Kat Sandercock and Michaela Edenfield posted strong performances to lead Florida State with a doubleheader sweep of Lipscomb to begin its 2023 season.

The Seminoles defeated the Bisons 3-0 and 4-1 in the first two games of the JoAnn Graff Classic at JoAnne Graf Field.

In the opener, Sandercock retired the final 16 hitters of the game, earning a one-hit shutout for the Seminoles (2-0).

Catcher Michaela Endenfield hit the game-winning home run in the sixth inning of the nightcap and also added two RBI doubles for FSU.

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"(Lipscomb) is a great ballclub," FSU head coach Lonni Alameda said. "It's always nice to play quality teams at the beginning of the season. They are a good ballclub and was a bit of a challenge for us. Really proud of the energy and everyone sticking with each other. That's a big part of opening day nerves."

Edenfield opened the scoring with an RBI double in the second inning of the opener. Josie Muffley and Mack Leonard also added an RBI, while Kaley Mudge tripled and scored on Leonard’s single in the fifth.

Emily Yakubowski allowed three earned runs on four hits in four innings for Lipscomb (0-2). She struck out one and walked three. Laine Barefoot allowed one hit in two shutout innings, striking out and walking one.

Edenfield’s solo home run in the sixth inning proved to be the game-winner for the Seminoles. She also opened the scoring in the third inning with her second RBI double of the day. Jahni Kerr and Kaley Mudge provided insurance RBIs in the bottom of the sixth.

Jack Busch hit a game-tying solo home run for the Bisons in the fifth inning.

Freshman Makenna Reid struck out six in her three innings of relief and picked up the win in the second game.

Allison Royalty provided the second strong pitching performance in the nightcap, going four innings and allowing one run on two hits.

Kate Peters pitched five innings, allowing three runs on six hits in the loss for Lipscomb in the nightcap.

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Sandercock strong performance

Sandercock was nearly unhittable for the Seminoles in the circle. Outside of a two-out single by Maci Cunconan in the second inning, the Bisons could not muster any baserunners.

The redshirt senior retired the final 16 hitters of the game, doing so in an efficient manner. She fired 76 pitches, with 60 of them going for strikes.

Sandercock struck out two and did not walk a batter for her first complete-game shutout of the season.

She had eight complete games and six shutouts last season.

"Kat really loves pitching. She loves the cat and mouse part of it," Alameda said. "She loves growing every season, adding a new pitch.

"She's going to have an incredible season. She's worked really hard for it."

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Edenfield picks off where she left off

The FSU catcher finished last season second on the team in RBI with 53. With Sydney Sherill graduating, more of the offensive production could fall to Edenfield this season.

That didn’t seem like a burden for her Thursday. Edenfield, who led the Seminoles with 16 home runs last season, blasted a solo shot beyond the left field wall and into the streets in the sixth.

"I just really wanted to fall back to my keys," Edenfield said. "My success goes to ball, bat and extend. I was just focusing on my routine, taking a deep breath. I was seeing the ball really well today, so I was just taking little things from each at-bat and I just felt I had really good timing right there."

picked up the first RBI of the season on a double to right-center field in the bottom of the second to plate the first run of the season for the Seminoles.

In the nightcap, Edenfield got the Seminoles rolling again with a one-out RBI double to right field in the third inning.

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Other pitchers impress

Royalty, a transfer from Arizona State, made the start for the Seminoles. She allowed just one run in her four innings, to go along with three strikeouts and two walks.

She showed poise in the third inning when she ran into trouble, allowing two walks and a single to load the bases with one out. She got a strikeout and a fly out to right to get out of the jam.

After Royalty gave up the game-tying home run on the first pitch in the fifth, Makenna Reid entered in relief and performed well, too.

The freshman, also making her FSU debut, picked up the victory. She struck out six in three innings and did not allow a baserunner.

Reid struck out the side in the seventh to polish off the game.

"(Royalty) stuck with it and she was incredible with the rise (ball) and change, just great composure," Alameda said. "Makenna, just as a freshman, to come in and follow up was an exciting feeling, I'm pretty sure as a catcher, but as a coach too.

"It also just set the tone for the defense. If you can take care of that circle and be present, just sets the tone."

Up next:

The Seminoles are scheduled to play one game against Longwood on Friday (1:30 p.m.) and two games on Saturday against Longwood (2:30 p.m.) and Purdue (4:45 p.m.)

Reach Ehsan Kassim at ekassim@gannett.com or follow him on Twitter at @Ehsan_Kassim. You can also follow our coverage on Facebook (NoleSports) and Instagram (tlhnolesports).

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This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Kat Sandercock, Michaela Edenfield lead FSU softball to sweep of Lipscomb