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Florida State Wins the Opener, 4-2

Mar 11, 2021

Box Score (PDF)

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- No. 15 Florida State won game 1 vs. second-ranked Arizona, 4-2 on Thursday evening at JoAnne Graf Field in Tallahassee.

The Seminoles scored three runs in the first inning and Arizona was not able to recover. UA managed just two runs on seven hits. The Wildcats had two runners thrown out on the base paths to end two innings in the game.

Hanah Bowen relieved starter Alyssa Denham and got every out of the game, pitching an impressive 6.0 innings of relief in which she allowed just one run, a fourth inning solo homer, one of three hits she allowed in the game. Bowen fanned five and walked one. Denham allowed three runs on three hits and two walks to start the game, She fell to 6-2 on the year.

Offensively, Arizona used a Dejah Mulipola home run -- her fourth in the last three games and eighth overall -- and an Alyssa Palomino-Cardoza RBI groundout to plate its two runs. Mulipola and Jessie Harper both had a pair of hits in the game, accounting for four of UA's seven on the night.

In the top of the first, Harper hit a two-out double and Mulipola followed with a single through the right side. Harper was thrown out at home to end the frame.

In the bottom of the inning, The first six Seminoles reached base, scoring three runs on three hits and three walks. With two on and nobody out, Bowen entered and limited the damage, not allowing either inherited runner to score. 

Arizona got on the board in the third, when Allie Skaggs and Janelle Meoño both singled to put runners on the corners. A Palomino-Cardoza groundout scored one run and moved Meoño into scoring position. Harper followed with a single that appeared to be destined for center field to tie the game. The FSU shortstop made a diving grab to keep the ball in the infield and then threw behind Meoño at third to end the inning and end the rally.

Mulipola led off the top of the fourth with a solo homer to get within one.

Florida State got the run back with a solo homer of its own in the home half.

UA struggled the rest of the way offensively against Kathryn Sandercock (6-1), who allowed two runs on seven hits with four strikeouts and no walks. Arizona did bring the tying the run to the plate in the top of the seventh when Sharlize Palacios led off the frame with a single, but she was quickly erased on a double play.

Arizona and Florida State meet in game 2 on Friday at 6 p.m. MST.