Florida State softball season is upon us. The No. 3 Seminoles kick off their 2024 season Thursday night vs. Charlotte (6 p.m. on ACC Network Extra) in the first of five games they will play this weekend in the JoAnne Graf Classic at the Seminole Softball Complex.
I'll be there in person for Thursday's game sharing live updates and writing a game story It's likely the only one this weekend that the Osceola will be able to attend on a busy weekend but expect plenty of FSU softball coverage this season from us.
Here are the FSU game notes entering Thursday's season opener:
The No. 4 Florida State softball team begins their 41st season as a fastpitch softball program on Thursday night in the first game of the JoAnne Graf Classic. FSU will take on Charlotte at 6 p.m. on both Thursday and Friday at JoAnne Graf Field. FSU will play a doubleheader against Texas Tech and Florida A&M starting at 1 p.m. on Saturday. Saturday's games were originally scheduled to begin at 12:30 but were moved to 1 p.m. in respect for the memorial service of legendary FSU baseball coach Mike Martin. FSU will round out the tournament against Florida A&M at 12:30 p.m. on Sunday. All games can be seen live on ACCNX.
The Seminoles are coming off a Women's College World Series National Runner Up finish in 2023 and returns some key experienced players while also adding an exciting freshman class for the 2024 season. FSU returns six All-ACC players from last season and also placed five players on the 14-team Preseason All-ACC Team, the most in the conference. The Seminoles were picked to win the conference by the league's coaches for the 11th consecutive season. FSU has won 19 ACC Tournament Championships and 14 ACC Regular Season Championships in the program's history. FSU's 33 combined conference championships are the most by any team in the country.
FSU returns six out of their top seven hitters from a team in 2023 that posted the program's highest batting average (.300) since 2019. FSU found great success last season by hitting for extra bases and stealing bases as well. FSU hit a program record 122 doubles in 2023 which was the fifth-most in NCAA history. FSU also stole 134 bases in 153 attempts including Devyn Flaherty who was 31-for-32 on stolen bases in 2023. Flaherty was one of four players in the NCAA last season to steal 30+ bases while only being caught once.
In the circle, FSU will once again use a plethora of pitchers in 2024. Makenna Reid returns as the Seminole who pitched the most innings in 2023 and was a top 10 finalist for the TUCCI/NFCA National Freshman of the Year award. Reid finished 2023 with a perfect 13-0 record and 0.97 ERA in 79.1 innings. Reid was one of three players in the country to finish the season without a loss in the circle and was one of just five players to finish the season with a sub 1.00 ERA. Reid was the first Seminole since Sarah Hamilton in 2009 to finish the season with a sub 1.00 ERA. FSU also returns experience with Allison Royalty, Emma Wilson and Madi Balk while bringing in freshmen pitchers Ashtyn Danley and Mimi Gooden.
Head Coach Lonni Alameda is bringing in one of the best freshman classes in the country. Her 2023 class was ranked the No. 3 signing class by Extra Inning Softball and five out of the six signees were ranked in the top 15 by Extra Inning Softball. FSU expects all six freshmen, Jaysoni Beachum, Angelee Bueno, Danley, Gooden, Kennedy Harp and Isa Torres are all expected to make an immediate impact for the Seminoles.
Live Stats
I'll be there in person for Thursday's game sharing live updates and writing a game story It's likely the only one this weekend that the Osceola will be able to attend on a busy weekend but expect plenty of FSU softball coverage this season from us.
Here are the FSU game notes entering Thursday's season opener:
The No. 4 Florida State softball team begins their 41st season as a fastpitch softball program on Thursday night in the first game of the JoAnne Graf Classic. FSU will take on Charlotte at 6 p.m. on both Thursday and Friday at JoAnne Graf Field. FSU will play a doubleheader against Texas Tech and Florida A&M starting at 1 p.m. on Saturday. Saturday's games were originally scheduled to begin at 12:30 but were moved to 1 p.m. in respect for the memorial service of legendary FSU baseball coach Mike Martin. FSU will round out the tournament against Florida A&M at 12:30 p.m. on Sunday. All games can be seen live on ACCNX.
The Seminoles are coming off a Women's College World Series National Runner Up finish in 2023 and returns some key experienced players while also adding an exciting freshman class for the 2024 season. FSU returns six All-ACC players from last season and also placed five players on the 14-team Preseason All-ACC Team, the most in the conference. The Seminoles were picked to win the conference by the league's coaches for the 11th consecutive season. FSU has won 19 ACC Tournament Championships and 14 ACC Regular Season Championships in the program's history. FSU's 33 combined conference championships are the most by any team in the country.
FSU returns six out of their top seven hitters from a team in 2023 that posted the program's highest batting average (.300) since 2019. FSU found great success last season by hitting for extra bases and stealing bases as well. FSU hit a program record 122 doubles in 2023 which was the fifth-most in NCAA history. FSU also stole 134 bases in 153 attempts including Devyn Flaherty who was 31-for-32 on stolen bases in 2023. Flaherty was one of four players in the NCAA last season to steal 30+ bases while only being caught once.
In the circle, FSU will once again use a plethora of pitchers in 2024. Makenna Reid returns as the Seminole who pitched the most innings in 2023 and was a top 10 finalist for the TUCCI/NFCA National Freshman of the Year award. Reid finished 2023 with a perfect 13-0 record and 0.97 ERA in 79.1 innings. Reid was one of three players in the country to finish the season without a loss in the circle and was one of just five players to finish the season with a sub 1.00 ERA. Reid was the first Seminole since Sarah Hamilton in 2009 to finish the season with a sub 1.00 ERA. FSU also returns experience with Allison Royalty, Emma Wilson and Madi Balk while bringing in freshmen pitchers Ashtyn Danley and Mimi Gooden.
Head Coach Lonni Alameda is bringing in one of the best freshman classes in the country. Her 2023 class was ranked the No. 3 signing class by Extra Inning Softball and five out of the six signees were ranked in the top 15 by Extra Inning Softball. FSU expects all six freshmen, Jaysoni Beachum, Angelee Bueno, Danley, Gooden, Kennedy Harp and Isa Torres are all expected to make an immediate impact for the Seminoles.
Live Stats
