March 18, 2017
by Tony Jones
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – For the second straight game, No. 1/2 Florida State found its offense in the form of a big inning. Three Seminole runs in the fifth, with two more runs in the sixth, lifted the Seminoles to a 6-0 win on Saturday over the University of Notre Dame softball team at JoAnne Graf Field.
How It Happened
Miscommunication on a fly ball to the gap in right center with two outs in the bottom of the first inning plated the first Florida State (27-1-1, 8-0 ACC) run of the game, giving the Seminoles a 1-0 lead. Notre Dame (12-12, 1-4 ACC) starter Katie Beriont erased the RBI triple with a foulout down the left field line one batter later.
Beriont battled through the Florida State order in the bottom of the second, third and fourth innings to hold the Seminoles at bay. Groundouts with two away in each frame ended the Florida State ups.
Notre Dame’s best offensive look came in the top of the fourth inning. Karley Wester led off with a sneaky single down the line at third base and took second base on a wild pitch. Ali Wester followed with an infield single, and Morgan Reed was intentionally walked to load the bases with one out. Back-to-back strikeouts left all three Irish runners aboard.
Florida State put the game away in the bottom of the fifth inning following a three-run effort. Three Seminoles RBI singles gave the hosts a 4-0 advantage.
Ali Wester again looked to spark a Notre Dame rally, ripping a one-out single in the top of the sixth inning. Consecutive outs to the right side of the Florida State defense turned the Irish aside.
Florida State found an additional two insurance runs with one out in the bottom of the sixth. Two more RBI singles for the Seminoles pushed the lead to 6-0.
Up Next
The Irish and No. 1/2 Florida State close their series on Sunday at Noon (ET) inside JoAnne Graf Field on ACC Network Extra.
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Tony Jones, athletics communications assistant director at the University of Notre Dame, has been part of the Fighting Irish athletics communications team since 2012 and coordinates all media efforts for the Notre Dame softball and men’s soccer programs. A native of Jamestown, New York, Jones is a 2011 graduate of St. Bonaventure University, and prior to arriving at Notre Dame held positions at the University of Louisiana Monroe and with the National Football League’s Buffalo Bills.