The No. 12 Florida State softball team (4-1) ended the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge on a high note on Saturday as they picked up two run-rule victories over No. 4 Oklahoma State (2-2), 8-0, and Louisiana Tech (2-3), 9-1, both in five innings on Saturday evening in Puerto Vallarta Mexico. FSU's win over No. 4 Oklahoma State was the Noles' second run-rule win over a top-five team in school history and the first since beating No. 1 Alabama, 8-0, five years ago to the date.
Game One (Florida State 9 Louisiana Tech 1; 5 innings)
The Noles got off to a great start once again against the Bulldogs as Katie Dack continued her hot weekend with a solo shot out of the park with two outs in the first inning to give the Noles the early lead.
The Noles stayed with the long ball as Jahni Kerr hit her first home run of the season with a rocket to right field to make it 2-0 in the second.
The Noles added another run with two outs in the third when Kennedy Harp tripled for the second consecutive game to score Katie Dack who reached base on a walk.
Krystina Hartley who had a huge night off the bench as she came in and hit a three-run bomb in her first at-bat of the season to increase the lead to 6-0. It was Hartley's second career home run and her first since Feb. 19, 2023, against Louisiana.
Louisiana Tech's only run of the night, came as an unearned run as Makenna Reid shut them down in 4.1 innings, only giving up three hits and one walk before being replaced by Ashtyn Danley who finished off the final inning. Reid was credited with the win to improve to 26-1 in her career.
In the fifth inning, Hallie Wacaser homered to left field scoring Harp. To seal the deal and forcing a run rule, Hartley had a sacrifice fly to score Addie DeLong, who entered the game as a pinch runner for Ross on second base after Ross doubled to left field.
Game Two (Florida State 8 Oklahoma State 0; 5 innings)
The Noles used some timely hitting and a great pitching performance from Annabelle Widra and Jazzy Francik to dominate the Cowgirls in the rematch.
It was a pitcher's duel in the first two innings as neither team recorded a hit. The Seminoles broke through in the third inning as Hartley started things off with an infield single and advanced to second on a groundout. Back-to-back walks loaded the bases for FSU , and Harp stepped in with two outs and delivered once again with her third triple of the week to clear the bases to give the Noles a 3-0 lead.
The Cowgirls had their best chance to get on the board in the top of the fourth inning with a couple of two-out singles, but Widra shut the door and got the flyout to end the inning.
FSU's offense went right back to work in the bottom of the fourth inning as Amaya Ross was hit by the first pitch she saw. Kerr laid down a beautiful bunt, and without hesitation, Ross rounded second and headed to third. The throw to third went wide allowing Ross to score and Kerr to advance to third. Hartley hit a fly ball deep enough to score Kerr to give the Noles a 5-0 lead after four innings.
Francik came in and retired the Cowgirls in order, and the Noles quickly loaded the bases with no outs. Kerr singled up the middle to score two more runs, and Isa Torres ended the game in walk-off fashion to give the Noles the run-rule victory.
Widra and Francik combined to allow just two hits without walking a batter. Widra picked up her first win as a Seminole.
Harp earned MVP honors for the tournament. Harp finished the week going 10-for-15 (.667) with three triples, two doubles, one home run and 10 RBI. Dack and Francik were also named to the All-Tournament Team. Dack finished the tournament with four hits, two home runs and seven RBI. Francik did not allow a single earned run in eight innings and walked just one batter compared to seven strikeouts. Francik picked up a win and a save in her first two collegiate appearances. She joins Bailey Schinella in 2012 as the only other Seminole to accomplish that feat.
The Seminoles will be back in action next week at the Shriners Children's Clearwater Invitational. The Noles will take on No. 15 Missouri, Ohio State, Wichita State and UCF over the course of four days.
