FSU Softball Headed to College World Series
By David Visser
Yesterday, the Florida State softball team suffered its worst loss ever, drooping a 17-3 “contest” to the Michigan Wolverines. That made their objective today very clear: defeat the team that just handled them– and do it twice.
Part one of that goal happened rather easily this afternoon. Lacey Waldrop showed why she’s a National Player of the Year candidate, putting behind her yesterday’s sub-par performance (her worst of the year) and throwing a complete-game, five-hit shutout. The ‘Nole offense also flexed some muscle, going deep four times en route to a 6-0 victory.
So it was down to this. One game. For one ticket to the College World Series in Oklahoma City.
This one started a lot like last night’s massacre. Lacey Waldrop retired the first two batters easily, but then a Sierra Romero single, another from Caitlin Blanchard that should have been handled by Briana Hamilton, and a single by Sierra Lawrence loaded the bases for Taylor Hasselbach, but a grounder to Tiffani Brown at second ended the threat and kept the game scoreless.
Maddie O’Brien led off the Seminole first against southpaw Haylie Wagner by drawing a school-record 53rd walk of the season. She advanced to second on a Brown groundout and took third on Abby Ramirez’s dribbler. Hamilton worked a walk to give FSU runners at the corners and a great chance to strike first. Kelly Henlsey cashed in, driving a single to right that plated O’Brien to give the ‘Noles a 1-0 lead.
The Wolverines tied it up quickly, when Michigan freshman Lindsay Montemarano launched a bomb over the center-field fence in the top of the second. After Florida State went 1-2-3 in the second, U of M took the lead in the third. Nicole Sappingfield singled to lead off the frame, and Romero drew a walk. After a pop out by Blanchard, Lawrence bunted for a base hit that loaded the bases. Hasselbach’s swinging bunt was fielded by Victoria East at first, who attempted to come home but hit Hasselbach. Sappingfield scored on the play to give Michigan a 2-1 lead. Waldrop retired the next two batters, however, to strand three Wolverines.
Michigan looked to be primed to add another run in the fifth. Blanchard was hit by a pitch and pinch runner Brandi Virgil advanced to second on a groundout. She was waved around on a Hasselbach single to center, but a rocket from Courtney Senas eliminated her at home and kept the score at 2-1.
FSU fed off the momentum in the bottom of the inning, when Alex Kossoff got things going with an infield single. Brown wound up at first on a fielder’s choice– and having her speed on the base paths would prove critical. Senas popped up a ball halfway down the first-base line. Wagner charged in but was unable to get to the ball, and when it bounded off her glove toward to Michigan dugout, Senas took second, and Brown came all the way around to score and tie the game 2-2.
Waldrop issued a leadoff walk to Lauren Sweet to begin the sixth– often an ominous beginning. Her pinch runner (Mary Sbonek) advanced to second on a groundout and wound up on third after Doyle’s infield single. Doyle then stole second, and, with two outs, Sappingfield lined a screamer at Hamilton, who snared a ball straight at her head for out number three, punctuated with an ebullient infield spike of the softball that sent the FSU faithful into a frenzy.
After Hensley singled to lead off the Seminole sixth but was stranded at second, Waldrop again walked the leadoff hitter (Romero) in the seventh. Singles from Blanchard and Lawrence then loaded the bases for Michigan– this time with nobody out.
Waldrop had tempted fate once too often, right?
Wrong.
She struck out Hasselbach, and Brown forced Romero at home on Sweet’s grounder to second. Another grounder to Brown saw the ‘Noles escape with the score still 2-2, headed to the home seventh.
O’Brien drew a one-out walk in the seventh, but was forced out for the second out. With Brown on first, Courtney Senas stepped in. And then sent the ball out. Way out. She crushed a two-run walk-off home run over the left-field fence that sends FSU to its eighth College World Series and first since 2004. Florida State will face either Minnesota or Oregon to begin play in Oklahoma City.