Florida State softball sweeps Florida A&M in a doubleheader at JoAnn Graf Field

Florida State softball continued its hot start to the season with a doubleheader sweep of Florida A&M on Tuesday.

The Seminoles defeated the Rattlers 8-0 and 9-1. Game one ended after five innings due to the eight-run mercy rule and game two ended after six innings.

FSU (6-1) limited FAMU (2-3) to just one run and five hits between the two games.

In the opener, the first six hitters of the game reached base for the Seminoles, as they plated four first-run innings. The biggest hit belonged to catcher Michaela Edenfield, who launched a three-run home run into the ramp of the parking deck behind left field. It was her second of the season.

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Mack Leonard opened the scoring with an RBI double. Kaley Mudge added two hits, a stolen base and a double, while Josie Muffley added an RBI double and Katie Dack had two RBI.

Allie DuBois started and earned the win, allowing just one hit in three shutout innings and striking out two. Kat Sandercock and Emma Wilson combined to pitch the final two innings.

Cris'Deona Beasley allowed seven runs (six earned) in 2 ⅔ innings of work. She allowed one hit while walking three and did not record a strikeout.

FAMU center fielder Jania Davis cut down Autumn Belviy, who was pinch running for Edenfield, on a play at the plate in the third inning. Davis also had one of the two hits for FAMU, Jane'a Mobley added the other.

In the nightcap, the Seminoles used a big third inning to take control of the game, scoring five times in the third.

Kalei Harding had the biggest hit of the inning, an RBI triple she laced to the right field wall. Mudge drove in the first run of the inning by dropping a sac bunt to score Hallie Wacaser from third. Wacaser opened the inning with a double, the first hit of the game for either team.

FAMU committed two errors, which helped FSU score a pair of runs in the inning.

Autumn Belviy added a two-run double in the fifth inning.

Mack Leonard started for FSU and went two innings.

Leonard picked up the walk-off hit in the sixth with a double to right-center to drive in Avery Weisbrook.

Allison Royalty picked up the victory in relief, striking out six hitters in her three innings of work. She allowed one run on two hits.  Freshman Madi Balk made her FSU debut, pitching one inning and picking up her first career strikeout.

Natasha Fox drove in Destiny Cuevas on an RBI double for the lone run for the Rattlers in the fifth inning. Cuevas’ single in the inning was the first base runner of the game,

Nadia Zenteno, who pitched the final 1 ⅓ innings for FAMU, earned the start in game two. Zenteno allowed seven runs (six earned) on three hits and walked five in five innings in the loss.

Up next:

Florida State will play No. 8 Arizona at 1 p.m. Thursday in Clearwater in the 2023 TaxAct Clearwater Invitational. The Seminoles are scheduled for five games against five top-20 opponents in the tournament which runs through Sunday.

FAMU is scheduled to play Houston Christian University at 3 p.m. Friday in the Southeastern Louisiana Tournament in Hammond, La. The Rattlers are scheduled to play five games.

Reach Ehsan Kassim at ekassim@gannett.com or follow him on Twitter at @Ehsan_Kassim. You can also follow our coverage on Facebook (NoleSports) and Instagram (tlhnolesports).

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