Game recap: Kathryn Sanderco*ck throws perfect game to send FSU to Super Regionals (2024)

Ehsan KassimTallahassee Democrat

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Florida State softballhopes to avoid repeating last year's mistakes in theTallahassee Regional final.

In 2022, the No. 2 overall seed for the tournament was upset by Mississippi State on the final day of the regional for a premature ending of the season.

For this year'sNCAA Tournament, FSU (52-8) is the No. 3 overall seed andNo. 1 in the regional. TheSeminolesbeat No. 4 seedMarist(29-29) 9-0 in afive-inning no-hitterFriday at JoAnne Graf Field at Seminole Softball Complex. Then Saturday, they held off No. 3 seed UCF (40-21) with a 5-1 win off 6⅔ strong innings from Kathryn Sanderco*ck.

FSU will face South Carolina (39-21) in the regional championship needing a win to advance to the best-of-three Super Regional. If the Seminoles lose Sunday's game, they will play another winner-take-all game in the double-elimination round.

The Gameco*cks beat Marist 2-1 and UCF 10-1 on Saturday to advance to the championship game.

Follow along below for live updates.

'A different team now': Florida State softball looks to avoid last year's fate

Pitch clock needed? '26, 27, 28!' UCF pitcher Sarah Willis' long time between pitches sparks Florida State

More on pitch clock: Florida State softball's 3-hour victory over UCF raises questions over pitching clock

4:28 p.m. Kathryn Sanderco*ck finishes perfect game, sends FSU to Super Regionals

Kathryn Sanderco*ck threw the first perfect game for Florida State since 2018 to send her team to the regionals.

She struck out five hitters and induced 15 groundball outs in her win.

Riley Blampied grounded out to second base to finish off the perfect game.

Sanderco*ck threw a no-hitter earlier this season.

FSU will play host to Georgia next week in the Super Regional next week at JoAnne Graf Field. The Bulldogs went 3-0 in the Athens Regional, including two victories over FSU’s ACC rival Virginia Tech.

Sanderco*ck was doused in an ice bath following the win during her TV appearance.

"I am feeling overwhelmed right now," Sanderco*ck said on the broadcast.

4:18 p.m. Devyn Flaherty continues big day

Devyn Flaherty doubled with two outs in the sixth inning, her third hit of the day and the second of the game. She was stranded when Michaela Edenfield struck out to end the inning, however.

Donnie Goburne continued her strong day by working around the double and giving her team one final opportunity to try and crack Kathryn Sanderco*ck and save their season.

Sanderco*ck has been perfect through six innings, striking out four hitters and inducing 13 ground ball outs.

4:10 p.m. Kathryn Sanderco*ck perfect through 6

Kathryn Sanderco*ck perfect through six innings

Sanderco*ck continued throwing blanks at the South Carolina offense. She retired the side 1-2-3 in the sixth inning on nine pitches.

Through six-inning, she has four strikeouts and is only at 52 pitches, with 40 of them going for strikes.

She has also added 13 ground ball outs, her specialty and just one fly ball.

It has truly been a dominant performance for the FSU ace.

4:00 p.m. Seminoles inning ends with play at the plate

Kaley Mudge drew a walk returning from the weather delay. Jahni Kerr grounded out to first base, Josie Muffley rounded third base and tried to score and was tagged out to end the inning.

The play was reviewed for potential obstruction but it was upheld. It was determined the catcher did not block the lane for the runner.

Kathryn Sanderco*ck returns for the sixth inning, with a perfect game in the works.

3:53 p.m. Game has resumed

The game is back. Donnie Gobourne remains on the mound for USC. Kaley Mudge at the plate with a runner on first, one out. Josie Muffley reached on a walk.

3:50 p.m. Game will resume

Florida State softball announced on Twitter that the game will resume at 3:50 p.m. following the 30-minute weather delay. South Carolina currently throwing around. FSU back in the dugout.

3:32 p.m. Tarp comes off field

The rain tarp is coming off the field as we are about 20 minutes out from when the original weather announcement was made. Seminoles are coming back into the dugout.

