BLACKSBURG, Va. – The No. 9/10 Noles (42-12) took their first step to defending the ACC Tournament Championship crown with a 4-2 win over Boston College (27-23) in the quarterfinals of the tournament. FSU scored three runs in the 4th inning and another in the 5th and got great pitching from their two star starting pitchers.
“It is great to come out and get the first win of the tournament under our belt,” said Florida State head coach Lonni Alameda. “BC played a great game and were competitive to the end. Bailey came through for us at the plate in some big spots and Lacey and JB did an excellent job in the circle. We’ll take the afternoon to rest up and prepare for another quality ACC opponent tomorrow.”
Florida State starter Lacey Waldrop faced the minimum through the first 4.0 innings with seven strikeouts. She struck out the side in the top of the third and also initiated an inning-ending double play in the second inning.
The Seminoles got on the board in the fourth as Jessica Warren led things off by being hit with a pitch for the 14th time this season. Alex Powers followed with a walk and Ellie Cooper’s sacrifice bunt attempt was dropped at first base, allowing Warren to score and make it 1-0 Florida State.
Bailey Schinella extended the Seminoles’ lead to 3-0 later in the inning with a two-RBI double to the gap in left center to score Cooper and Bella D’Errico, who pinch ran for Powers.
Boston College made it 3-2 in the fifth inning after Tatiana Cortez led off with a single and Chloe Sharabba hit a home run to left field. Jordan Chimento followed with a double to left center to chase Waldrop from the game.
Jessica Burroughs entered the circle for FSU and retired the first two batters she faced with a fly out and a strikeout. After allowing a walk, Burroughs ended the inning with another strikeout. Waldrop (28-6) finished with 4.0 innings pitched, giving up two runs on four hits with seven strikeouts in the victory.
The Noles added to their lead in the fifth as Schinella drove in her third RBI of the game on a single through the right side to make it 4-2 Florida State. She brought in O’Brien who led off the inning with a single to right field. Powers added another walk in the inning and finished with three for the game. She now has 50 walks on the season.
BC threatened in the top of the seventh, putting two runners on with a single and a walk, but Burroughs closed out the game with two strikeouts and a fly out to centerfield. Burroughs earned her third save of the season, registering seven strikeouts over the final 3.0 innings of the game, giving up just one hit and two walks.
Boston College’s Allyson Frei (19-15) took the loss, giving up four runs, three earned on seven hits with four walks and six strikeouts over 5.0 innings. Jessica Dreswick pitched the sixth inning for the Eagles, allowing just one walk.
Morgan Klaevemann had a base hit in the first inning to extend her school-record hitting streak to 21 games. She ended the day 2-for-4 from the plate as she had another single in the third inning.
***FSU Athletics
