Seminoles rally past Jayhawks, 5-4
TALLAHASSEE, FLA. ? An error with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning cost Kansas University’s softball team a road victory against a ranked team.
No. 18 Florida State rallied for two runs in the bottom of the sixth and scored three more in the seventh to pull out a 5-4 victory over KU on Friday at the Sunshine Classic.
Kansas senior Kelly Campbell had a no-hitter through 423 innings and a shutout through five. Campbell gave up two runs in the sixth and was relieved by Kara Pierce after allowing a leadoff single in the seventh.
Pierce, the Big 12 freshman of the year last season, struck out the first batter she faced before allowing a walk and hitting a batter with a pitch to load the bases.
FSU’s Brandi Stuart then grounded to shortstop Melanie Wallach, whose throw to second base went over Amy Hulse’s head. The Seminoles scored two runs on the error to tie the score at 4-4.
The Seminoles (15-6) won it when Kimmy Carter  who was 2-for-3 with two RBI  singled to left off Pierce (2-4). None of three runs scored against the sophomore were earned.
Florida State had better luck with its bullpen. KU tagged starter Jess van der Linden for four hits and four runs in one-third of an inning, but reliever Leslie Malerich (7-5) allowed only two hits in 623 innings. She struck out eight and walked three.
The Jayhawks (4-7) got off to a good start against van der Linden. The first three Jayhawks reached base in the first. Katie Campbell then stroked an RBI single, Leah Tabb knocked in a run with a sacrifice fly, and Megan Urquhart added a two-run single to make it 4-0.
The top four hitters in KU’s lineup were a combined 5-of-13, but the bottom half of the lineup was 1-of-14.
Five of the Jayhawks’ seven losses have come against ranked teams. KU will have another chance today when it meets No. 22 Mississippi State at 3 p.m. A contest against Big 12 rival Texas follows at 5 p.m.
Florida State 5, Kansas 4
Kansas 400 000 0 Â 4 6 1
Florida State 999 992 3 Â 5 7 5
Kelly Campbell, Kara Pierce (6) and Dani May. Jess van der Linden, Leslie Malerich (1) and Julie Jordan. W Â Malerich 7-5. L Â Pierce 2-4. 2B Â Brandi Stuart, FSU; 3B Â Van der Linden.