Florida State just can't get right.

The FSU softball team entered Wednesday looking to snap its recent skid and complete its first season sweep of the Florida Gators since 2006.

Instead, UF turned the tables in a complete reversal of fortunes from the Seminoles 2-0 win in Gainesville on April 3.

The No. 6 Gators (37-9, 9-6 in SEC) dominated the No. 4 Seminoles (38-8,10-5 in ACC) in all phases for a 4-0 victory in front of an announced crowd of 1,818 fans at FSU's JoAnne Graf Field.

"We didn't come out with the win, but I think our freshmen on the mound learned a lot and got a lot better," FSU infielder Sydney Sherrill said.

"We did lose, but there's a little quote we like to say: 'There's always winners and learners, never winners and losers.'

"We're going to take a lot from that loss and move on to Boston College."

The loss is FSU's fifth in the last seven games after the Seminoles lost just three of their first 39 games.

After a scoreless deadlock through three innings, the Gators broke through for three runs in the fourth inning, adding one more in the seventh.

The Seminoles were almost entirely stifled all evening by UF pitcher Kelly Barnhill.

FSU had just two hits -- both from Sherrill -- and didn't have a runner reach third base all night.

"I think she was spinning it today better than she has in a long time," FSU head coach Lonni Alameda said of Barnhill.

"She's got that confidence in the circle, too, and the team does behind her."

This is the third consecutive season that FSU and UF have split their season series. It's the first time in the history of the rivalry, however, where they split with both teams winning on the road.

On the Mound

After senior Meghan King pitched a complete game shutout in the Seminoles 2-0 win over UF in Gainesville on April 3, FSU switched it up Wednesday, turning to freshman Makinzy Herzog on the mound.

For a time, Herzog was up to the moment, allowing no runs on two hits over the first three innings, escaping from the few mini-jams she encountered with ease.

However, Herzog had no such escape in the fourth inning as six of the seven UF batters she faced that inning reached base.

A pair of doubles from Jordan Matthews and Hannah Adams plated three runs as Herzog allowed three runs on five hits over 3.1 innings, issuing three walks.

FSU turned to another freshman in Kathryn Sandercock to relieve Herzog.

Sandercock allowed just one run on five hits over the final 3.2 innings, but the damage had been done against an FSU offense that struggled to find momentum.

"There were a lot of growing moments for our freshmen in the circle. I'm really proud of the two of them," Alameda said.

"Today, they showed they can handle a big environment, they can handle a big-hype game and they handled some really good hitters.

"I look at some of those moments those (pitchers) were out there, they grew today."

Around the Horn

The first time the Seminoles faced Barnhill, they won many of the battles, scoring two runs on four hits and four walks.

The senior pitcher turned the tables on the Seminoles Wednesday, putting together a dominant performance in the circle.

FSU never figured out Barnhill in what could very well be her seventh and final career appearance against the Seminoles.

Over a complete seven innings, Barnhill struck out nine Seminoles and allowed no runs on two hits.

"I think there's something about you're facing Kelly Barnhill so right away you know that she strikes people out," Alameda said.

"Mentally, you have to say, 'Ok, I'm going to face someone that's going to strike me out. I signed up to fail.' She makes a lot of people fail."

Sherrill's hits came in the form of a first-inning double and a fourth-inning single, but those were the only two particularly hard-hit fair balls the Seminoles managed as Barnhill kept them on their toes.

In the rare instances where FSU put a runner on base, it failed to take advantage. The Seminoles stranded all four baserunners they had as they were hitless in 10 at-bats with runners on base and three at-bats with runners in scoring position.

Up Next

The UF game was FSU's opening game of a seven-game homestand.

That continues this weekend when the Seminoles play host to Boston College (15-25, 4-11 in ACC).