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Postgame Notes

May 25, 2002

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Florida State 4, Nebraska 3
Game #10 of the Women's College World Series

With a Florida State victory over Nebraska, Malerich became only the second Seminole pitcher to collect two victories in the College World Series. Debbie DeJohn was the first Seminole to perform such a feat when she defeated Fresno State and UNLV back in 1990. That year the Seminoles went 2-2 in the WCWS, they're best showing ever in a College World Series. In 2002, Malerich defeated No. 1 UCLA and Nebraska.

Brandi Stuart hit her first double of the WCWS and continues her hot bat at the plate in the series. In the three games this tournament, the Seminoles have collected 12 hits with Stuart owning four of them. This is only the third extra base hit for Florida State in the series. Stuart's double in the second was her 27th of her career, moving her into a tie for third all-time with Lisa Davidson.

Coming into tonight's game against Nebraska, Leslie Malerich had accumulated three strikeouts through two games. She recorded one against UCLA and two versus Cal. Against the Cornhuskers, Malerich struck out a total of six Husker batters. At one point in the game, Malerich had struck out three Nebraska batters in a row.

Third baseman Becky Brock returned to the batting line-up and hit ninth against Nebraska. Although Brock had been playing third base in every game of the series, she had not been hitting due to a sprained ankle that has hampered her running ability. Brock looked good in her first attempt, fouling off a couple pitches before grounding out to first for the second out of the third inning. She then popped up to second in her second attempt during the sixth inning.

After drawing a third inning walk, Shundra Colzie went on to steal second base for her first stolen base of the tournament and team's second of the series. Colzie for the season is 13-16 in the stolen base category. Brandi Stuart collected FSU's first stolen base of the WCWS off UCLA catcher Stacey Nuveman. So far the Seminoles have gone a perfect 2-2 in stolen bases in Oklahoma City.

Nebraska's run in the third inning is only the ninth run allowed by Florida State all year in the third. For the season, the Seminoles have outscored their opponents 70-9 in the third inning.

In game three against the Cornhuskers, Beth Wade and Jackie Hirschfeld collected their first base hits of the series. Wade started the four run fifth with a bloop single to right center. Then Jackie Hirschfeld, who came in as a pinch hitter for Brock, singled to left field on a 3-2 offering by Peaches James.

In the fifth inning with the bases covered in garnet and gold, Kimmy Carter came through yet again for the Seminoles, taking a 1-1 offering through the gap between third and short off Cornhusker relieve pitcher Leigh Ann Walker. This is the second time in the post season that Carter has stepped up to the plate with the base loaded and connected for the Seminoles. In the NCAA regional, Carter tripled with the bases loaded knocking in three RBIs and helping FSU to a 6-1 victory over Georgia Tech.

Entering tonight's game against Nebraska, centerfielder Jessica van der Linden had been hitless at the plate. She finally broke through with a sharp single off the glove of pitcher Peaches James in the fourth. Then van der Linden came through once again in the fifth inning. She doubled to left field driving in Kimmy Carter for her first RBI of the College World Series. Jessica van der Linden's double was her team leading 14th of the season. She has accumulated 28 for her career moving her to 3rd all-time in the Seminole record books.

Coming into tonight's game against the Cornhuskers, the Seminoles had only managed to get two hits off Nebraska pitcher Leigh Ann Walker when she faced FSU back in 2001 at the Seminole Softball Complex in Tallahassee, Fla. In the fifth inning, the Seminoles equaled that total when Kimmy Carter and Jessica van der Linden singled and doubled to left, respectively.

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