South Carolina softball knocks off No. 1 FSU

The South Carolina softball team opened a quick two-game home series with Florida State facing the No. 1 team in the land that had taken only two losses this season.

Make that three after Friday.

The Gamecocks (25-17) put up five runs in the fourth inning and two more in the fifth to knock off the Seminoles (38-3-1) 7-2. It’s the second-most runs FSU has given up this season.

USC trailed 1-0 after Cali Harrod scored on an error in the second inning. But Tiara Duffy erased that with a three-run home run in the fourth, and an RBI single and sacrifice fly expanded the Gamecocks lead.

After the ‘Noles got a run back, Alyssa VanDerveer hit a two-run shot.

No. 3 pitcher Cayla Drotar (5-2) allowed only two runs in five innings for the Gamecocks, and Nickie Blue threw the final two innings. FSU had been averaging 7.7 runs a game.

FSU ace Jessica Burroughs (20-2) saw her ERA rise from .57 to .77 after allowing four earned runs and leaving after 3 1/3 innings.

The teams close out the series at 1 p.m. Saturday in Carolina Softball Stadium.

This story was originally published April 14, 2017 at 8:46 PM with the headline "South Carolina softball knocks off No. 1 FSU."