No. 10 Florida State softball opened the Unconquered Invitational with a pair of wins over past Florida Gulf Coast, 12–3 and 5–3 in a doubleheader on Thursday at JoAnne Graf Field.
The Seminoles (15–4) erupted for 11 runs in the first three innings of Game 1, including putting up eight runs in the third, to put the opener out of reach early. The heart of FSU’s order — Kennedy Harp, Makenna Sturgis and Bella Ruggiero — combined to go 6-for-6 with five runs scored and six RBI.
Harp, making her return since battling a season-ending injury, hit her first home run of the year, a two‑run shot in the first inning.
Pitcer Jazzy Francik (7–1) allowed three runs on six hits over 3 2/3 innings, while Makenna Reid needed just 14 pitches to retire all four batters she faced to close out the win.
In Game 2, Anna Hinde delivered the decisive swing, a two‑run home run with two outs in the sixth inning that lifted FSU to a 5–3 victory.
Both teams were scoreless until the fifth, when FGCU’s Mackenzie Leiti launched a three‑run homer to put the Eagles ahead 3–0. The Seminoles answered immediately with three runs in the bottom half. Hinde, who drew a leadoff walk to break up Grace Taylor’s string of 12 straight retired batters, scored on Harp’s double off the left‑field wall.
Harp later evaded a tag at the plate on a Sturgis grounder, and Ruggiero tied the game with a double that scored Sturgis.
Hinde’s sixth‑inning homer brought home Ashtyn Danley, who reached on a fielder’s choice.
Bella Dimitrijevic (3–1) settled in after allowing Leiti’s home run, retiring seven of the final eight FGCU batters. Danley started for the Seminoles and worked three scoreless innings with three strikeouts.
The Unconquered Invitational will continue on Friday when the Seminoles take on Rutgers in a doubleheader matchup beginning at 10 a.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 FSU softball opens home invitational with 2 wins vs. FGCU
Reporting by Peter Holland Jr., Tallahassee Democrat / Tallahassee Democrat
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