Feb. 29, 2004

COLUMBUS, Ga. – 11th-ranked Florida State’s Tatiana George hit a walk-off home run in the ninth inning to eliminate No. 20 South Carolina 3-1 in the semifinals of the NFCA Lead-Off Classic Sunday. Melanie Henkes took the loss for the Gamecocks as she fell to 3-1 while Casey Hunter earned the win for FSU and improved to 8-0.

In the bottom of the ninth, USC’s Chrissy Schoonmaker and Ashley Smith connected on a play at the plate to prevent FSU from scoring with two outs. But the Seminoles next batter, George, then hit a two out, two run homer to right field to end the Gamecocks chances at the championship game of the tournament.

The Seminoles struck first as Veronica Wootson hit her first career home run, a solo shot to left center field off of Johnson. FSU went up 1-0.

FSU threatened in the third inning as Carly Brieske led off with a single and LaShaun Davis walked to give the Seminoles runners at first and second. FSU then popped up for two outs before Johnson struck out pitcher van der Linden to retire the side.

Johnson faced one more batter in the fourth and gave up a single to Elisa Vasquez before she was removed from the game. Melanie Henkes entered the game with no outs and Vasquez at first. Henkes struck out Leslie Palmer but then gave up a sharp single to Tatiana George before Kristin Hall tagged George and threw out Beth Wade at first for a double play to end the inning.

In the sixth, Schoonmaker singled to lead off the inning and Crane reached base on an error by the first baseman, which allowed USC two baserunners for the first time in the game. Curtis flew out to left field for the first out and Cornett struck out swinging before Smith singled to drive home Schoonmaker and even the score 1-1.

Pitcher Casey Hunter entered for FSU in the seventh and threw a 1-2-3 inning against USC while Henkes also pitched a 1-2-3 seventh, including a strikeout against Carly Brieske for the final out and force extra innings.

Hunter struck out the side in the eighth as USC’s Schoonmaker, Crane and Curtis all went down in order. In the bottom half of the eighth, Henkes walked the first batter to give FSU runners at first and second before she struck out the next three batters in Woodson, Katie Fricke and van der Linden to force the game into the ninth.