FSU Softball finishes sweep of UNC; Baseball drops finale at Duke

FSU Sports Information Release

The No. 16 Florida State softball team (40-10, 18-3) accomplished its series sweep against the North Carolina Tar Heels (30-19, 10-14) in a 2-1 victory on Sunday. With this win, FSU has now won 14 consecutive games, and the Seminoles are 22-1 in their last 22 games.

Prior to the start of the game, FSU honored six seniors, including Allison Royalty, Kaley Mudge, Kalei Harding, Devyn Flaherty, Autumn Belviy, and Emma Wilson, in a pregame ceremony, as a thanks for their contributions to the success of the program.

After a quiet first two innings, which saw both teams make it on base but neither being able to secure a run, the Seminoles were the first to put a run on the board. Amaya Ross got things going with a single and stole second to put herself in scoring position. Ross would then reach third, after Kaley Mudge flied out left field, and would score an unearned run due to an error by the left fielder.

Later in the fourth inning, Kalei Harding reached first on a single to shortstop. Harding would advance to second and third, due to Isa Torres and Devyn Flaherty groundouts. Harding would score from third as a throw back to the pitcher went wild and scurried home and got the obstruction call to give the Noles a 2-0 lead. 

The Tar Heels would be close to scoring a run in the top of the fifth inning, with runners on second and third, but with two outs, Ashtyn Danley forced a groundout to the get out of the inning. 

Later in the top of the sixth, the Tar Heels had bases loaded and on the verge of scoring but would be stopped thanks to Flaherty converting the groundout to end the inning and maintain the Noles lead.

However, despite the two stops, UNC would not relent, scoring a run in the top of the seventh, but the Heels would not be able to tie the game after Kaley Mudge ended it by recording a flyout to end the contest.

The Seminoles saw solid performances from the circle during the matchup. Senior Allison Royalty made her ninth start of the season for the Seminoles. Royalty would go on to pitch for the first 3.0 innings, not allowing a single run on 14 batters faced.

Danley would take over for Royalty in the fourth inning and would stay in the circle for the next 3.2 innings, allowing only three hits and zero runs on 17 batters faced.

Emma Wilson took over for Danley for the final 0.1 innings, completing the Seminole victory. UNC got its share of hits with 10, but the FSU pitchers stranded 12 Tar Heel runners on base. 

Florida State’s next matchup will come against No. 12 Florida for a midweek matchup for a home game at JoAnne Graf Field on Wednesday at 7 p.m.

FSU Baseball drops finale at Duke after taking series

Junior James Tibbs III hit his 18^th home run of the season in Sunday’s 16-4 loss at No. 6 Duke. Tibbs ranks ninth in Florida State history with 45 career home runs.

No. 10 Florida State locked up the series win against the Blue Devils with wins at Jack Coombs Field Friday and Saturday.

Tibbs was 2-for-3 Sunday with a double in the first inning and a 437-foot home run in the third inning. Tibbs’ 18 home runs lead the team and are a career best, topping his 17 as a sophomore in 2023.

After FSU took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first, Duke scored 12 straight, including 10 runs in the second inning against five Seminole pitchers.

Cam Smith singled and scored a pair of runs, extending his on-base streak to 53 games, the eighth-longest in school history. Smith leads FSU with a .393 batting average and 55 runs scored.

OF NOTE:

• Third baseman Cam Smith singled and scored FSU’s first run in the first inning. He has reached base in 53 consecutive games, tied with Doug Mientkiewicz (1994-95) for the eighth-longest streak in program history.
• Smith leads FSU with a .399 batting average and 55 runs scored.
• James Tibbs III doubled and hit a home run, his 18^th of the year and most on the team. His 15 doubles are one shy of the team lead.
• Tibbs’ 45 career home runs are tied for ninth in FSU history (Ed Fulton, 1985-87).
• FSU has hit a home run in 18 consecutive games, tying the school record from the 1983 season. The Noles have at least one HR in 39 of 43 games.
• Marco Dinges earned his seventh sacrifice fly of the season, most on the team. He entered the weekend 14^th in the country in sac flies.
• Jaime Ferrer doubled to extend his hitting streak to a team-high seven games.
• Ben Barrett made his first appearance since March 2. He recorded an out on two pitches.
• Yoel Tejeda struck out a career-high five batters in 2.2 innings.
• Duke’s second inning included back-to-back-to-back home runs (first vs. FSU since 2005). The Blue Devils 10 runs scored in the frame were the most vs. FSU since 2017.

UP NEXT:

Florida State will host No. 21 N.C. State for a three-game series beginning Friday at 6 p.m.

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