A diving catch by San Francisco State freshman left fielder Amanda Meyer capped off a game full of surprises, as the Gators shocked St. Mary’s 4-3 in an elimination game at the NCAA Division II Softball Championship in Salem, Va. 

SFSU (43-20) advances to face Kennesaw State in an elimination game Saturday night. The Rattlers’ season ends with a 49-11 record. 

St. Mary’s looked to open the game up in the first inning, when the Rattlers quickly got two runners on before Holly Pearce was able to get out of trouble. 

The Gators threatened in the third. After Meyer popped up to begin the inning, Danielle Russo, Vanessa Rodrigue and Nicole Hartfield delivered three consecutive singles to load the bases with one out. St. Mary’s starter Malissa Magee got a ground ball for a force out at home, then the fireworks began. 

Magee tossed a wild pitch, and the throw hit Rodrigue, who scored from third. Hartfield scored on the error by Rattler catcher Liz Beyer, and a second error scored Jordanna Freemer, who began the play on first base. 

The Gators took the lead to 4-0 in the fifth, when Freemer hit an RBI double to score Rodrigue. 

In the bottom of the sixth inning, Tiffany Craft and Kristin Simmons hit back-to-back singles, then St. Mary’s cut the lead to 4-3 on Beyer’s record-tying third home run of the tournament. 

The Rattlers were able to put two runner on in the seventh inning, and worked their way to the leadoff hitter. Craft’s line drive looked like it would drop and score the tying run, but Meyer made a diving catch to end the game. 

Pearce (12-7) tossed her second complete game in as many games for the Gators. Magee (23-6) took the loss for St.Mary’s.