FSU softball walks off Duke to win ACC Tournament Championship

FSU softball (50-8) won the ACC Regular Season Title last week and captured the ACC Tournament Championship Saturday afternoon with a 2-1 walk-off win over Duke.

It was a hard-fought win, with both teams making tremendous defensive plays to keep the game scoreless until the bottom of the third.

Kaley Muffley laid down a two-out bunt for a hit and scored on a Jahni Kerr double in the left-centerfield gap.

Duke would tie the game on an uncharacteristic error by shortstop Josie Muffley(who had a web gem earlier in the game). Muffley allowed a groundball to go between her legs, with the runner getting to second base.

Duke sacrificed the runner over to third, and with two outs, the runner scored on a passed ball to tie the game at 1-1. FSU threatened in the bottom of the sixth inning and an atrocious call by the umpires ended their potential scoring opportunity. However, as I said on social media, the ball doesn’t lie. Michaela Edenfield hit a line drive to third base that was dropped, but the home plate umpire called her out, even though he couldn’t see the play and the third base umpire that was five feet away from the play never called her out.

FSU’s Devyn Flaherty hit a two-out single up the middle in the bottom of the second before Bethany Keen lifted a shallow fly ball between the left fielder and the shortstop for a single.

Flaherty was stealing on the play and never stopped running as the ball bounced away from the sliding left-fielder, which allowed Flaherty to slide into home ahead of the throw for the winning run.

Kathryn Sandercock picked up her 23rd win of the season, relieving starter Makenna Reid in the third inning.

The two pitchers combined for six strikeouts, four hits, and one walk. Jahni Kerr led the Noles with two hits and an RBI. It was the 19th ACC Tournament Championship for the Noles and the first time they’ve swept the regular-season and tournament championships since 2019.

It’s the 14th time they’ve completed the conference sweep. The Noles will now await to see where they will face in the regionals.