TALLAHASSEE – The No. 7 Florida State softball team (11-4) defeated Dartmouth (0-4), 8-0, in five innings before falling to No. 9 Alabama (12-0), 5-1, in Saturday’s doubleheader at the Dugout Club Classic. 

FSU 8 Dartmouth 0 (5)

The game started off hot with a leadoff triple to center field from freshman second baseman Marin Heller, and she was driven in by junior left fielder Ashtyn Danley.  

 

The bottom of the second inning is where all the bats came alive. Sophomore right fielder Shelby McKenzie singled to center field. The next at-bat, freshman center fielder Makenna Sturgis ripped a line drive double down the left field line to score McKenzie.  Right after, redshirt-freshman catcher Bella Ruggiero doubled to center field to bring Sturgis home. Ruggiero then advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on a groundout by junior first baseman Angelee Bueno.  

 

Heller picked up her second hit of the day with a single. Then junior third baseman Jaysoni Beachum, who made a highlight reel double play in the top of the second inning, doubled down the left field line, advancing Heller to third. On a wild pitch, Heller made her way to home plate to make it 5-0 after two innings. 

 

In the third inning, freshman designated player Anna Hinde singled to shallow right field and would advance to second on a wild pitch. McKenzie would walk and then steal second base. Hinde scored, and McKenzie advanced to third on a sacrifice fly by Sturgis.  

 

The fifth inning started off with a walk by Haley Griggs, and she would score on a game-ending two-run home run by McKenzie. 

 

Marlee Gaskell got the start in the circle and threw 2.1 scoreless innings. Dimitrijevic came on to relieve Gaskell and threw 2.2 innings and allowed just one hit to earn the win. 

SCORING SUMMARY: 

B1 | FSU 1, Dartmouth 0             Danley grounded out, Heller scored. 

B2 | FSU 2, Dartmouth 0             Sturgis doubled, McKenzie scored. 

B2 | FSU 3, Dartmouth 0             Ruggiero doubled, Sturgis scored. 

B2 | FSU 4, Dartmouth 0             Bueno grounded out, Ruggiero scored. 

B2 | FSU 5, Dartmouth 0             Heller scored on a wild pitch. 

B3 | FSU 6, Dartmouth 0             Sturgis sacrifice fly, Hinde scored. 

B5 | FSU 8, Dartmouth 0             McKenzie homered, Griggs scored. 

FSU 1 Alabama 5

Alabama took an early lead in the first inning when Alexis Pupillo launched a solo home run to deep center off FSU starter Jazzy Francik, putting the Tide ahead 1–0.

 

Florida State had an opportunity to score in the third when Makenna Sturgis led off the inning with a double and advanced to third on a wild pitch, but she was stranded there. 

 

Alabama added to its lead in the as Mari Hubbard hit a solo homer to left to make it 2–0 in the fourth. The Tide added two more runs in the fifth when Pupillo connected for her second home run of the night, a two-run shot that ended Francik’s outing.

Reliever Makenna Reid entered and helped stop the rally, throwing 1.1 innings with two strikeouts. Alabama added its final run in the sixth on a solo home run from Jena Young, pushing the lead to 5–0 before Florida State moved Ashtyn Danley into the circle. Danley closed the game with 1.1 scoreless innings and a strikeout.

 

In the bottom of the seventh, the Noles finally put themselves on the board. After two outs, Sturgis drove a solo home run. Ultimately,  Alabama still secured the 5–1 victory.

 

Florida State finishes the Dugout Club Classic Tournament on Sunday, February 22 against Elon University. First pitch at the Seminole Softball Complex is set for 12:30 p.m. on ACCNX. 

 

SCORING SUMMARY:

T1  | FSU 0, Alabama 1     Pupillo homered

T4  | FSU 0, Alabama 2     Hubbard homered

T5  | FSU 0, Alabama 4     Pupillo homered,  Pate scored

T6  | FSU 0, Alabama 5     Young homered

B7  | FSU 1, Alabama 5     Sturgis homered

Of Note

• Anna Hinde singled in the bottom of the third inning against Dartmouth to extend her hitting streak to nine games and her reach-base streak to 14 games. Those streaks both came to an end against Alabama.
• Shelby McKenzie hit a home run in the bottom of the fifth inning to give the Noles the run-rule win. It was Mckenzie’s third walk-off for a run-rule win this season. 
• In the two games today, Makenna Sturgis went 4-for-4 with two doubles and a home run. 
• FSU improved to 4-0 all-time against Dartmouth
• FSU has won 41 consecutive regular season games against unranked non-conference foes dating back to Mar. 8, 2024.