3:13 p.m. Game is now in a weather delay

After Muffley is walked, umpires pull players off the field due to a lighting delay. Tarp is now on the field. 30-minute delay per strike. The hope is that we'll get started again at 3:43 p.m. Will update you with any time modification.

3:05 p.m. Sanderco*ck picks up two more Ks, USC still hitless

The FSU defense continues to stay locked in as Sanderco*ck strikes out Aniyah Black and Jen Cummings to bump her overall total to four on the afternoon. Ground out sends us to the bottom of the fifth.

2:56 p.m. Seminoles go hitless for the first time since the 1st

Wacaser and Flaherty pop up, and Edenfield flies out to send FSU back on defense. Offense already looking better than it did in the first game with five hits in 16 team at-bats, with one run scored. Aniyah Black will lead off for South Carolina in fifth.

2:52 p.m. Kathryn Sanderco*ck perfect through 4

Two ground outs and a flyout leave South Carolina hitless and scoreless. Sanderco*ck's stat line currently stands at no hits, no runs, no walks, and two strikeouts. She's faced 12 batters and owns an ERA of 1.13. The defense has nine ground outs on 30 pitches.

2:46 p.m. Florida State breaks scoring drought, takes the lead

The Seminoles finally broke through for their first run of the game when Josie Muffley scored from second on a bunt single from Jahni Ker. Muffley scored when the ball was thrown away at first base, allowing Kerr to advance to second.

Muffley had led the inning off with a single to centerfield and advanced to second base when Kaley Mudge grounded out to the pitcher. Mudge missed a home run by a few feet a pitch earlier.

Donnie Gobourne took over on the mound for the Gameco*cks.

Kerr was quickly tagged out in a rundown between second and third base following the first pitch to Kalei Harding. Harding doubled a few pitches later and Mack Leonard flew out to end the inning.

2:32 p.m. Josie Muffley's defense aids Kathryn Sanderock's 4-pitch inning

Josie Muffley adds another highlight-reel defensive play, stealing a hit from Giulia Desiderio on a ball hit up the middle. She dove for the ball, came up with it and fired a strike to first.

Kathryn Sanderco*ck is through three innings on just 26 pitches, collecting three more ground outs on just four pitches in the inning.

She has two strikeouts and seven ground ball outs so far today.

2:29 p.m. Florida State gets Devyn Flaherty to third, fails to score

Devyn Flaherty snapped a streak off 22 straight FSU hitters retired between two games today with a one-out single in the second. It was the first hit since Flaherty got a leadoff single in the second inning of the first game.

Michaela Edenfield followed her with a single, allowing Flaherty to reach third with one out.

Unfortunately for the Seminoles, Hallie Wacaser fouled out and Betheny Keen popped out to short to end the scoring threat.

The Seminoles have been shut out for nine straight innings.

2:19 p.m. Kathryn Sanderco*ck reaches new milestone for season

Kathryn Sanderco*ck opened the second inning by striking out Amiyah Black. It was the 100th strikeout of the season for the redshirt senior and the 470th of her FSU career.

She then proceeded to get Jen Cummings and Marissa Gonzalez to ground out to end the inning on 11 pitches.

Through two innings Sanderco*ck has two strikeouts and four groundouts. She looks locked in, hoping this won't be her final collegiate game.

2:10 p.m. Seminoles' bats remain quiet

Make that 21 straight Seminoles hitters retired going back to the second inning of the first game. Kaley Mudge almost had a leadoff hit, but Riley Blampied robbed of her a potential base hit with a diving catch.

USC starter Bailey Betenbaugh got Jahni Kerr to strikeout on a 2-2 count for the second out before Kaeli Harding fouled out.

It was a nine-pitch inning for Betenbaugh.

2:04 p.m. Kathryn Sanderco*ck 1-2-3 first inning

Game 2 first pitch came from Kathryn Sanderco*ck at 1:57 p.m. in 89-degree weather with mostly cloudy skies.

The FSU ace got the start and got Jordan Fabian looking for a strikeout to open the game and then induced groundball outs from Zoe Laneaux and Riley Blampied for an efficient 11-pitch first inning.

The Seminoles will seek their first hit since the second inning of the opener.

