FSU sports information:
For the 28th time in the rivalry's history, the Sunshine Showdown will feature two ranked teams as the No. 16 Florida State softball team (36-10, 15-3) will travel down south to Gainesville to take on Florida (37-10, 12-6) on Wednesday night at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium. The top 20 showdown is set to start at 6 p.m. and can be seen live on SEC Network+ with Kyle Crooks (Play by Play) and Aleshia Ocasio (Color) on the call.
What's on the Line?
For the 28th time in the rivalry's history, the Sunshine Showdown will feature two ranked teams as the No. 16 Florida State softball team (36-10, 15-3) will travel down south to Gainesville to take on Florida (37-10, 12-6) on Wednesday night at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium. The top 20 showdown is set to start at 6 p.m. and can be seen live on SEC Network+ with Kyle Crooks (Play by Play) and Aleshia Ocasio (Color) on the call.
What's on the Line?
- Besides bragging rights in one of college softball's greatest rivalries, Wednesday night's game in Gainesville will have major implications for the Seminoles.
- FSU will be looking to add to its resume with a top 25 win to help their case to host a regional for the 10th consecutive season. FSU comes into Wednesday night with a No. 14 ranking in the RPI.
- The Seminoles come into the rivalry matchup as one of the hottest teams in the country. FSU has won 10 consecutive games and 18 out of its last 19 games. FSU's 10-game winning streak is the longest winning streak among Power 5 teams.
- FSU has won its last five games against the Gators. A win on Wednesday night would mark FSU's longest win streak against the Gators in the rivalry.
- Wednesday will mark the 28th game in the series where both teams have been ranked by USA Softball. (USA Softball came out with a Top 25 poll in 2003).
- A Lonni Alameda coached team is always going to finish the season strong and this year seems to be no different.
- So far in April, FSU is 12-1 and has outscored its opponents 97-25.
- In the past four seasons. Florida State is 86-11-1 during the months of April and May.
- After losing four out of five games to the likes of Alabama, Duke and Texas, the Seminoles have won 18 out of their last 19 games and are in sole possession of first place in the ACC.
- Nine out of FSU's 18 wins have come via run rule.
- FSU has jumped up to No. 14 in the RPI and have put themselves in great condition to host a regional for the 10th consecutive season.
- FSU has outscored their opponent 161-46 and are averaging 8.47 runs per game in its past 19 games.
- During their eight-game winning streak from Mar. 23-Apr. 3, FSU scored at least eight runs in all eight of those games during the winning streak. That tied the school record for the longest streak of scoring eight or more runs. The last time FSU accomplished the feat was from Mar. 19-31, 2019.
- FSU's pitching has made significant strides over the past 19 games as they hold a 2.68 ERA and have allowed more than five runs just twice in the last 19 games after allowing five or more runs 11 times in the first 27 games.
- In the last 10 games, FSU has allowed just 1.3 runs per game.
- One key to FSU's recent pitching success has been limiting the big inning.
- In the first 27 games, FSU allowed three or more runs in 17 innings. In the last 19 games, FSU has allowed three more runs in just five innings.
- FSU has also been limiting their free bases in the last 19 games. FSU is allowing just 2.52 free bases per game which is down from 3.5 free bases per game in their first 27 games.
- FSU has also seen a significant improvement in its team ERA as they have posted a 2.68 ERA in the last 16 games compared to a 4.21 ERA in the first 27 games.
- Yes, some of Florida State's best production has come from a freshmen class that was ranked the No. 3 overall class by softball America.
- Jaysoni Beachum (.447) and Isa Torres (,392) hold two out of the top three batting averages on the team.
- In the circle, Ashtyn Danley has recorded a team-high 16 starts and 97.1 innings.
- All five freshman hitters have recorded a hit and a RBI this season with Torres, Beachum and Kennedy Harp all recording 10+ hits.
- The six freshmen have made a combined 130 starts this season.
- 140 out of the team's 440 (35%) hits have come from freshmen.
- 154 out of the team's 306 RBI (33%) have come from freshmen.
- Iowa is the only power five team in the country to have more offensive production come from freshmen.
- 43% of the team's innings pitched have come from freshmen.
- A program that has continuously put together one of the best pitching staffs in the country has faced a new challenge this year....youth.
- 74% of innings thrown this year have been from either freshman or sophomores.
- 43% of the innings pitched have been from true freshmen.
- Freshmen and sophomores have combined to start 32 out of the Seminoles' 46 games this season.
