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Florida State’s Mack Leonard received another life after Syracuse mishandled her pop-up in foul territory. With the count full, the senior blasted a double down the right-field line, plating the go-ahead runs for the Seminoles.

Syracuse (24-26-1, 7-15-1 Atlantic Coast) held an early advantage after two innings but ultimately fell 4-1 to the ACC Tournament’s No. 1 seed, Florida State (48-8, 22-2 ACC). Madelyn Lopez delivered a go-ahead RBI single to get the Orange on the board in the second, but Leonard tallied three RBIs and tossed two frames in relief for the Seminoles. SU was held without a hit after the second inning, and its 2023 season ended in the ACC quarterfinals for the second straight year.

Syracuse initially put pressure on FSU in the top of the first. Kelly Breen laced a single down the right-field line with two outs off Leonard. However, Madison Knight grounded out on the first pitch to shortstop, ending the inning.

Lindsey Hendrix started in the circle for Syracuse and looked sharp early. The junior set the Seminoles down 1-2-3 in the bottom of the first, creating three ground ball outs, two to Breen at second base and one to Ryan Starr at shortstop.

The Orange broke through in the second. Laila Alves continued her hot streak, drawing a four-pitch walk to start the frame. Tessa Galipeau grounded out to first base, moving Alves to second. Rebecca Clyde stepped into the batter’s box and did the same, putting SU’s catcher at third base with two outs. Lopez delivered the game’s first punch, sending a ball up the middle for an RBI single. Starr got ahead in the count and slapped an infield single, but Angel Jasso’s ground out to shortstop ended the inning.

Hendrix kept the Syracuse momentum going in the circle through the second. The left-hander struck out Michaela Edenfield on a nasty off-speed pitch on the outside corner. Then, Hendrix caught Leonard looking at a fastball painted on the inside corner for the second out.

Hallie Wacaser reached on a walk, FSU’s first baserunner of the day. Devyn Flaherty drew a second straight free pass, but Clyde fielded Bethaney Keen’s hard grounder to third and stepped on third base for the third out.

Makenna Reid entered in relief for Florida State in the top of the third and retired the Orange in order, striking out two.

The Seminoles finally struck in the third. Josie Muffley started the inning with a leadoff homer over the left field fence, tying the game 1-1. Jahni Kerr slammed a single to center, but Alves threw her out trying to steal second base on a pitch to Kalei Harding. It was the first time Kerr got caught stealing in 14 attempts this season.

But Florida State did not let up. With two outs, Harding and Edenfield took walks. Leonard sent a pop fly towards the first-base dugout in foul ground, but lack of communication from Alves and Galipeau let the ball drop in between them, prolonging the inning. With another life at the plate, Leonard blasted a two-run double down the right-field line, scoring two runs to give the Seminoles a 3-1 lead after three.

Down two to the No. 3 ranked team in the country with the season on the line, SU faced its toughest challenge yet. After a strikeout by Alves, Galipeau drew a 3-2 walk. Kate Dorazio pinch-ran and advanced to third on a sacrifice ground out by Clyde, but Lopez fouled out to end the inning.

Hendrix prevented Florida State from extending its lead in the fourth, forcing three infield outs. Muffley notched her second hit of the day, a single to center, but Mudge grounded out to Breen for the third out.

Reid tossed her third inning of no-hit ball in the fifth, setting the Orange down in order. Starr sent a sinking line drive that Mudge snared in left field. Jasso hit a weak grounder to first for out number two, then pinch-hitter Olivia Pess flew out to center.

The task only got more challenging in the circle for Hendrix, who worked herself into trouble in the bottom of the fifth. Kerr led off with a bullet that knocked off the pitcher’s glove, but the junior recovered and tossed the ball barehanded to first for the first out. After allowing a single and hitting a batter on her 100th pitch, Leonard’s second hit, a bloop single to right, scored FSU’s fourth run. Hendrix retired the final two hitters, but SU trailed by three with six outs remaining.

Kathryn Sandercock, who tossed a no-hitter against Syracuse earlier this season, entered in relief to start the sixth. The Orange again had no success against the senior, who quickly set down Breen, Knight and Alves.

SU’s starter finished out the game in the circle, retiring three straight Seminoles after allowing her fifth walk of the game. But it was too little too late for the Orange, who were kept without a hit after the second inning. In their last chances to bat, seniors Yamila Evans, Clyde and Geana Torres were retired to end the game.

Published on May 11, 2023 at 1:59 pm