Feb. 19, 2015
CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. – A 10th-inning walk sent No. 9/8 Florida State (8-4) to a 4-3 win over South Carolina (9-3) in Thursday’s second game for both teams at the Big League Dreams Park Wrigley Field setup.
The Seminoles loaded the bases in the 10th on two walks, one intentional, with one down. Cleanup hitter Jessica Warren and Gamecock sophomore pitcher Nickie Blue battled, but Warren came out better, drawing a walk on six pitches to force in the game-ending run.
With the international tiebreaker rule in effect to start the frame, the Gamecocks retook the lead in the eighth on redshirt senior Julie Sarratt’s pinch-hit single with one out. But the Seminoles answered back in the eighth on Warren’s one-out double.
South Carolina scored twice in the first, as redshirt sophomore second baseman drove in one with an RBI single and senior centerfielder Kristen Struett plated junior third baseman Jordan Bizzell with her second sacrifice fly of the day.
Florida State tied things with a two-run third. After loading the bases on a hit, a fielder’s choice that didn’t retire anyone and a walk, Maddie O’Brien drew another free pass to force in a run, and an out later Alex Powers’ fly ball to right scored another to tie the game.
South Carolina turned a double play to end the ninth to keep FSU at bay. With one out, Morgan Klaevemann grounded out to second, and Ellie Cooper tried to score on the play, but sophomore first baseman Kaylea Snaer snapped the throw to the plate, and senior catcher Olivia Lawrence applied the tag to nab Cooper and keep the game alive.
Jessica Burroughs (3-1) got the complete-game win, giving up three runs, two earned, on six hits and three walks. Blue (5-1) took the loss, allowing four runs, one earned, on five hits and eight walks. Both pitchers struck out five.
Game Changer: With the game in extra innings, one thing tipped it to Florida State, a patient approach that brought in the game-winning run.
Notables: • Page’s leadoff single in the fifth continued her hitting streak, now at 12 games. • Struett’s sacrifice fly in the first moved her into a tie for eighth in that category with two others, with the trio all holding eight in their career. • Warren drove in two of the Seminoles’ four runs and had a double in the 1-for-4 day. • Gamecock freshman shortstop Krystan White ranked as the only player to collect two hits in the contest, going 2-for-4.
Up Next: The Gamecocks take on Stanford on Friday night at 8 p.m. PST.
