

OSU will be up in the top of the third with no one on and one out. FSU leads 2-0 after a two-run first inning home run from Michaela Edenfield.

10:30 p.m. Tarp removed; FSU-OSU likely to continue

The grounds crew is beginning to remove the tarp. FSU and OSU were in the middle of the top of the third inning when players were removed from the field due to lightning in the area at 9:09 p.m.

Kathryn Sandercock was in the circle for the Seminoles with one out.

10:11 p.m. Game still in delay; Washington-Utah moved to Friday

In an email from the NCAA: "Game 3 is still on a delay. Game 4 will be rescheduled for Friday. Game 4 times TBD based on completion of Game 3."

Gallery from the game tonight:

9:14 p.m. A second weather delay due to lightning at 9:09 p.m.

Following a weather delay of an hour and 14 minutes before the first pitch, we are in another weather delay with lighting in the area in the top of the third innings.

Umpires took both OSU and FSU players off the field at 9:09 p.m. with a minimum of a 30-minute delay due to the lightning.

The Cowgirls had one out in the inning with leadoff hitter Rachel Becker at the plate at the time of the delay.

FSU had a 2-0 lead at the time of the delay courtesy of a two-run home run from Michaela Edenfield.

9:07 p.m. Kelly Maxwell bounces back

After giving up a two-run shot to Michaela Edenfield in the first inning, Kelly Maxwell bounced back to retire the first two hitters of the bottom of the second out on pop-ups to second and first, respectively.

She walked Katie Dack on a 3-2 count with two outs, similar to how the first inning unfolded. But she induced a ground ball out to third base off the bat of Josie Muffley to get out of the inning.

End 2nd | FSU 2, OSU 0

8:58 p.m. Kathryn Sandercock gets out of jam, delivers shutdown inning

Micaela Wark led off the inning by reaching on an E5 from third baseman Kalei Harding. Kathryn Sandercock bounced back by getting Katelynn Carwile swinging on a drop ball inside for the first out.

The FSU ace then walked Morgan Wynne but got out of a potential jam by inducing a pop fly to shortstop and a foul out behind the third base line.

Sandercock walked a hitter but also induced a lot of swings on pitches out of the zone. The OSU lineup looks off-balance so far.

Mid 2nd | FSU 2, OSU 0

8:41 p.m. Michaela Edenfield opens scoring with a bomb

Catcher Michaela Edenfield got a first pitch she could handle, hitting the ball out for a no-doubt two-run home run to give FSU a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first.

It was the second home run of the season for Edenfield off OSU ace Kelly Maxwell.

Three-hole hitter Kalei Harding drew a walk on a full count with two outs to bring up Edenfield.

Kaley Mudge struck out swinging to start the bottom of the first. Maxwell got Jahni Kerr swinging on a nasty curve ball that broke away from Kerr. Maxwell bounced back to strike out Devyn Flaherty to end the first.

End 1st | FSU 2, OSU 0

8:28 p.m. 1-2-3 first inning for FSU ace Kathryn Sandercock

Kathryn Sandercock fired a first-pitch strike at 8:20 p.m. It was 75 degrees and mostly sunny.

She struck out Rachel Becker, who entered with a .449 batting average, on three pitches. Two-hole hitter Chyenne Factor grounded out to second baseman Devyn Flaherty.

Sandercock ended the first inning by striking out Kiley Naomi.

Mid 1st | FSU 0, OSU 0

8:00 p.m. Lineup for Oklahoma State; Kathryn Sandercock vs. Kelly Maxwell pitching matchup set

Cowgirls:

Rachel Becker, 2B

Chyenne Factor, CF

Kiley Naomi, SS

Micaela Wark, 1B

Katelynn Carwile, RF

Morgan Wynne, DP

Tallen Edwards, LF

Taylor Tuck, C

Megan Bloodworth, 3B

Kelly Maxwell, P

7:51 p.m. Lineups set for FSU softball

Here is the starting lineup for Florida State Seminoles

Seminoles

Kaley Mudge, LF

Jahni Kerr, CF

Kalei Harding, 3B

Michaela Edenfield, C

Devyn Flaherty, 2B

Mack Leonard, 1B

Hallie Wacaser, RF

Katie Dack, DP

Josie Muffley, SS

Kathryn Sandercock, P

7:22 p.m. Start time set for 8:20 p.m. EST for FSU-OSU softball

And now there is a start time. FSU and OSU softball will start their matchup of the WCWS at 8:20 p.m. EST.

That will put a delay for just over an hour due to weather and lightning in the area.

7:18 p.m. Tarp being pulled, no official start time announced, yet

According to The Oklahoman's Scott Wright, the tarp is being pulled from the field. There is still no start time announced.

The FSU-OSU game was scheduled to start at 7 p.m.

6:31 p.m. Weather delay for Oklahoma State-Florida State

The Sooners and Seminoles will not begin their matchup on time as the game has entered a weather delay ahead of first pitch.

Stay tuned for updates.

5 p.m. Florida State softball has history with Oklahoma State

There is a sense of familiarity between these two teams. They played three games earlier this season and are meeting for the 11th time in the postseason.

"I think for us playing Florida State is kind of an interesting deal," OSU head coach Kenny Gajewski said. "We played them three times this year. We played them two or three times last year and the year before. We know them well, they know us well."

Where is the Women's College World Series?

USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium, Oklahoma City, Okla.

What time is FSU softball game?

7 p.m. Thursday, June 1

What channel is FSU softball on?

ESPN (Channel 206 on DirecTV, Channel 140 on Dish)

Where can I watch Florida State softball on streaming?

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: Florida State softball score, WCWS live updates vs. Oklahoma State