FLORIDA STATE TAKES GAME 1 AGAINST VIRGINIA TECH, 13-4

BLACKSBURG – In a top 15 battle, No. 9 Florida State (43-7, 17-2 ACC) defeated No. 15 Virginia Tech (39-9, 17-5) 13-4 at Tech Softball Park. With Friday’s victory, the Seminoles clinched the regular season championship and will be the number one seed for the ACC tournament.

Tech Head Coach Pete D’Amour gave the ball to Sophie Kleiman to begin the game. Kleiman started off really strong, retiring Isa Torres and Jahni Kerr to start the game. However, Florida State’s next three batters were able to load the bases for Amaya Ross who singled to center field allowing two runs to score.

In the bottom of the first, Cori McMillan showed why she earned a golden ticket to the Athletes Unlimited Softball League, rocketing a single off the pitcher’s glove. That was the first of four hits for McMillan. Florida State’s pitcher Ashytn Danley faced the minimum in the first as Michelle Chatfield reached on a fielder’s choice, then Zoe Yaeger grounded into a double play.

The Seminoles’ ability to hit with two outs became a theme of game one. 

Kleiman was able to strike out the lead off batter Hallie Wacaser in the second and followed that with a groundout by Danley.

The lineup then turned over to the top of the order and Isa Torres lined a single over Jordan Lynch’s head at third. Torres followed that by stealing second and Jahni Kerr doubled to center, allowing the speedster Torres to score, giving Florida State a 3-0 lead.

After the Hokies were unable to score in the bottom half of the frame, Kleiman was once again able to get the first two batters of the third in Katie Dack and Michaela Edenfield out. Kleiman received some bad luck with the next batter Ross, who grounded a ball to the shortstop Annika Rohs, which hit off her glove and bounced to Lynch who threw it to first but Ross was safe by a step.

More misfortunate for Kleiman continued, as she walked the next batter in Angelee Bueno and then hit Wacaser. With the bases loaded, Danley dribbled a ball to third and was safe at first by a step, giving the Seminoles a four run lead. Kleiman was then pulled in favor of Cassie Grizzard.

“They’re a great team,” Kleiman said. “They just find a way to put the bat on the ball and find a way to get on base.”

Grizzard was able to get out of the jam, grounding Torres out to third.

The Hokies were able to claw back into the game in the bottom of the third. After a lead off single by Rachel Castine, Trinity Martin grounded into a fielder’s choice. Annika Rohs came to the plate and worked an impressive 10 pitch walk to turn the lineup over to McMillan.

McMillan got her second hit of the game, grounding a RBI single under the diving glove of the second baseman Krystina Hartley.

“I knew one swing wasn’t going to tie it,” McMillan said. “I knew if I swung too hard, I wasn’t going to help out at all. I was just in there knowing that if I get on base, my teammates are going to move me.”

Tech, with runners on the corners and one out, was unable to score anymore in the third as Chatfield struck out and Zoe Yaeger grounded out to third to end the inning.

Going to the top of the fourth, Michaela Edenfield, who just received a golden ticket to the AUSL, destroyed a no-doubt home run to center field.

The Hokies, down 6-1, continued to fight back and scored a run thanks to a Kylie Aldridge triple and a RBI single by Bre Peck.

Florida State added a run in the top of the fifth with a lead off double by Bueno, who was pinch ran for by Annie Potter who quickly stole third. Wacaser came to the plate and hit a long fly out in front of the warning track in center field, allowing Potter to score easily.

Cori McMillan had Danley’s number as she led off the bottom of the fifth with a long home run to center field to take the lead in the nation in that category, with 26 long balls on the year.

Kleiman returned to the circle in the sixth and her struggles continued. The first three batters she faced reached safely, loading the bases for Ross who hit a sacrifice fly, scoring Jaysoni Beachum.

Potter then came to the plate and hit a dribbler to Chatfield at first who was indecisive on whether to try and get the runner at home or get the safe out at first. She thought about throwing it home, but elected to throw it to first, but by then it was too late and everyone was safe.

Danley gave herself more insurance runs, rocketing a RBI single up the middle into center, giving Florida State a 10-3 lead.

Florida State in the seventh inning, extended its lead to 11-3, courtesy of a lead off home run by Kerr. That was followed by a Beachum walk and a Dack single. Ross then hit a sacrifice fly to right field to give the Seminoles a 12-3 lead. Potter then came up and hit an infield single to third, allowing Dack to score.

The Hokies were down nine and were looking for a miracle. Unfortunately for them, the first two batters Martin and Rohs were retired. McMillan continued to dominate Danley, launching her 27th home run into left field. Chatfield then stepped to the plate and grounded out to third, ending the game at a final score of 13-4.

The Hokies, who have lost three of their last seven still have confidence going into the last two games of the season and into the postseason.

“Things are gonna happen,” McMillan said. "If we’re gonna drop a couple, it needed to be these last couple weeks, and not here on out.”

The Hokies and Seminoles will continue this series on Saturday. The game will start at 4:00 p.m. ET, and coverage will be on the ACC Network.