LAKELAND, Fla. - The Florida Southern College softball team saw the 2025 season end as they dropped the Saturday doubleheader against No. 20 Nova Southeastern University in Sunshine State Conference action. FSC rallied in game one, forcing 8 innings but fell 7-6 before the final game of the series, falling 7-1 on Chris Bellotto Field.
Prior to the game, the Moccasins honored the departing veterans with a pregame ceremony. Thank you to the seniors
Morgan Roden,
Cat Buckner,
Jadyn Bushnell,
Kelsey Kadlub,
Kayla Hickey,
Shelbie Valencia, and their families for the contributions during your career as a Moc.
The Moccasins (8-40, 3-27 SSC) were led by Valencia on the day, going 5-for-7 with an RBI and two runs scored. Brenna Lokeinsky led the Sharks (35-14, 18-9 SSC), going 6-for-9 from the plate.
FLORIDA SOUTHERN 6, NOVA SOUTHEASTERN 7
The Sharks opened the inning on a hitting streak, getting out to a 4-0 lead in the top of the first. In the top of the fourth, Nova Southeastern added a run to make it 5-0 as the Mocs headed into the bottom of the inning looking to put runs on the board.
In the bottom of the fourth, FSC saw an opportunity, hitting back-to-back singles, allowing
Alissa Kessler to score from a Valencia RBI single to get the first run on the board and make it 5-1. With one out, Roden singled up the middle, scoring Valencia and closing it to 5-2. A Sharks fielding error allowed the Mocs to bring two runners home as they closed in 5-4 after four complete innings of action.
Florida Southern tied the game in the bottom of the fifth, scoring on Bushnell's sacrifice fly to make it 5-5. The Mocs took the lead in the next inning, 6-5, scoring after loading the bases, hit by pitch to bring in
Emma Lucchesi.
The Sharks headed into the top of the seventh and were able to tie the game, scoring on a Mocs' throwing error to make it 6-6 and put the game in the Mocs' hands. With three up, three down in the bottom of the seventh, the game headed into extras. Nova Southeastern led off with a single that moved around the bases quickly, getting into scoring position for a sacrifice bunt and a single. The Sharks took a 7-6 lead to end the inning, and FSC could not get a runner as game one of the doubleheader went to the Sharks.
FLORIDA SOUTHERN 1, NOVA SOUTHEASTERN 7
In the first inning, both teams were able to get runs on the board as Nova Southeastern scored from a fielding error and
Gabby Young stole home in a double steal attempt to make it 1-1.
The Sharks broke the tie in the top of the third, scoring Lokeinsky from an RBI single and increasing the lead to 3-1 on a bases-loaded walk to head into the bottom of the third. In the top of the fifth, Nova Southeastern's lead jumped up to 5-1, scoring two with a single up the middle.
The final two runs came in the top of the seventh, as Nova Southeastern scored on back-to-back singles to the middle and concluded the doubleheader 7-1.
