No. 3 FSU Softball tops No. 7 Washington, moves within one win of the Championship Series

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. (Noles247) - No. 3 Florida State softball (57-9) moved within one win of the WCWS Championship Finals with a 3-1 win over No. 7 Washington (44-14) on Saturday night in OKC. Kathryn Sandercock held the Huskies to one run in 5.2 innings as she picked up her 28th win of the season. Devyn Flaherty led the offense with two hits and two runs. Josie Muffley clinched the game with a spectacular leaping catch to turn a 6-4 double play. FSU is 2-0 in the Women’s College World Series for the first time in program history.

After a scoreless first inning, each team put plenty of traffic on the basepath in the second. Freshman Makenna Reid got the start for the Seminoles in the circle, her fourth of the season and first career WCWS appearance.

The freshman was replaced by redshirt senior Sandercock after a one-out single in the frame. A single down the third base line and a hit-by-pitch loaded the bases with two outs. UW leadoff hitter Baylee Klingler lined a ball directly into the glove of Hallie Wacaser in right field to end the inning and strand the bases loaded.

Devyn Flaherty laced a double into the right-center gap to begin the bottom half before an E5 put two on. Katie Dack singled to right to load the bases with one out before Josie Muffley chopped a ball through the left side of the infield to open the scoring. Kaley Mudge extended the lead to two with a sacrifice fly to center. The Seminoles re-loaded the bases with two outs, but a strikeout limited the damage to two.

The game turned into a pitcher’s duel following the eventful second. Sami Reynolds led off the third with a single. After that, the Huskies struggled to find an answer for Sandercock. The right-hander retired nine straight hitters, including a pair of perfect frames, to keep UW scoreless through five. Lindsay Lopez kept the Seminoles off the scoreboard for three straight frames. The score remained 2-0 in FSU’s favor through five.

Madison Huskey lined a double into the left-center gap to begin the sixth, bringing the tying run to the plate for Washington. Kelley Lynch drove in Huskey on a single to left as a throw from Mudge went to second. An intentional walk put runners on the corners for Washington with two outs. Sandercock induced a weak groundout to second to strand the tying run on third.

FSU’s offense had a quick response to the Washington run. Flaherty led off the frame with a single. She promptly stole second for her 31st stolen base of the season. Then, Washington made an errant throw on a perfect bunt from Mack Leonard to allow Flaherty to score from second.

Sandercock returned to the circle for the seventh with a two-run lead. UW began the inning with back-to-back singles, putting the tying run on first with no outs. The right-hander induced a flyout to left for the first out. Then, on a liner to short, Muffley leaped high in the air to snag it and double the runner off second to win the game.

Up Next: FSU will take on the winner of Tennessee and Oklahoma State on Monday, June 5th, at 7:00 p.m. Tennessee and OKSt. will play on Sunday at 7:00 p.m.

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