FSU Softball sweeps marathon doubleheader from LSU, clinches WCWS berth
Between arriving at JoAnne Graf Field at 3 p.m. on Saturday on the verge of elimination and Carsyn Gordon catching the final out at first base at 12:33 a.m. on Sunday, there were more than nine hours of intense competition as the No. 6 Florida State softball team (52-11) defeated No. 11 LSU (45-17) in both games of a doubleheader to win the 2018 NCAA Tallahassee Super Regional and advance to its 10th Women’s College World Series in program history.
The 'Noles topped the Tigers by a score of 8-5 in 11 innings in the first game of the day, which spanned over five hours and included a 78-minute weather delay. FSU followed it up with a 3-1 victory over LSU in the wee hours of the morning at JoAnne Graf Field, where many of the 1,431 in attendance remained to celebrate with the home team.
Jessie Warren carried the Seminole offense in both games as the senior hit a home run in each game and drove in four RBIs on the night. She moved into ninth place in NCAA history with 269 career RBIs and now is in sole possession for 10th place in the NCAA with 81 career home runs. She also scored her 223rd career run to tie Shamalene Wilson (1993-96) for the Florida State record.
“First of all, congratulations to LSU on an amazing season,” said FSU head coach Lonni Alameda. “That was a battle today. (Allie) Walljasper and (Carley) Hoover are two amazing pitchers and it is always an honor to play a team like that, that plays the game hard and to the very end.
“On our side, we talked about how today is the second round of a boxing match. There are going to be punches thrown and we’re going to take some and they are going to give some and we’ll give some and it will go back and forth, and the third round will be the knockout round. I am so proud of the girls to buy in to it and just stay in and battle and battle and battle. We had two amazing efforts by our pitchers today and it was fun to see Jessie Warren grow up in front of our eyes into an amazing and mature ballplayer.”
The Seminoles will face No. 3 UCLA (56-5) at 9:30 p.m. ET in the first round of the 2018 Women’s College World Series. The game will be broadcast on ESPN.
FSU Postgame Press Conference
FSU coach Lonni Alameda:
Opening Statement:
“First of all, congratulations to LSU. They had an amazing season. It was a battle and (Allie) Walljasper and (Carley) Hoover are two amazing pitchers who had awesome careers. It is always an honor to play a team like that that plays the game hard and to the very end. Hats off to them and the season they had. And on our side, we sat in this room before the game and we talked about how this is the second round of a boxing match. There’s going to be punches thrown, we’re going to give some and we’re going to take some, and it’s going to go back and forth. And the third round is going to be the knockout round. I am so proud that the girls bought into it and just stay in and battle and battle and battle.
"We had two amazing efforts by our pitching staff. (Meghan) King was outstanding today. Kylee (Hanson) to rebound from yesterday and trust everything that she’s built all season long, it was awesome to see. We literally just saw Jesse Warren grow up in front of our eyes into an amazing ball-player. We knew that before but it was just good to see the maturity today really show up and take this team and lead them. It was awesome.”
On this team never being out of the fight:
“There’s always been certain players that do things in momentum but to have all 22 players in every pitch, talking the whole time, was such an amazing feeling in the dugout. We were not going to let this go. We are going to fight every single pitch and if someone had a downer at-bat, there was someone right in their ear saying get up get going, next pitch. I think the ACC Tournament taught us that we can come from behind and we knew that there was a battle and there were seven innings and we had to get after it.”
On winning in extra innings in Game 2 and the momentum going into Game 3:
“You’re playing two games and you’re going long innings but you have to get that one under your belt. I think (Meghan) King inspired everyone because she gave everything she had. She pitched through some big innings and big moments and I think the hitters and the defense fed off of her big time. That was round two and we got that one under our belt and then it was exciting. I think the team knew at that point it was time for us to keep going to get after it.”
On Jessie Warren:
“We always knew she could play. The day that she came here to a clinic and she hit three over the scoreboard and all of the coaches looked at each other and said this girl can play. She’s truly grown up into an amazing young woman. We saw that she led the team. Her first at-bat set the tone for today. And she knew that, she loved that, she was excited about it. We haven’t seen that all year as a coaching staff and we knew that was in her. She really took it by the horns today and got after it. We say that we see her grow up but she was excited about the moment and we were excited to see her enjoy that.”
On what new things she saw in Warren tonight:
“I think it was the sense of maturity the whole entire game. She literally stayed up the entire game. A smile on her face, grinding it out, looking for pitches, talking in the dugout, talking on the field, talking to Kylee (Hanson). She didn’t let down for one minute about anything and that’s leadership. She’s been there before and she wants to be there and just to see that really come out today was really cool. And I know she’s proud of herself for it too because it’s something to enjoy the moment. She’s obviously very talented but now it was really about having fun and that was awesome to see.”
