BY CLIFF SMELLEY
Telegraph Staff Writer
Visiting Florida State University High School hit a grand slam and two other home runs in the second inning, which gave pitcher Carly Allen all the support she needed as the Seminoles handed Keystone Heights a 15-1, five-inning loss in the May 10 Region 1-3A quarterfinals.
The Indians (9-19) scored 29 runs in their previous three games, but were facing the prospect of a shutout until Alaina Kinsall’s two-out double scored Kadence Massey in the bottom of the fourth. That was one of only four hits allowed by Allen.
FSU (18-5), which hosts Episcopal (21-4) in a semifinal game on Tuesday, May 16, had scored more than 10 runs in six straight games until its 1-0 loss to Marianna in the District 2 championship. Against Keystone, though, the Seminoles had 14 hits and scored all but four of their runs in two innings (the second and the fifth).
The Seminoles put their first run on the board in the first. Jaysoni Beachum hit a one-out triple into right field. Anna Green then walked before Breana Barnes hit a sacrifice fly to score Beachum. Catcher Amber Wagner was able to throw Green out trying to take second on the play to end the inning.
Keystone did put a scoring threat together with two outs in the bottom of the inning when Kiley Channell and Ashley Nugent both walked, but a Wagner fly ball was caught at the fence by center fielder Barnes.
FSU opened the top of the second with back-to-back home runs by Dillyn Suggs and Allen. The Indians were then able to record two straight outs, but Cannon Ramsey hit an infield single, while Maddie Mayo doubled. Beachum was intentionally walked to load the bases. Green stepped to the plate and took three straight balls before driving a pitch over the fence in left for a grand slam and a 7-0 lead.
The three home runs put the Seminoles’ total at 41 for the season.
Keystone put two runners on with two outs in the third, with Channell drawing a walk and Nugent hitting a single. A strikeout ended the threat.
Singles by Mayo and Beachum pushed a run across in the top of the fourth as the Seminoles increased their lead to 8-0.
Massey reached on an error to lead off the Indians’ half of the fourth. One out later, Madallynn Glinski drew a walk. Allen then recorded one of her six strikeouts before Kinsall hit a double into center field to score Massey and make it an 8-1 game. A fly out ended the inning.
The Seminoles completed their scoring in the fifth, taking advantage of four hits and two walks. Suggs hit a run-scoring double, while Green drove in two runs on a single. Mayo (single) and Barnes (fielder’s choice) each drove in a run as well.
Channell led off the bottom of the fifth with a walk, followed by a Nugent double. They were left stranded after a strikeout, a line out to shortstop Mayo and another strikeout.
Nugent was the Indians’ only batter with more than one hit, going 2 for 2.
