OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Kathryn Sandercock was strong in relief, and No. 3 seed Florida State held on to beat No. 7 Washington 3-1 on Saturday night and clinch a spot in the Women’s College World Series semifinals.
Sandercock allowed one run on six hits in 5 2/3 innings to claim the win.
Devyn Flaherty had two hits and scored twice for the Seminoles (57-9), who will play the winner of Sunday’s Tennessee-Oklahoma State game on Monday. Florida State remained unbeaten in the double-elimination bracket and will need to win once on Monday to advance to the best-of-three championship series. The Seminoles would have to lose twice to be eliminated.
Washington (44-14) will play No. 9 Stanford in an elimination game on Sunday. The winner of that game would advance to the semifinals and play No. 1 seed Oklahoma on Monday.
Sandercock stepped in for Makenna Reid in the second inning. Sandercock gave up a single and hit a batter before escaping a bases-loaded jam without allowing a run.
Josie Muffley’s single in the second scored Flaherty, and Kaley Mudge’s sacrifice fly scored Mack Leonard to give Florida State a 2-0 lead.
Washington trimmed the deficit to 2-1 in the sixth and had a runner on third with two outs but couldn’t get her across.
Washington trailed 3-1 before starting the seventh with two hits. The Seminoles snuffed out the threat when Muffley snagged a hard line drive by Madison Huskey and got the out at second for the double play.
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