FSU sports information:
The 16th-ranked Florida State Softball team (38-10, 16-3) kicked off its Senior Weekend with a 13-3 win over North Carolina (30-17, 10-12) in six innings Friday night at the Seminole Softball Complex. FSU has now won 12 consecutive games and have won 20 out of the last 21 games dating back to Mar. 21.
The game started with an eventful 38-minute first inning as the Tar Heels kicked off the scoring with a pair of runs, one off of an error and the other a RBI single. Ashtyn Danley got out of a bases loaded jam to end the inning and prevent any further damage.
The Seminoles responded emphatically at the bottom of the inning. Kaley Mudge hit a single followed by a Kalei Harding single. Isa Torres was able to reach second base from a fielder's choice and an error by the first baseman allowing Harding to score to put the Noles on the board. Devyn Flaherty then beat out a throw at first to bring in another run.
In her first game back at JoAnne Graf Field after returning from injury, Michaela Edenfield hit an RBI single to right field to score Flaherty. Jahni Kerr capped off the inning with her seventh home run of the season to make it 5-2 after the first inning.
In the second inning, UNC hit a solo home run to cut the lead to two, but Jaysoni Beachum got the run right back as Jaysoni Beachum hit one right back to the pitcher to score Amaya Ross.
The scoring for the Noles continued as a walk and two singles loaded the bases for Beachum. Beachum hit a sac fly allowing the run to score, and Harding picked up a RBI on a ground out to make it 8-3. Isa Torres hit her second home run in as many games to give FSU a commanding 10-3 lead after four innings.
In the bottom of the sixth inning the Seminoles, after both Ross and Mudge hit a single, Beachum added on to her already fantastic freshman season by ending the game with a three-run home run gliding out of the stadium, making the score 13-3 to trigger a run rule. This was the 11th run rule win out of the past 21 games for the Seminoles. With a season-high five RBI, Beachum has tied Sydney Sherrill's freshman record of 58 RBI in a single season. That mark is also the seventh-most RBI in a single season in program history.
Ashtyn Danley got the start for the Seminole and went 4.2 innings for the Seminoles allowing three runs and three hits while striking out two. Emma Wilson finished the game in the circle pitching the final 1.1 innings and allowing just one hit.
Florida State will face UNC again on Saturday with the first pitch set for 4 p.m. and available to watch on ESPNU.
