FSU Softball Crushes Virginia to Open ACC Tournament

From 1992-95, Florida State’s football team won 29 straight games over ACC opponents. The FSU softball team has now won 30.

The top-seeded Seminoles kicked off the ACC Tournament in Chapel Hill on Thursday with an emphatic 16-0 win over eighth-seeded Virginia in a contest that lasted just five innings. FSU blew the game open with an ACC Tournament record 12 runs in the third.

For the Cavaliers (15-30), the trouble was keeping the ball in the yard. FSU (49-6-1) hit four home runs on the day, but it was hardly from the usual suspects.

Coming into the contest, the FSU trio of Dani Morgan, Anna Shelnutt and Korina Rosario had combined for just three home runs on the year. On Thursday, they combined for four.

Morgan got the scoring started with a 3-run blast — her third of the year — during a 4-run second inning. During FSU’s record-setting third, Shelnutt, who entered with one home run for the year, homered twice with a 3-run shot and a grand slam. That slam was immediately followed by Rosario’s first home run of the year.

In addition to Shelnutt’s career day, Ellie Cooper and Alex Powers each drove in two runs. Morgan and Carsyn Gordon each scored three times. During FSU’s offensive explosion, ACC Player of the Year, Jessica Warren was an uncharacteristic 0-for-3 at the plate.

On the day she was named ACC Pitcher of the Year for a second straight season, Jessica Burroughs got the win by tossing three shutout innings. Burroughs allowed two hits and struck out five.

With the victory, FSU moves on to the semifinals to face either fourth-seeded Boston College or No. 5 seed Notre Dame. The winner will advance to Saturday’s ACC Championship.

Mike Ferguson is the editor of The Daily Nole. Follow Mike on Twitter @MikeWFerguson