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TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The Virginia softball team was defeated by No. 18 Florida State in a doubleheader Saturday at JoAnne Graf Field in Tallahassee, Fla. The Seminoles edged Virginia in the first game, 3-1, and won 12-4 in six innings in the second game.
The Cavaliers (25-19, 2-14 ACC) were outhit in game two, 10-7, with seven different Cavaliers registering a hit, highlighted by a Casey Steffan home run and doubles from Carly Winger and Lauren McCaskey.
Florida State (37-13, 13-4 ACC) put three runs on the board in the first inning, but Virginia rebounded to score four runs in the bottom half. Abby Snyder started off the rally with a single to right field. Nicole Koren then singled to center to put runners on first and second. Sarah Tacke blasted a single to right, which was bobbled by FSU’s Shayla Jackson, as both Snyder and Koren came across to score and Tacke moved to third. McCaskey recorded a RBI with a sacrifice fly to deep left, which tied the game. Steffan then homered to right center to give Virginia a 4-3 advantage, her fourth of the season
The offense continued in the second inning with the Seminoles scored four more runs, thanks to a grand slam from Kaleigh Rafter. Virginia was held scoreless as the Seminoles tacked on two more runs in the third and three in the sixth for the run-rule victory.
Koren threw the first two innings and took the loss and Stephanie Coates came on in relief for the final 3 2/3 innings. FSU’s Terese Gober earned the victory and finished with 11 strikeouts.
Virginia senior Karla Wilburn threw a complete game in the first contest, allowing just four hits and no earned runs. Florida State’s Sarah Hamilton collected the win. She gave up one hit and struck out 12.
The Seminoles took a 1-0 lead after the first inning. Carly Wynn singled to short to lead off the stanza and later moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. With two outs in the inning, Rafter popped up to second base but the ball was dropped and Wynn scored from second.
Florida State added two more in the fourth. Michelle Snyder led off the inning with a Virginia fielding error and then stole second. With one out, Kristie McConn singled to center and moved to second on the throw to put runners on second and third. Snyder scored on a stolen base and McConn scored on a sac fly to center.
The Cavaliers cut the lead to two with a run in the fifth. Sarah Tacke would reach second on a fielding error and Megan Wind came on to punch run. Lauren McCaskey bunted Wind over to third. She later scored on Casey Steffan’s RBI double down the right field line.
Virginia was held scoreless in its final two at-bats.
Florida State and UVa will wrap-up the series at noon Sunday, marking the final regular season game of the year for the Cavaliers.