No. 10 Florida State softball pushed its nation‑leading win streak to 17 games Sunday, capping another ACC sweep with a 9-1, five‑inning run‑rule victory over Cal (10-22, 1-8) at JoAnne Graf Field. The Seminoles (28-4, 6-0 ACC) have now recorded run‑rule wins in six of their last seven games, continuing a dominant March surge.
Freshman Marin Heller jump‑started the offense in the first inning, drilling a two‑run homer — the first of her career — to give the Seminoles an early cushion. FSU added two more runs in the second when Hayley Griggs scored on Jaysoni Beachum’s RBI single, followed by a sacrifice fly from Shelby McKenzie that brought home Isa Torres.
Florida State’s freshmen continued to deliver in the third. After a triple by Kennedy Harp, freshman McKenna Sturgis singled to push across another run. Harp then added an RBI single of her own, scoring McKenzie to make it 6-1.
With two runners aboard, freshman Anna Hinde delivered the decisive swing — a towering three‑run homer that put FSU ahead 9-1 and set up the run‑rule finish.
Ashtyn Danley earned the start and struck out four but allowed five hits and one earned run through 2⅓ innings. With the bases loaded in the third, senior Makenna Reid entered in relief and worked out of the jam. Reid (3-1) earned the win after 1⅔ innings of scoreless work.
Freshman Bella Dimitrijevic closed the door in the fifth, striking out two of the three batters she faced to secure the shortened victory.
FSU’s sweep marks another step in what has become one of the program’s most efficient stretches in recent seasons, powered in large part by its freshman class. The Seminoles now turn toward maintaining the nation’s longest winning streak as conference play deepens and the postseason picture comes into focus.
What’s next for FSU softball
FSU will look to continue its winning streak as it returns to the Seminole Softball Complex to host North Florida (26-10, 1-5) on Tuesday at 6 p.m.
The Seminoles will head to South Carolina to take on Clemson (22-10, 6-3) for an ACC series weekend, starting on Friday at 6 p.m.
Peter Holland Jr. covers Florida State athletics for the Tallahassee Democrat. Contact him via email at PHolland@Gannett.com or on X @_Da_pistol.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: No. 10 Florida State softball’s freshmen lead FSU to 17th straight win
Reporting by Peter Holland Jr., Tallahassee Democrat / Tallahassee Democrat
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