The FSU Softball team’s season kicked off on Friday, Feb. 6, with the JoAnne Graf Classic, the annual tournament that acts as the opener for the regular softball season. They had a historical no-hitter win against Samford University, thanks to the fiery new addition to the Nole Pitching circle, sophomore Jazzy Francik.
Junior and freshman bats sealed the win with Ashytn Danley’s outfield hit in the third inning that drove star junior, Jaysoni Beachum, to home plate, scoring the first point of the season. This was followed by a clutch RBI (runs batted in) hit by rookie Anna Hinde that barreled past the Samford second baseman into the outfield for FSU’s second point of the game.
Though the Noles only had one scorable inning, the deadlock defense displayed in this game showed the team meant business for this new season. Hopefully, proving they have a rightful place within the Top 10 of Division I Softball, as pre-season ranked No. 7.
FSU hasn’t made the journey to the Women’s College World Series since losing the 2023 National Championship to the Oklahoma Sooners during their modern dynasty reign of softball. The Noles have spent every year since then trying to build their team to become championship standard once again.
According to an interview with Warchant TV, the team, led by head coach Lonnie Alameda, has a new strategy for success. This is taking us back to the days of old school culture with the introduction of nine freshmen to replace the nine seniors of Team 43, who became the backbone of Seminole softball.
The choice to focus on early recruiting instead of solely riding the transfer portal wave highlights the staff’s focus on younger player development and maintaining a traditional culture. This reflects the team’s desire to preserve longevity as one of the most reputable softball programs in the country. Based on the stats of opening week, this approach could be the formula for a breakthrough season that would launch us back to Oklahoma City (OKC) this season.
In case you missed a few, here are highlights of the rest of the opening week games:
Following their defensive win against Samford, FSU’s bats took the spotlight in their game against Iowa, earning 12 runs in just five innings, forcing a run-rule. Most of the Noles’ points came from huge at-bats, with Beachum hitting her first home run of the season in the second inning and Shelby McKenzie’s walk-off grand slam in the fifth to end the game.
Defensively, Danley pitched until the fourth inning when she handed the ball off to Makeena Reid, who’s pitching with full power this season after her challenges with injury last year, and she held down the fort for an FSU victory.
The Noles then faced off against Marshall University in a doubleheader on Feb. 7, winning both games. In game one, junior Isa Torres’ triple allowed her to score from third on a wild pitch. Then, a pair of freshmen punched in their first big hits as Seminoles, with Makenna Sturgis hitting her first career home run and Bella Rugier’s first career hit by slamming a double that resulted in two runs coming in for the Seminoles. This gave them the momentum to win 6-2!
Game two was the same story for The Herd, since FSU’s pitching staff only allowed them two runs in each of the games, but apparently the defense power didn’t satisfy the Noles, as the offense brought 10 runs, thanks to ending game two in yet another run-rule!
FSU continued its winning streak by beating UConn 6-0. The first inning was electric, with Torres, Beachum, and Danley (yes, she also bats!) hitting doubles, and freshman Marin Heller making her rookie statement with a triple! The bullpen for the Noles has also been making a statement by trying to use as many arms as possible in the circle to use the depth of their bullpen so far this season. Most of this game was pitched by freshman Bella Dimitrijevic and Marlee Gaskell, with upperclassmen as the closers for the shutout.
For the last game of the tournament against Liberty, the Noles run-ruled their opponent for the third time this season all within four days! The Noles started a bit slow in the run game, so the focus was on the defensive plays made in the infield by Francick and third baseman Beachum with clutch outs.
It wasn’t until the fifth inning that FSU finally answered the call with RBI singles and doubles galore, preceding the absolute smash of a homer by sophomore Shelby McKenzie and junior Angelee Bueno’s double to secure the 6-0 blowout.
The Seminoles ultimately swept the JoAnne Graf Classic tournament with a 5-0 record, meaning they’re currently undefeated. However, these games are considered warm-ups for the annual premier Shiners Children’s Clearwater Invitational.
The Noles will face off against FAU, No. 3 Tennessee, and No. 7 UCLA, with an opening matchup goliath battle versus the No. 1 team in the nation, Texas Tech, which denied FSU a trip to OKC in 2025 at the Tallahassee Super Regional. These teams will put FSU’s new approach to the test in conference play, as the expectations rise along with the Seminole’s rank to No. 5 in the nation.
Stay updated and support our Lady Noles by tuning on TV or packing the Plex this season!
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