FSU softball: Takeaways from ‘Noles win over FGCU

FSU softball (11-3) didn’t play its best game for the second consecutive night but did enough to get an 13-5 win over Florida Gulf Coast.

It was a game FSU was lucky to be ahead until they broke the game open late. They scored almost all their runs with two outs and were aided by several FGCU defensive miscues. FSU pitching struggled to find the strike zone as they issued four walks and four wild pitches.

Four of the five runs FGCU scored got on base via the walk. Mack Leonard started the game and went two innings before giving away to Allison Royalty. Leonard allowed two hits, two earned runs, two walks, and three strikeouts.

Allison Royalty inherited a runner walked by Leonard and walked the first batter faced before allowing a three-run home run. Royalty went 2.2 innings before Kathryn Sandercock relieved her in top of the fifth inning with the bases loaded and two outs.

Sandercock got the final out without allowing any damage and pitched scoreless sixth inning.

Kalei Harding and Katie Dack led the offensive attack for the Noles with two hits. Harding had two doubles and two RBI. Dack continued her home run barrage, going 3-4 with two RBI. Hallie Wacaser had three hits, including two doubles, and two RBI. Jahni Kerr had a double in the bottom of the sixth inning for an RBI. Michaela Edenfield’s RBI double brought an end to the game in the bottom of the sixth via the 8-run rule. She didn’t start the game, but walked and had the double, which is a good sign.

FSU pulled away in the final two innings, but it feels like this team is playing to the level of its competition. A few players are playing well, but they don’t seem anywhere close to hitting on all cylinders. It is back-to-back games, and they have three more to go before the week is complete, so I’m considering that.

However, they need to get it together before entering conference play soon. The pitchers continue to issue too many walks, and the defense is giving away too many outs.

If FSU were playing better competition the past two nights, they could have lost both games. They will host Lamar Friday afternoon at 2:30 p.m.

The game will air on the ACCNX channel.