TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) – Florida State softball forced a winner-take-all regional championship game early Sunday afternoon with a 2-1 win over UCF, but failed to capitalize on multiple chances in the second game to fall 4-2 the second game, ending their season. <\/p>\n
Regional Championship – Game 1<\/p>\n
The Seminoles took momentum back in the regional with a 2-1 victory thanks to two big swings and a tremendous pitching performance by ACC pitcher of the year Jazzy Francik. The sophomore completed 6.1 innings, allowing just two hits and one run. <\/p>\n
Hayley Griggs and Anna Hinde each crushed a home run to left field.<\/p>\n
Regional Championship – Game 2<\/p>\n
The Knights took the lead on a two-run home run off the bat of Beth Damon.<\/p>\n
With two outs and two runners on in the third inning, Anna Hinde singled through the infield to score Jaysoni Beachum, cutting the lead to 2-1 UCF. <\/p>\n
Two batters later, with the bases loaded, it looked like a Shelby McKenzie single would clear the bases, but UCF challenges that Hinde left second base early. The umpires ruled that she did, and the inning ended with no runs scored.<\/p>\n
Florida State tied the game in the fourth on a single down the line by Isa Torres. The Seminoles loaded the bases with two outs, but Ashtyn Danley flied out to end the threat with the game tied 2-2.<\/p>\n
In the bottom of the inning, sloppy defense hurt Florida State. Hinde failed to catch foul pop up, then that batter reached on a rare error by Torres. Moments later, Izzy Mertes crushed a two-run homer to vault UCF back into the lead, 4-2.<\/p>\n
In the seventh inning, a diving catch by Knights defensive replacement Kalista Birkenstock saved a second and third situation for Florida State. The Seminoles were unable to score in the inning and lost 4-2.<\/p>\n
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