With lessons learned from 2022 loss, battle-tested FSU begins NCAA tourney
The goal is to go to Oklahoma City and have a chance to play for a national title. Along the way it became the expectation, and when Florida State was upset last May in an NCAA Regional it was nothing short of stunning for the players and coaches — who had made eight straight trips to the Super Regionals.
FSU went 54-7 in 2022, but May 22 was the team’s worst day: Mississippi State fought back after an early loss in the regional in Tallahassee and eliminated the Seminoles with 5-0 and 4-3 wins. Coach Lonni Alameda and the players chose to learn through the pain.
“The first thing we did when we came back in fall last year was re-watch the Mississippi State game,” senior outfielder Kaley Mudge said. “Obviously a hard lesson to learn. College softball has grown so much. There’s no team you can take for granted. Doesn’t matter what seed, what ranking they are. That was a hard lesson to learn but I’m grateful that we have learned it.
“Sitting at home, watching Super Regionals wasn’t in my mind. Watching the World Series, would have loved to be there again. I think it just helped me to not take an opportunity for granted. … We’re going to play our best game because everybody is going to bring their best game to us.”
Alameda and the coaches set a standard that can’t be denied in the ACC as a powerhouse that has elevated the level of play with eight conference titles in nine league tournaments since 2014 as well as nationally as the 2018 champions and 2021 runners-up. The ACC schools have made investments in their coaches and programs, with the likes of Clemson and Duke making a push that is evident (both host regionals this weekend).
But Alameda went a step further in scheduling for 2023. There were February games in Clearwater against Arizona, Arkansas, UCLA and Alabama — the last three of which were named national seeds. There was a game at Oklahoma, the nation’s top seed in the NCAA Tournament, and a three-game series at No. 6 national seed Oklahoma State (the completion of a home-and-home series after the Cowgirls played in Tallahassee in 2022). And there were series at Clemson and Duke. While there were more losses than wins against national seeds, the Seminoles went 6-0 vs. Clemson and Duke and can feel as battle-tested as possible as the NCAA Tournament begins.
FSU (50-8) has completed three very important steps on its journey, claiming an ACC regular-season title, ACC Tournament championship and a season sweep of Florida. The NCAA Tournament now begins on Friday, with the Seminoles hosting for a ninth straight season when they open with Marist at 4 p.m. (live stream on ESPN+). UCF and South Carolina will face off in the night game of the regional on Friday at 7 p.m. (ESPN2).
“There’s no crystal ball to guarantee anything, this Sunday’s outcome,” Alameda said. “But you put yourself in the best position to be the best prepared team. Are we prepared right now? We’ve been through the gauntlet for sure. We’ve won different ways. We’ve had different people at the helm of getting us over the hump of winning games. Now you rely on that part. I think that’s a big factor. But I know that UCF has done it, South Carolina has done it.”
Alameda wasn’t thrilled about the strength of the 2023 Tallahassee Regional but acknowledges “you’re not going to make everyone happy.” While SEC schools usually come to Tallahassee — it was Auburn in 2021 and South Carolina in 2019 — this year’s South Carolina’s team defeated Texas A&M, Auburn and Georgia before falling to No. 4 national seed Tennessee in the SEC Tournament title game.
“When you look at the teams coming in here, this is a really tough regional,” Alameda said. “Not too excited about the awarding or not awarding of us and the seeding of the regional. But it is what it is. South Carolina is a really good team. They’re on an upswing right now, had a great run at the SEC tournament. UCF is always a competitive team. They played a really good schedule. And Marist swings it. They do a good job. They’re gritty.”
So too is FSU. Gritty is a word Alameda has used to describe the Seminoles frequently.
What should make FSU dangerous — and not in danger of an upset — is its pitching depth. The Seminoles have shown they can win not just with ace Kathryn Sandercock (23-3, 1.16 ERA) but also with a multitude of pitchers in the circle. Mack Leonard, Makenna Reid and Allison Royalty each have been significant factors in wins the last few weekends. Reid (12-0) in particular has been impressive, recording a 0.97 ERA in 36 games (three starts).
“Pitching depth is huge,” Alameda said. “We’ve been trying to utilize all of our arms so everyone is comfortable not only as a pitcher in a lot of moments but the defenders to know that who is running out here right now has played behind them all season long. Matchups are huge. It’s hot here in Tallahassee so you can’t rely on one arm the whole time. All of these teams use a lot of pitchers.”
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