FSU softball: Noles looking for season sweep over No. 17 Florida Gators

No. 3 FSU softball (43-8, 19-2 ACC) will travel to Gainesville Wednesday for a chance for a season sweep over No. 17 Florida Gators (34-16, 10-11 SEC).

The Noles have beaten Florida in four consecutive games, defeating them 5-3 last week in front of the home crowd. It was a sloppy game, with FSU committing several base-running blunders that could have been costly.

The Noles went on to sweep Notre Dame over the weekend, while Florida won two of three against Ole Miss. The Gators bring a .330 batting average into the game, with 58 home runs, 71 doubles, and 13 triples.

Their on-base percentage is .432. Florida’s pitching staff brings a 3.59 ERA while allowing a .234 batting average.

They have allowed 36 home runs and have 177 strikeouts and 132 walks in 304 innings. Defensively, they have 33 errors for a .975 fielding percentage.

FSU softball has six batters hitting over. 300, with 50 home runs, 95 doubles, and 13 triples.
Their on-base percentage is .415, and they walk (209) more than they strike out (177). FSU’s pitching staff brings a 1.68 ERA while allowing a .193 batting average.

They have allowed 16 home runs and have 265 strikeouts and 95 walks in 321.1 innings. Defensively, FSU has 46 errors for a .966 fielding percentage.

Makenna Reid got the start in the last outing against the Gators and went three innings with one earned run allowed. Ali DuBois and Katheryn Sandercock pitched in relief and held the Gators scoreless, with six strikeouts, zero walks, and scattering three hits over the final four innings.

The key is keeping the ball in the yard against the Gators, who only strikeout 16 percent of their at-bats. Florida’s pitching isn’t as strong as in years past, and FSU’s offense has been putting up big numbers over the past few games.

Florida pitchers issued six walks in last week’s game, while allowing seven hits. FSU scored five runs, despite the base-running errors and leaving seven runners on base. If FSU hitters show patience, they should break through once again. However, FSU’s defense has to have a better showing as an error led to a couple of unearned runs against the Gators last week.

The game will air on ESPNU at 6 p.m. ET.