Live Updates: No. 4 FSU softball vs. No. 14 Florida

[CurtWeiler]

The first of two rivalry games between the Florida State and Florida softball teams is set for Tuesday night in Tallahassee.

The fourth-ranked Seminoles (39-8, 16-2 in ACC), winners of 14 of their last 15 games, host the No. 14 Gators (32-14, 8-10 in SEC) for a 6 p.m. game at JoAnne Graf Field which will be broadcast on ACC Network Extra. There will also be a radio broadcast available on 96.5 FM with Jeff Culhane and Ariya Massoudi on the call.

FSU has won its last three games against the Gators and is coming off a road sweep of Virginia Tech while UF is coming off being swept at Tennessee. The Gators lead the all-time series 28-20.

The Seminoles will start freshman pitcher Makenna Reid in the circle. Reid has a stellar 0.93 ERA over 52.2 innings this season and is the reigning ACC Pitcher of the Week for her work in the road series at VT. UF will be starting Elizabeth Hightower (14-8, 3.02 ERA), who has made 22 starts and thrown 109 innings this season.

Here's the FSU starting lineup:

1	2b	9 Devyn Flaherty	L		.322
2	lf	6 Kaley Mudge	L		.333
3	3b	8 Kalei Harding	R		.314
4	1b	13 Mack Leonard	L		.300
5	cf	4 Jahni Kerr	L		.357
6	c	51 Michaela Edenfield	R		.240
7	rf	1 Hallie Wacaser	R		.330
8	dp	77 Katie Dack	R		.330
9	ss	10 Josie Muffley	R		.261

And here's the starting lineup for the Gators:

1	ss	17 Skylar Wallace	L		.482
2	3b	4 Charla Echols	L		.358
3	2b	15 Reagan Walsh	R		.347
4	rf	55 Pal Egan	L		.288
5	1b	18 Emily Wilkie	R		.280
6	dp	19 Olivia Gigante	R		.254
7	c	52 Sarah Longley	R		.205
8	cf	2 Avery Goelz	L		.298
9	lf	27 Kendra Falby	L		.387

Follow along here for updates from the Plex.

 

[CurtWeiler]

Forecast isn't stellar, chance of thunderstorms around when the game is supposed to start. But nothing has been announced. Game still expected to start on time 15 minutes out from first pitch.

 

[CurtWeiler]

FSU taking the field and warming up. We're about to get underway here. Big moment for FSU freshman pitcher Makenna Reid, who has been up to pretty much every challenge all year.

 

[CurtWeiler]

 

[CurtWeiler]

Reid falls behind the leadoff hitter 3-0, works it back to 3-2 and then issues a walk to Skylar Wallace.

 

[CurtWeiler]

Wallace steals second to give UF an early runner in scoring position, bringing Lonni Alameda out of the dugout for a mound visit.

 

[CurtWeiler]

After a long battle with 3 3-2 pitches fouled out of play, Reid gets a popout in foul territory for the first out.

 

[CurtWeiler]

Passed ball on the first pitch of the next at-bat moves the runner up to third base with one out.

 

[CurtWeiler]

Sac fly brings the runner in from third without a throw.

1-0 Gators, T1 with no one on and two outs.

 

[CurtWeiler]

Two-out HBP extends the inning. I think she may have leaned into that one, but ump didn't say anything.

 

[CurtWeiler]

Weak groundout to third ends the top of the first.

UF out to an early lead on a smallball run. FSU coming to the plate for the first time now.

 

[CurtWeiler]

Devyn Flaherty leads off the FSU first with a four-pitch walk. Ump definitely squeezing both pitchers early in this one.

 

[CurtWeiler]

Mudge drops a bunt that moves Flaherty to second and nearly beats it out at first.

Runner in scoring position with one out for Kalei Harding.

 

[CurtWeiler]

Harding rips one to third which was fielded cleanly. Flaherty got caught in a rundown but extended it enough for Harding to advance to second.

Runner on second with two outs for Mack Leonard.

 

[CurtWeiler]

Leonard ropes a single to right which scores Harding. She's thrown out trying to take second but came through with her 32nd RBI of the year to even this one up.

1-1 after one inning at the Plex.

 

[CurtWeiler]

Makenna Reid settling in here in the second, starting the frame with back to back swinging strikeouts.

 

[CurtWeiler]

Chopper to third ends a stress-free second inning for FSU in the field.

1-1, M2

 

[CurtWeiler]

Jahni Kerr leads off the FSU second with a strikeout but then Michaela Edenfield walks to put a runner on for Hallie Wacaser.

 

[CurtWeiler]

Wacaser grounds an easy ball back to the pitcher, but she bobbles it and both runners are safe. Potential inning-ending double play instead puts UF in a jam.

 

[CurtWeiler]

Katie Dack missed a towering three-run homer just feet foul of the pole in left field.

Still came through with a double off the wall to bring in a runner and put two in scoring position for Muffley.

2-1 FSU, B2

 

[CurtWeiler]

Muffley grounds out in the infield. Wacaser gets caught between third and home and tagged out.

Still two in scoring position for FSU with two outs for Devyn Flaherty.

 

[CurtWeiler]

Flaherty flies out to center and the side is retired.

FSU takes a 2-1 lead into the third inning, but could have had much more.

 

[NoleLizards]

LET'S GO NOLES!!

 

[CurtWeiler]

Bunt back to the pitcher on the first play of the top of the third, but Reid rushes the throw and it's low and away from the first baseman.

Error puts the leadoff UF runner on second.

 

[CurtWeiler]

Groundout to second gets the first out of the inning but moves the tying run up to third base.

 

[CurtWeiler]

Sac fly to center brings in the runner and ties the game at 2.

 

[CurtWeiler]

Reagan Walsh fouled off quite a few pitches down 1-2 and then went the opposite way for a home run to give UF a 3-2 lead.

FSU's prime chance in the bottom of the second that it largely wasted is looming large.

 

[CurtWeiler]

Strikeout gets Reid out of the third inning.

UF with three runs on just one hit and leading FSU 3-2 in the middle of the third. Gators are taking advantage of just about every FSU mistake at the moment.

 

[NoleLizards]

Can't lose to these bums.... COME ON LADIES!!!!!

 

[CurtWeiler]

Mudge grounds out to lead off the FSU third. Then Harding walks but is quickly picked off after she got caught between first and second base.

 

[CurtWeiler]

Mack Leonard walks to keep the FSU third inning alive and bring up Jahni Kerr.

 

[CurtWeiler]

Kerr doubles off the wall in left-center but a perfect play by the left fielder keeps Mack from scoring.

Two in scoring position for Michaela Edenfield.

 

[CurtWeiler]

Edenfield squares one up but it's right at the centerfielder and FSU strands two more runners in scoring position.

3-2 UF, T4

 

[Bob Ferrante]

LHP Makenna Reid:

 

[CurtWeiler]

Ali Dubois taking over on the mound for FSU in the fourth inning. She strikes out the first batter she faces.

 

[Bob Ferrante]

Katie Dack's double off the wall was very close to being a HR:

 

[CurtWeiler]

Make that two straight Ks to start DuBois' outing. She's positively fooling the UF batters with her off speed.

 

[CurtWeiler]

DuBois strikes out the side in her first inning. Really impressive stuff from her in her first inning of work.

3-2 UF, M4

 

[CurtWeiler]

Wacaser goes the other way for a leadoff single to right in the FSU fourth.

 

[CurtWeiler]

Dack finishes off a great at-bat with a walk to put two runners on with no outs.

Then a wild pitch moves both runners into scoring position.