6/4/2023 other sports Edit

Welcome to the club: Jessie Warren in awe of Josie Muffley's double play

Josie Muffley's soaring grab started a game-ending double play on Saturday night. (FSU Sports Information/Twitter)

Bob Ferrante • TheOsceola

Editor

Jessie Warren was watching and in awe. She tweeted and texted at Josie Muffley.

Welcome to the club.

“Literally when she made that play, I was just in awe,” Warren said. “She's so athletic. Obviously she makes those plays all the time and people just don't see them. It just happened to be on the biggest stage, which is awesome. But instantly just went straight to Twitter and had to tweet.

"It's something about the seventh inning against the Washington Huskies that does it.”

Two iconic plays in not just Florida State softball history but also for the sport of softball and the school. Five years ago, on June 4, 2018, Warren charged and dove headfirst to grab a bunt attempt by Washington’s Trysten Melhart and threw from her knees to Sydney Sherrill at first base to complete a seventh-inning double play that has been watched millions of times on social media.

Muffley’s play also came in the seventh inning as she leaped to snare a line drive off Madison Huskey’s bat and then throw to Devyn Flaherty at second base to get pinch-runner Megan Vandergrift out and wrap up a wild 3-1 win over Washington.

Warren is in Georgia coaching a travel softball team of 16-year-olds, watching with friends and called Muffley’s play a “momentum changer.” The degree of difficulty, making that play and that throw in that moment is one Warren could appreciate.

“Especially with Josie making that play, just the amount of athleticism that takes to be able to, one, be able to jump that high,” Warren said. “And then, two, be able to have just the be in the right mind space to know that there's a runner at second where she could double off and be able to make that play was awesome as well.”

Warren went to Twitter:

But she quickly texted Muffley, too.

“I said ‘JOSIE MUFFLEY’ in all caps with exclamation points,” Warren said. “I said, ‘Welcome to the Double Play Club that ruins those Husky.’ And she said, ‘I'm beyond honored to join you in the Husky Double Play Club. I loved your tweet.’ ”

The club of two FSU members is a special one. Both plays came against Washington, in the Women’s CWS and in the seventh inning. Warren’s came at a crucial point in game 1 of the best-of-three championship series, while Muffley’s helped FSU gain some more rest and potentially reach the championship series. When asked how and if they are comparable, Warren emphasized the significance of each but also how FSU was able to take or reclaim momentum.

“You could just tell when I caught my bunt just the momentum was on our side,” Warren said. “We knew we were gonna win that game and then obviously they made the double play to end the game.

“They match up pretty equal, I think. Both huge plays, both made in the seventh inning of a huge game. Pretty cool.”

Warren won’t be able to make the trip to Oklahoma City to see the Seminoles play on Monday night as she’s traveling to the Athletes Unlimited women’s professional softball league training camp. With the AUX softball portion of the league’s schedule beginning on June 12, her schedule will be busy.

But Warren has been watching this 2023 team closely, making trips back to Tallahassee for the regionals and catching other games when she can. Warren is also taking classes in nursing school at Hillsborough Community College during the softball offseason.

Whether up close or from a distance, she’s enjoyed watching the Seminoles as she reflects on fond memories of the 2018 championship run. While the 2023 FSU team has won its first two games in OKC, the 2018 Seminoles took the difficult route after losing their opener.

“They didn’t call us the Cardiac Kids for nothing and I understand why we were called the Cardiac Kids now being on the opposite side of the game,” Warren said. “But, yeah, we were really focused on that one-pitch mentality and one-game mentality throughout that whole season, and I think that's what the ‘23 team is doing right now.

“They're not focused on the national championship and the trophy. They're really playing for each other. And it really is showing and it's really cool to watch because they remind me a lot of the ‘18 team.”