TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — RV Notre Dame capped a seven-game win streak with a narrow 3-1 loss to No. 10 Florida State in the series opener Friday. The Irish and Seminoles were tied up until the bottom of the sixth, when Florida State pieced together two runs for the win.
Senior Alexis Holloway pitched a complete game and shouldered the loss (7-4).
The Irish out-hit the Seminoles 6-4, as junior Emma Clark led Notre Dame at the plate with two hits. Freshman Karina Gaskins noted the RBI of the contest for the Irish, singling to bring Clark home in the fourth inning.
Senior Abby Sweet capped her impressive on-base streak at 43 games, as she was unable to reach base Friday.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Both teams went scoreless through the first, with heads-up plays on a fast grounder to sophomore Brooke Marquez, near-foul ball to graduate student Chelsea Purcell and a foul-out behind the plate to junior Shelby Grimm.
Notre Dame was retired in order in the second, and Florida State made its move, leading off with a double, with the runner advancing to third on a sac bunt. FSU then delivered a sacrifice fly to score the run, and Holloway struck out the next batter to end the inning and limit the damage.
Marquez got on base with a two-out single in the third for Notre Dame’s first hit of the day, but was left on base. With the Irish in the field and one out down, two FSU runners got on base, but Holloway and the defense got the final two outs on a fielder’s choice ball, followed by a foul-out to Marquez.
In the fourth, Clark led off with a single, reaching second on a bunt from graduate student Katie Marino. Freshman Karina Gaskins then fired a single to score Clark and earn the equalizing run. Back in the field, the Irish again stranded two FSU runners on base to hold the Seminoles without another run.
Notre Dame went three up, three down in the fifth, and while one runner reached for Florida State in the fifth, no runs were scored.
Clark led off the sixth with a single, but was caught in a double play, and the Irish went to the field with no runs added. FSU earned a leadoff walk, before the runner advanced to third on a subsequent single. Another walk loaded the bases, and a sacrifice fly brought in a run. Another sac play, a bunt, scored another run to end the sixth with FSU up 3-1.
While senior Sarah Genz was able to deliver a well-placed single, the Irish were unable to add runs in the seventh, and the game ended with a 3-1 decision.
UP NEXT
Both teams will return to the field for the second and third games of the series with a Saturday doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. ET on the ACC Network.