On Meghan King’s play after giving up the grand slam:
“She’s a fighter and a battler. She brought it today for us and she’s the one that is going to be battling in the circle. Most pitchers know right away when they miss their spot and where they want to go. I think that’s the coolest thing to see as a pitching coach. To see them shake stuff and talk and know what they want to throw and get after it. She pretty much took control after that and knew what she wanted to do. She’s got that Puerto Rican in her, we talk about it all of the time. She’s got another gear, yet she knows how to keep it inside her too. I’m amazingly proud of both of them pitching today.”
On Jessie Warren’s defense today:
“Were going to miss her a ton. Thank goodness, we get to play with her another weekend. She’s a superstar defensively. I think a lot of people talk about her offense but I think she gets to excited about the defense and being fed balls. We’re clicking on the infield and that’s a neat thing too. Sydney Sherrill has been outstanding this year and the way that Jessie has worked with Cali (Harrod) and Sydney (Sherrill) in getting that infield going. And Carsyn making some amazing plays at first. It’s an anchor in the infield right now and Jesse definitely starts that when she makes some incredible plays for us.”
On what making it to the WCWS this year means for her career:
“It’s what we talk about as a coaching staff. This is the ultimate prize to go to the World Series. This coaching staff and program takes pride in being in the ACC and letting people know that you can come from a conference that’s not the SEC or the PAC 12. Obviously, Oklahoma has done some great things in the Big 12, but we’re trying to do something different and blaze the trail differently. The consistent success we’ve had has been awesome and the next step is to win it. That’s a big part of it and it’s hard to get there.
"I couldn’t be more proud of our staff, we work our tails off. There’s a different road you have to take when you’re not in the SEC. These kids buy into the believe and they buy into the program and I think that’s a big part of it. The other side of it is that we go out and recruit to get kids to the World Series. Kylee (Hanson) came here for this opportunity. You just sit back and you’re so proud as a coaching staff to be able to give these kids the chance to play at the biggest level. There’s kids in the stands that watch the World Series on TV that someday will get the chance to go there and that’s why every day you grind it out to give them this opportunity.
"Kylee (Hanson) took the chance to come here and do this and we changed somethings, she added a drop ball to her repertoire, and she used that today. As a coach when you see that you are like that’s so awesome. She bought into it and she gets the chance to live out her dreams so it’s pretty neat.”
Jessie Warren, Third Baseman
On her final game at JoAnne Graf Field and her performance today:
“I knew it was going to be my last time playing here so it meant a lot to go out with a bang. Like I said yesterday, we had to come out with energy from pitch 1 and we set the tone in the locker room before we even came out. The girls stuck to it and I am so proud of every single one of the girls on this team for what they did today.”
On making it to Oklahoma City her senior year:
“One of my goals before the season started was to get back to OKC. I am speechless and have no words for the feeling that I have right now, to be able to go back and end my career in Oklahoma City.”
On beating LSU after last year’s loss:
“We weren’t really focused on our opponent. We were focused on ourselves this weekend and just trying to play Florida State softball. Like I said before, all the girls did that and it was cool to be able to get the W’s and be able to go to Oklahoma City.”
On LSU’s Shemiah Sanchez’s grand slam in Game 2 to tie the game:
“It took one pitch and it’s going to get one pitch to come back and it kind of did that. Carsyn (Gordon) had that one pitch and we just kept rolling after that. We are never down. There is not one person on this team that gets upset when a team goes ahead or ties the game. We are always fighting every single pitch that is thrown, and it’s a one-pitch game and a game of inches so you just have to stay in it at all times.”
Kylee Hanson, Pitcher:
On getting redemption in Game 3:
“It was awesome. Yesterday we didn’t let up one time the entire game. Once we got started we really didn’t let up. I knew going into today it was going to be huge and obviously I wanted to be able to get that opportunity to pitch again and prove myself. I am really proud of Meghan (King). She pitched one heck of a game and it was incredible to watch. It really was inspiring even from the pitching staff standpoint.”
On getting the final out:
“It’s surreal. I can’t describe it to you. You see it on TV year in and year out in the major leagues and even in college softball. For so long I have watch it. I have watched those final outs and I’ve always wanted to be there. To have that moment today, even if it was a bobbled ball, it’s fine. It’s still incredible and the feeling is surreal. I can’t describe it to anyone.”
On the energy between Game 2 and Game 3:
“It was so much fun. It was an awesome atmosphere in the locker room. We are all up trying to conserve energy but not really able to. We were just so excited and wanted to get after it again. We did some stuff to take care of ourselves in between games. We changed uniforms, got a meal in us, and headed back out there.”