Late Rally Leads Florida State past Alabama Softball
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- The Women’s College World Series is a few months away, but Wednesday’s matchup between No. 2 Florida State and No. 3 Alabama definitely had an Oklahoma City feel to it.
Alabama dominated the Seminoles for five innings, but then all hell broke loose. Well, the Seminole bats broke loose, anyway. It also didn’t help that Alabama committed two errors during the final two innings that led to five runs and a 6-5 Florida State victory.
Alabama (22-3) appeared well on its way to a big win until the sixth inning. A two-out error by third baseman Ashley Prange extended the inning and Michaela Edenfield made the Crimson Tide pay for it with a game-tying, three-run home run that hit the leftfield foul pole.
"Just one pitch that got away from her," Alabama coach Patrick Murphy said of Lexi Kilfoyl. "It was one of those nights I guess."
It was a big blemish on an otherwise dominant night for Kilfoyl in the circle. She was tagged for five runs on three hits in a loss to LSU in last week’s Southeastern Conference opening series. It was her first appearance in almost three weeks after a foot injury.
On Wednesday, Kilfoyl got ahead in the count and retired nine of the first 10 batters she faced, and didn’t allow her first hit until the fourth inning. After the rough sixth inning, she ran into trouble again in the seventh, allowing a pair of one-out singles to end her night.
Montana Fouts was called on to get out of the jam, but another Prange error allowed the go-ahead run to score. The next FSU batter hit a grounder to Prange, who fielded it cleanly, but got the out at first instead of trying to make a play on Sydney Sherrill, who was caught between third and home. Sherrill scored to make it a two-run lead.
"It's very uncharacteristic for her," Murphy said of Prange's errors. "Definitely should have thrown home. She just had a brain fart there. The (FSU runner) was a dead duck."
Kilfoyl’s final line was 6 1/3 innings with six runs allowed on five hits with six strikeouts.
Alabama had its chances in the seventh to tie the game, and almost did. Savannah Woodard hit her second double of the night to give Alabama life. Dallis Goodnight followed with an infield hit and Woodard scored on a passed ball.
Jenna Johnson struck out and Prange grounded out to end the game. Kathryn Sandercock (12-0) got the win, allowing two runs on five hits with five strikeouts.
It was Florida State that knocked Alabama out of the WCWS last year with a semifinal sweep. Alabama was on the cusp of getting some payback for that, but it wasn't in the cards.
"Florida State is a team that will take every opportunity you give them," Kaylee Tow said. "That's what good teams do. We will come out of this better because we will learn from it. We did some things well, too. Some things just didn't go well for us in the end."
Alabama got off to a hot start thanks to Tow. She has moved all around in the Alabama lineup this season. The Crimson Tide first baseman has been in the No. 5 spot, a familiar place for the fifth-year senior. She’s hit in the No. 2 spot a few times and at No. 3.
Nothing seemed to work for Tow, who was 2-for-15 during a seven-game stretch. She hit cleanup against FSU and delivered with a three-run home run to center field.
"From the jump I wanted to put a hard swing on the ball. I wanted the bat in my hands," Tow said. "When we can put some runs on the board early it helps out pitchers, and I wanted to give Lexi some confidence."
FSU starter Danielle Watson allowed three runs on three hits in her one inning of work. She was replaced by Sandercock, who entered the game with a 0.89 ERA and 71 strikeouts. In her outings against the Crimson Tide in the WCWS, Sandercock was impressive, allowing two runs on five hits in 5 1/3 innings.
On Wednesday, Sandercock made quick work of Crimson Tide hitters, who were perhaps a bit too eager at the plate. Sandercock threw just 22 pitches in her first three innings, keeping Alabama hitless.
Alabama found some patience at the plate in the fifth. Megan Bloodworth worked an eight-pitch at-bat before striking out. Then Woodard doubled after a nine-pitch at-bat. Goodnight then bunted her way on and Johnson’s squeeze bunt scored Woodard to put Alabama on top 4-1.
FSU (25-1) had allowed more than three runs in a game just twice this season until Wednesday. In fact, the Seminoles were outscoring opponents 81-17 through the first three innings.
Alabama hosts Kentucky for a three-game series starting Friday.
