May 19, 2002

TALLAHASSEE, Fla - Florida State softball entered NCAA Regional play Sunday knowing they needed to win three straight games to keep their College World Series dreams alive and they took care of step one. The 21st-ranked Seminoles (51-18-0) needed eight innings but eliminated UTC (44-15-0) on an error with the bases loaded in the bottom of the eighth. The 1-0 win sent FSU into the regional championship for the third consecutive season where they will face ACC rival Georgia Tech for the fifth time this season.

Chattanooga put two of the first three hitters on base in the top half of the first on an infield single and a walk off Tribe starter Leslie Malerich (31-12). Jada Pescatore then lined a shot to first baseman Beth Wade who snagged the shot and then stepped on the bag to double off Melissa Ramierez to end the inning.

The Lady Mocs threatened again in the second as they put runners on second and third with just one down. Malerich once again fought back and got a foul out and a strike out looking to end the Chattanooga rally and keep the game even at 0-0.

Second baseman Dana Reed once again got UTC off to a good start in the third inning as she laced a one-out double down the left field line. Malerich, a senior from Merrillville, IN, shut down the threat as quickly as it started. She got the next batter she faced to line out to third and then got Pescatore to pop out to end the inning.

Starter Awbrey Winckler (18-8) held the Seminoles hitless through three innings before right fielder Shundra Colzie laced a single into right center. Jessica van der Linden sacrificed her to third before the Lady Mocs intentionally walked All-American candidate Brandi Stuart. With two out and two on, FSU was unable to draw first blood as Winckler got Kimmy Carter to pop out to second.

The Lady Mocs put another runner in scoring position in the fifth as a bloop single over the head of Seminole third baseman Robyn Larson and a sacrifice bunt landed Ashleigh Herman on second with one out. After a walk to Grace Pickett and a fielder's choice, UTC's leading hitter came to the plate. Ramierez, who was hitting .404 on the season entering the game, flew out weakly to left field to end the Lady Moc threat.

The Seminoles mounted a threat of their own with the bottom of the order in the fifth. Elisa Velasco sent a one out single through the left side and Beth Wade sent her to second on a sac bunt. Pinch-hitter Jackie Hirschfeld drew a walk to put runners on first and second but Winckler worked her way out of the jam as both teams continued to search for the game's first run.

Chattanooga came right back with a rally of their own using a single and two FSU errors to put runners on first and second with two outs. As had been the case all afternoon, Malerich bailed her team out by retiring Herman looking at a called third strike and ending the inning sending the game to the bottom of the sixth.

The game moved into the eighth with neither team being able to get a runner across the plate. Malerich seemed to get stronger and stronger as the game went on. The senior set the Lady Mocs down in order in the seventh and eighth and retiring the side 1-2-3 just once in the previous six innings.

In the bottom of the eighth, FSU got the lead-off hitter on for the first time in the game as Hirschfeld sent a shot to short which took a bad hop and allowed the third baseman to reach safely. After Hirschfeld was replaced by pinch runner Shandra Colzie, Tatiana George drew a walk to put Seminoles on first and second with no outs. Chattanooga ace Beth Alexander replaced Winckler in hopes of getting out of the jam and sending the game to the ninth. Shundra Colzie reached safely on what was intended to be a sacrifice bunt which loaded the bases with no one down for van der Linden. With the outfield drawn way in, the sophomore popped out to second for the first out of the frame. All-everything second baseman Stuart next came up trying to give FSU its second win of the regional. The All-Southeast first teamer missed on a squeeze bunt attempt and Shandra Colzie was caught off of third as she was running on the play. Chattanooga catcher Herman threw to Ramierez who dropped the bag allowing Colzie to come home with the game-winner.

The Seminoles and Jackets have split the season series 2-2 this year and will meet for the fifth time at 5:10 p.m. at the Seminole Softball Complex. For more information on Seminole softball and the 2002 NCAA Tallahassee Regional, please visit the official website of the Florida State Athletic Department at www.seminoles.com. The regional's official website contains game stories, box scores, photos, live stats, links to buy tickets and much more.