Observations: FSU softball plays third exhibition game

The Florida State softball team continued its fall ball season on a beautiful Saturday afternoon in Tallahassee when they welcomed the Saint Johns River State College Vikings to JoAnne Graf Field.

Through two games, the Seminoles have dominated the likes of Chipola and West Florida, as they should. But fall ball isn’t about wins and losses. It’s about development and potential for the upcoming season, especially with new freshmen and seasoned transfers to integrate into the system.

Luckily for fans of the FSU softball team, Coach Lonni Alameda has built one of the best cultures and strongest softball programs in the nation.

“It’s just nice to play someone in a different colored jersey,” Alameda said. “And we’re getting a lot of good looks by some rookies and some different arms in the circle.”

The additions of two quality players out of the transfer portal and four talented freshmen were on display on Saturday against the Vikings. The fall ball games are what they are, and that is a glorified scrimmage. Nothing is to be taken too seriously but they are key for development, and it gives fans of the ’Noles a glimpse of what to expect when the season starts in the spring.

One of the transfers is senior pitcher Julia Apsel. The Hofstra transfer is entering her final year of eligibility and will play a pivotal role in the Garnet and Golds pitching rotation. Apsel posted a 1.39 ERA and struck out 176 in 2024, her final year at Hofstra.

She looked very comfortable in the circle against the Vikings on Saturday, as she posted eight strikeouts through four innings of work. Even though it was a scrimmage, the command and speed of Apsel’s pitches was noticeable.

“Velocity is a big part of her game,” Alameda said. “Being a lefty, she is still working on understanding how to throw certain pitches and certain counts, so I think the knowledge is still kind of creeping into her mindset a little bit. But as a competitor, she’s going to be a great addition to us in the circle.”

Auburn utility player and occasional pitcher Annabelle Widra rounds out Florida States transfer additions. Widra spent time at Michigan before transferring to Auburn but will now don a Seminole uniform for her final collegiate season. The versatile Widra can pretty much do it all. She can hit, pitch, field, run the bases well and has a high softball IQ. All are things that should be translated into a productive season for the talented senior.

FSU’s freshmen all saw action on Saturday and will continue to grow during the fall ball season. Infielders Addie Long and Shellby McKenzie contributed to the many runs scored by the ’Noles on the day against the Vikings, as did freshman catcher Isabella Ruggiero. Pitcher Jazzy Francik made an appearance towards the end of the game and did not give up a hit. The talent is there with the freshmen, but the key is growing and learning with each a-bat and with each game.

“Growth mindset is a big part of this program,” Alameda said. “I tell them we’re going to level you up like a video game.”

But the Garnet and Gold’s softball team doesn’t include just freshmen and transfers. The core group of seniors will be as strong as it’s ever been.

“We were really senior heavy with a lot of World Series experience last year,” Alameda said. "This year’s team is a little bit more of a cohesive, connected mindset. They know where they want to go and they know how they want to get there so they’re pushing it a little more of a connection way and a little more of a joy way, so every team is a little bit different in how they want their journey to be.”

Seniors Michaela Edenfield and Jahni Kerr had multiple runs batted in on the day, as did talented sophomores Jaysoni Beachum and Isa Torres. All have been more than solid through the first few fall ball games, and they look to make up the core of this team going forward, but it is still early.

Alameda had mentioned connection when describing the vibe of the team. The connection and vibe seem to really come alive every time Isa Torres makes a play in the field or with her bat. Her infectious smile, dancing in the dugout and passion for the game hype the crowd and team. Torres is easy to root for and as a freshman last year, she came up big in pivotal moments. She has carried that momentum into the offseason because you could see the passion, the hustle and the joy has gone to another level, even during a scrimmage. Her swing looks effortless, and her fielding looks routine at this point of her early career at Florida State. The only limit for Torres is the sky.

“Her attitude just really wears off on the team,” Alameda said. "She also works her tail off and she wants to be the best shortstop, the best hitter she could be so I think the playfulness you can see out here is because she’s determined to be the best she can be.”

Torres had multiple hits on the day and was a gem in the field, as was most of the upperclassmen on the 2025 roster.

The Seminoles dispatched the Vikings by 19-0 and that’s what the score should look like when a college team plays a junior college team. Though it is very early in the fall ball season, this softball team looks to be a typical close-knit Lonni Alameda-coached team that plays with passion and discipline.The effort and the experience is there as well, mixed with the right kind of transfers and eager freshmen, this team looks poised to grow into one of the best teams in college softball if it stays healthy.

FSU will continue their fall ball schedule when they travel to Troy on Sunday.