1:48 p.m. Starting lineups for in for Game 2

Gameco*cks:

Jordan Fabian, 1B

Zoe Laneaux, 3B

Riley Blampied, CF

Aniyah Black, DP

Jen Cummings, RF

Marissa Gonzalez, LF

Giulia Desiderio, C

Emma Sellers, 2B

Brooke Blankenship, SS

Bailey Betenbaugh, P

Seminoles

Kaley Mudge, LF

Jahni Kerr, CF

1:35 p.m. Start time for Game 2

Florida State announced it will be a 1:55 p.m. first pitch time for the second game.

Lineups have not yet been announced, but ace Kathryn Sanderco*ck should be the favorite to start for the Seminoles with their season on the line.

1:18 p.m. Gameco*cks for "if necessary" game

Florida State softball saw its 18-game winning streak snapped and will have to play in an elimination game for their season following a 4-0 loss to South Carolina in the NCAA Tallahassee Regional.

The first pitch for the second game will be 35 minutes after the conclusion of the opener.

Karsen Ochs and Donnie Garboune limited the Seminoles to two hits in seven shutout innings. The two combined to strike out six hitters.

Aniyah Black drove in two runs for the Gameco*cks.

Devyn Flaherty had a leadoff single in the top of the second, which turned out to be the final hit and base runner of the game for the Seminoles.

1:13 p.m. Last chance for Seminoles softball

Allison Royalty bounced back with a strong inning, getting the Gameco*cks down in order after giving up two runs in the fifth inning.

Shortstop Josie Muffley made a diving catch over the middle to rob Marissa Gonzalez of a potential hit.

The Seminoles have made a few great defensive plays, but also had a few lapses on the field.

Florida State went down 1-2-3 in the top of the sixth, making it 15 straight hitters for FSU retired since a leadoff single by Devyn Flaherty in the second inning.

FSU will need a massive rally in the seventh inning to avoid the “if necessary game.”

12:55 p.m. South Carolina Gameco*cks push lead to four runs

Aniyah Black pushed the South Carolina lead to 4-0 on a two-out, two-RBI single in the bottom of the fifth inning off FSU pitcher Allison Royalty.

Royalty, who came on in relief of Makenna Reid, walked Brooke Blankenship on five pitches to begin the bottom of the fifth inning. Jordan Fabian reached first on an error by Josie Muffley and moved up to second on a stolen base with no outs.

Michaela Edenfield made a big play on a dropped third strike, throwing out the batter and then receiving a throw from Mack Leonard to nab Blankenship trying to score.

The Gameco*cks' aggressiveness early in the game worked in their favor. It hurt them there.

USC has had two potential runs tagged out at home. Hallie Wacaser threw out a runner earlier in the game.

Riley Blampied walked with two outs to put runners on the corners, again.

12:35 p.m. Donnie Gobourne records 200th strikeout of season

Donnie Gobourne remains in control for the Gameco*cks. She struck out Michaela Edenfield looking to begin the top half of the fifth inning.

She also got Hallie Wacaser to ground out to third and Kate Dack to strike out swinging. The strikeout of Dack was her 200th of the season.

That’s 12 straight Seminoles hitters who have been retired by Gameco*ck pitching.

Makenna Reid, who came in relief for Ali DuBois, struck out a pair of hitters, working around a leadoff hit by pitch in the bottom of the fourth. Outside of a two-run first, FSU pitchers have thrown well.

Allison Royalty has taken over in the circle for Makenna Reid.

12:16 p.m. USC coach Beverly Smith blasts NCAA on schedule

South Carolina head coach Beverly Smith joined the broadcast in the bottom of the fourth inning and blasted the NCAA for the schedule.

“The NCAA needs to be better about this,” Smith said on the broadcast. “We are playing on less than 7 hours of sleep.”

Donnie Gobourne took over for Karsen Ochs in the top half of the fourth inning. She went 1-2-3 including a strikeout. The two pitchers have retired nine in a row since a leadoff single by Devyn Flaherty to open the second inning.

Makenna Reid took over on the mound for FSU in place of Ali DuBois.

