May 12, 2017
by Tony Jones
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – A four-run bottom of the third inning for top-seeded Florida State lifted the Seminoles to a 6-0 victory on Friday on the second day of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Championship at Anderson Stadium.
How It Happened
Notre Dame (33-21) looked get the offense started in the top of the first inning. Karley Wester led off with a full-count walk, and quickly took second base by way of a steal. A sacrifice bunt moved Wester to third with one out, but consecutive outs left the runner standing on the pond.
After a leadoff walk for Florida State (50-6-1), Notre Dame starter Rachel Nasland settled in with three straight outs. A flyout to right field, a popout to third base and a flyout to center erased the Seminole runner.
Florida State broke through on the scoreboard in the bottom of the second. A solo home run for the Seminoles represented the game’s first hit and run, giving Florida State a 1-0 lead. Nasland settled in from there and allowed a lone walk on her way to a pair of outs.
Florida State followed up with four runs in the bottom of the third inning, an offensive frame that featured two home runs, to open a 5-0 lead. A strikeout and groundout to second base stalled the Seminole ups.
Katie Beriont entered in relief in the bottom of the fourth and held Florida State to one hit for the stanza. A fly ball out to left kept two runners on the bases.
A chop single up the middle with two outs in the bottom of the fifth inning pushed a Florida State insurance run across, pushing the Seminole lead to 6-0. Beriont struck back immediately with a strikeout swinging.
Notre Dame found its first hit of the afternoon in the top of the sixth, when Ali Wester chopped a looping infield slap to second base. A hard-hit ball to first base by Morgan Reed did not get through the right side.
Caitlyn Brooks opened the Notre Dame top of the seventh inning with a sharp single up the middle into center field. A ground ball out moved pinch runner Alexis Bazos to second base, but two straight Irish outs left the runner aboard.
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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.