TALLAHASSEE, FL. – No. 3-seeded Florida State Softball Team (55-9) sealed their berth to the Women’s College World Series with a 4-2 victory over No. 14-seeded Georgia (42-15) at the Seminole Softball Complex. This is the Seminoles’ first win in a home super regional series since the 2018 Women’s College World Series Championship team.
FSU began their work in the third with two hits followed by pitches to start the inning before a groundout moved Autumn Belviy and Josie Muffley into scoring position. Jahni Kerr stepped up with a chance to bring in the first runs of the game and did so with a throw to Georgia shortstop that she elected to throw home, but Belviy outscored the tag by a very slim margin and the Noles were in the lead. business. .
Kalei Harding was up next and continued her strong postseason performance with a wonderfully hit two-run double to left to score Muffley and Kerr for a 3-0 lead after three. She finished the night with two hits and currently leads the team in the postseason with 12 hits.
Georgia was able to answer in the bottom of the third with a groundout to first to allow the runner on third to score his first run. Noles’ next run came in the sixth when Hallie Wacaser smashed a line drive to right for an RBI single to send Amaya Ross to the plate and restore the three-run lead.
The Bulldogs added to the pressure in the sixth with an RBI single to cut the lead to two before Kathryn Sandercock came on in relief. She closed out the inning with a walk, a popout and two strikeouts to get the crowd completely roaring.
In the bottom of the seventh with Georgia’s game-winning run at the plate, Sandercock forced a fly ball out of Kaley Mudge to clinch the win and the berth in the 2023 Women’s College World Series.
In their final appearances in Tallahassee, Mack Leonard and Kathryn Sandercock retired with powerful performances in the circle.
Leonard turned in one of his most dominant performances in the circle with his FSU best 4.1 innings, retiring the first six batters to start the game, allowing just one extra-base hit on his 50 pitches and earning his fifth career win as a Seminole. .
Sandercock came on in relief in the 180th appearance for Florida State, now the all-time leader in pitching appearances in program history, and provided crucial pitches in difficult situations and earned his ninth save of the season.
The Seminoles will now pack their bags and head to Oklahoma City for the Women’s College World Series and take on sixth seed Oklahoma State on Thursday, June 1.
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