12:02 p.m. Hallie Wacaser saves a run for Seminoles

Right fielder Hallie Wacaser made a big momentum play for FSU when she threw out Zoe Laneaux trying to score from second on a single by Aniyah Black.

Michaela Edenfield made a swipe tag on Laneaux as she tried to sneak past on at the plate.

In the top half of the inning, FSU went down 1-2-3. Six straight Seminoles have been set down by Karsen Ochs, who looks comfortable on the mound in just her eighth start.

FSU did not have a hit through three innings yesterday against UCF.

"The out was nice," FSU head coach Lonni Alameda said on the broadcast.

Gameco*ck ace Donnie Gobourne has taken over in the circle.

11:45 a.m. Ali DuBois bounces back with a strong second inning

DuBois bounced back after a rough start in the first inning. She got the first hitter Giulia Desiderio to ground out on the first pitch to third base. She induced a pop-out from Emma Sellers on an 0-2 count on a sharp changeup.

DuBois gets Brooke Blankenship to strike out on her changeup looking to end the inning.

The changeup started inside but broke inside to find the corner to end the frame.

Now the Seminoles' offense has a chance to get going. They have had opportunities early.

11:38 a.m. Devyn Flaherty leads off with a single but FSU can't score again

Devyn Flaherty led off the second inning with a single to center field off the glove of Riley Blampied.

The play was reviewed if Flaherty got back to second and she did get back safely.

Flaherty then stole second on a 3-2 count which saw Michaela Edenfield strikeout. Hallie Wacaser got a hold of a ball, but it went right to the centerfielder.

Friday’s hero and birthday girl Katie Dack grounded out to end the inning.

11:28 a.m. Aggressive Gameco*cks jump on Ali DuBois in first

South Carolina came out aggressive, scoring two runs within the first nine pitches off Ali DuBois.

Jordan Fabien with a leadoff single and Zoe Laneaux moved her over to second on a bunt. Both players move up on the throw.

Riley Blampied followed that with a squeeze bunt RBI groundout to give USC a 1-0 lead.

Jen Cummings lined a two-out liner to right field to plate a second run. DuBois was able to bounce back and strike out Marissa Gonzalez to end the threat.

11:16 a.m. Seminoles threaten, but can't score in first

Karsen Och throws the first pitch to Kaley Mudge at 11:05 a.m. with 82-degree weather and a mostly sunny sky.

Mudge took the second pitch to center field for a base hit. Mudge stole second base with Jahni Kerr at the dish. Kalei Harding walked to put runners on first and second.

Och got Mack Leonard to line out to second baseman Emma Sellers, who then caught Harding off first base for a double play to end the threat.

Ali DuBois pitches for the first time in the tournament in the bottom of the inning.

10:40 a.m. Starting lineups for Gameco*cks and Seminoles

Gameco*cks:

Jordan Fabian, 1B

Zoe Laneaux, 3B

Riley Blampied, CF

Aniyah Black, DP

Jen Cummings, RF

Marissa Gonzalez, LF

Giulia Desiderio, C

Emma Sellers, 2B

Brooke Blankenship, SS

Karsen Ochs, P

Seminoles

Kaley Mudge, LF

Jahni Kerr, CF

Kalei Harding, 3B

Mack Leonard, 1B

Devyn Flaherty, 2B

Michaela Edenfield, C

Hallie Wacaser, RF

Katie Dack, DP

Josie Muffley, SS

Ali DuBois, P

Where is Florida State playing in the NCAA softball tournament?

JoAnne Graf Field, Tallahassee, Florida

What time is FSU softball game?

11 a.m. Sunday, May 21. If Florida State loses, the deciding game will be played at 1:30 p.m.

How can Iwatch FSU softball on TV, streaming?

TV:Games will be spread across the ESPN family of networks:

ESPN2 (Channel 209 on DirecTV, Channel 143 on Dish)
ESPNU (Channel 208 on DirecTV, Channel 141 on Dish)
ACC Network (Channel 612 on DirecTV, Channel 402 on Dish)

Live stream:ESPN+($9.99 per month),WatchESPN(cable subscription needed) and the ESPN app,YouTube TV(2-week free trial),Hulu + Live TV(7-day free trial),fuboTV(7-day free trial)

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