Florida State University Athletics
No. 4 Softball Rallies from Four Down to Take Down Notre Dame in Extras
4/28/2023 10:30:05 PM | Softball
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – The No. 4 Florida State softball team (41-8, 17-2) completed its largest comeback of the season in a 5-4 win over Notre Dame (29-14-1, 11-10-1) on Friday night in eight innings.
The first four innings featured a classic pitcher’s duel as the Seminoles recorded two hits while Kathryn Sandercock held the Fighting Irish hitless through four innings. Notre Dame was able to push four runs across in the bottom of the fifth and looked to push the fifth run of the inning across but the runner left first base early wiping the run off the board.
That would be a costly mistake as the Seminoles recorded singles from Kaley Mudge and Mack Leonard to put runners on first and second with two outs. Jahni Kerr delivered to bring Mudge home to give the Seminoles their first run of the game. Michaela Edenfield then stepped in and hit a no-doubter home run that landed over the scoreboard into the wind at Mellissa Cook Stadium to tie the game at four.
Makenna Reid came in and retired the Irish in order in the bottom of the sixth to give the Noles a chance to take the lead in top of the seventh, but the Seminoles stranded a runner on second. The Irish would get the leadoff runner on base thanks to an error, but Reid recorded two popups and a strikeout to end the threat to send the Seminoles to their first extra innings game of the season.
Kalei Harding led off the eighth inning with a double, and Leonard moved her to third with a groundout. Kerr battled through an 0-2 count with four foul balls before finally putting the ball in play. Harding got caught in a rundown but kept the play alive long enough to allow Kerr to advance to third. A passed ball allowed Kerr to race home to give the Noles its first lead of the game.
The Irish got a two-out double in the bottom of the eighth, but Reid recorded her third strikeout of the game to give the Seminoles the win. Reid improved to 11-0 after pitching three innings and allowing just one hit.
The two teams will meet for the second game of the series tomorrow at noon on ACC Network Extra.
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