TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Behind a 13-strikeout performance by Jessica Burroughs and a 10-hit outburst from the offense at the plate, the No. 10 Florida State softball team (23-6) earned an 8-0 win over Colgate (4-7), in five innings, on March 17 at JoAnne Graf Field.
“It was a fun game for our team tonight, because that’s what softball should be,” said FSU head coach Lonni Alameda. “Even if you have a game like Sunday, you can’t let that affect you moving forward and I think we did that today. We played loose, we had fun and played Florida State softball.
“Jessica was great in the circle and showed the hard work she’s been putting in. The hitters did great and were able to have several quality at-bats as they continue to trust the process and the next-pitch mentality.”
Burroughs improved to 8-3 on the season ended the game with 5.0 innings pitched, allowing just two hits and zero walks. Thirteen of the 15 Colgate outs were strikeouts, along with a foul out to first base in the third inning and a fly out to right field in the fourth.
The Seminoles used two big innings at the plate to defeat the Raiders – a three-run second inning and a five-run fifth.
The FSU second started with a walk to Victoria East. She moved to second on a groundout and ended up on third after an infield single from Alex Kossoff. Kossoff later stole second and the throw from Colgate catcher, Mariel Schlaefer, went into centerfield to allow East to score and make it 1-0.
Jessica Warren came to the plate later in the inning and blasted a towering, two-run home run off the coaches video tower in centerfield to push the Seminole lead out to 3-0 after two innings.
Bailey Schinella sparked what would be the final inning as she opened the fifth with a single to right field. Schinella was replaced at first base by pinch-runner, Bella D’Errico. Schinella finished 2-for-3 at the plate as she also added a double in the third inning.
A fielder’s choice by East, a hit-by-pitch to Amy Szymanowski and another infield single from Kossoff loaded the bases for pinch-hitter, Victoria Daddis. Daddis drove a 2-2 pitch to the wall in right center, clearing the bases on a three-RBI double to give Florida State a 6-0 lead.
A walk to Warren allowed Ellie Cooper to end the game in a run-rule as she ripped a two-RBI double to left center, securing the five-inning 8-0 victory for Florida State.
The Seminoles are back out on the diamond on March 18 with a matchup against Troy (16-12) that starts at 6:00 p.m.
*FSU Sports Information
