Jaysoni Beachum, Michaela Edenfield power FSU softball to sweep of Nicholls
The No. 11 Florida State softball team (11-3) used a walk-off single from Michaela Edenfield in a come-from-behind win to defeat Nicholls 5-4 in game one and cruised to an 8-0 victory in five innings in game two to finish the Dugout Club Classic with a 6-0 record.
Game OneThe Seminoles used some late game heroics to prevail in game one after trailing in three separate occasion to defeat the pesky Colonels 5-4.
Nicholls struck first with a solo home run in the top of the first, but FSU responded as the freshman duo of Isa Torres and Jaysoni Beachum got the scoring going for the Seminoles. Torres led off the inning with a single and advanced to third on back-to-back groundouts. Beachumstepped up and delivered a two-out double to score Torres to tie the game at one.
Nicholls hit a two-run home run in the top of the third to retake the lead, but Makenna Reid responded by sitting down seven consecutive batters to keep the Colonels in check to give the offense a chance. The offense delivered in the bottom of the fifth as Jahni Kerr led off the inning with a single. Kalei Harding reached on a fielder's choice, but throw to get Kerr out at second sailed high allowing Kerr to advance to third to put runners on the corners. Beachum struck again with a single to pick up her second RBI of the game to bring the Noles within one. Back-to-back two-out walks from Edenfield and Devyn Flaherty tied the game after five innings.
After a scoreless sixth inning, Nicholls hit their third home run of the game to take a 4-3 lead into the bottom of the seventh inning.
Beachum reached on an error and was replaced on the base paths by Annie Potter who stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch to put her 60 feet away with one out. Hallie Wacaser continued her dominant week with a double to left field to score Potter. Edenfield then stepped in the box and took the 1-2 pitch into right field to end the game for her first walk-off of her career.
Makenna Reid (5.1 innings) and Allison Royalty (1.2 innings) combined to allow just five hits while recording five strikeouts. Royalty was credited with the win to improve to 4-1 on the year.
Game TwoIt was the Jaysoni Beachum show in game two as the freshman hit two home runs and went 3-for-3 to lead the Seminoles to an 8-0 win in five innings.
Beachum started the scoring in the second inning with a solo home run that just snuck in the left foul pole to put the Noles up 1-0.
Amaya Ross kept the inning going for the Noles with a single up the middle then stole her 11th base of the year to move to second. She advanced to third on a groundout then Katie Dack singled through the right side to bring her home to give the Noles a 2-0 lead.
Kalei Harding was hit by a pitch in the bottom of the third to put a runner on base for the Noles and back-to-back singles from Beachum and Wacaser allowed Harding to score to make it 3-0. Ross earned another RBI on a fielder's choice to give FSU a comfortable 4-0 lead after three innings.
A pair of freshmen shined again in the bottom of the fourth inning as Torres hit a double down the left field line, and Kennedy Harp picked up her first career RBI on a triple to make it 5-0.
Beachum led off the bottom of the fifth inning with her second solo home run of the night, and after Ross recorded an infield single, Edenfieldstepped in and launched her sixth home run of the season to end the game in walk-off fashion.
Allison Royalty earned the start in game two and was phenomenal as she threw a shutout while allowing just two hits while striking out four.
The Seminoles will head across the country next week for the Jane Sanders Classic in Eugene, Oregon, where they will play four games in two days. FSU will play Mount St. Mary's and Maryland on Friday and No. 4 Washington and No. 24 Oregon on Saturday. The Maryland, Washington and Oregon games will all be streamed on https://pac-12.com/live/university-oregon-2.
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This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Jaysoni Beachum, Michaela Edenfield power FSU softball to sweep of Nicholls