- The Florida State offense has been one of the best in the country through the first 38 games of the season.
- FSU is averaging 7.74 runs per game which is fifth in the country and second in the ACC. FSU is hitting .3483 as a team which ranks ninth in the country.
- FSU has scored 356 runs through 46 games this season which is on pace to break the school record of 459 runs scored by the 2016 team. The 2016 team scored 352 runs through 46 games.
- In 48 games, FSU has scored 8 or more runs in 28 games. In 69 games last season, FSU scored eight or more runs just 22 times.
- FSU has scored 10 or more runs in 13 games so far this season after accomplishing that feat just eight times last season.
- Florida State has been on top of the ACC for the past decade.
- FSU has won eight out of the last nine ACC Tournament Championships and seven out of the last nine ACC Regular Season Championships.
- Since 2012, FSU has lost just three ACC road series and has not lost an ACC road series since 2019.
- FSU has lost just three ACC series in the last four seasons and have lost just five ACC series since 2012.
- The Seminole Softball Complex has become one of the toughest places to play in the country in recent history.
- Since the start of the 2019 season, FSU is 146-22 at the Seminole Softball Complex.
- In the past two seasons, FSU is 58-9 at the Seminole Softball Complex.
- Jaysoni Beachum has continued to solidify herself as not only one of the best freshmen in the country but as one of the best players in the country.
- Beachum, a native of Tallahassee, leads the team with a .447 batting average and 63 hits.
- Beachum leads the team with 12 home runs and 50 RBI.
- Beachum is just the third true freshman in school history to have 10+ home runs and 50+ RBI joining Jessi Warren and Sydney Sherrill.
- Beachum has recorded a hit in 35 out of the Seminoles' 46 games this season.
- Out of the 46 games this season, Beachum has had two or more hits in 22 games.
- Beachum has the highest batting average in the country among freshmen and has the 12th-highest batting average in the country.
- Beachum is on pace to break the school record for batting average, hits, slugging percentage and on base percentage in a season. She needs just 9 RBI to break Sydney Sherril's freshman record of 58 RBI in 2018
- Beachum has had two multi-home run games this season. Beachum is the first true freshman since Kalei Harding in 2021 to have a multi-home run game.
- Beachum has also locked down the hot corner for the Noles making 45 starts at the positions. Beachum has committed just four errors this season.
- Beachum was named the ACC Player of the Week on Apr. 23 and became the first FSU true freshman to win the award since Sydney Sherrill in 2018.
- Beachum was named Softball America's Freshman of the Month in both February and March.
- Kalei Harding or "Ocho" continues to be a consistent force for the Florida State lineup and is solidifying herself as one of the top hitters in program history.
- Harding is currently hitting .352 with 49 RBI which is second on the team.
- In ACC play, Harding is hitting .400 with four home runs and 23 RBI. Harding also picked up her 200th career hit against the Blue Devils.
- Harding has reached base in 17 out of the last 19 games.
- Against UCLA, Harding recorded four hits in five at-bats which was tied for a career high. Harding was the first FSU player since Kaley Mudge in 2021 at the Women's College World Series against Alabama to record four or more hits.
- Her seven RBI game against Charlotte tied Anna Shelnutt (2017) for the school record for RBI in a single game.
- Harding is second all-time in school history for career doubles (55), fourth in school history for career home runs (41), fourth for career RBI (192) and seventh in school history for career slugging percentage (.584).
- After being slowed down by an offseason surgery, Kaley Mudge has made her way back to the top of the lineup and has been one of FSU's most consistent players in ACC play.
- Mudge is hitting .407 in ACC play with nine RBI.
- Against Notre Dame, Mudge went 7-for-10 (.700) with two doubles and a triple.
- Mudge has been the Seminoles' leadoff hitter in 28 out of the last 29 games.
- Replacing Josie Muffley is no easy task, but freshman Isa Torres has given her best shot and is off to a great start offensively and defensively for the Noles at the shortstop position.
- Torres is third on the team in batting average (.392) and has driven in 39 runs this season.
- Torres has been phenomenal in the Seminoles' last 19 games as she leads the team with a .464 average with three home runs and 19 RBI.
- Torres has continued to make jaw-dropping plays at the shortstop position this season and holds a .971 fielding percentage this season.
- When the pressure is on, freshman Isa Torres has come up big on multiple occasions for the Seminoles.
- Torres has hit two walk-offs in the bottom of the seventh this season to lead the Noles to victory.
- Torres hit a two-run walk-off home run against NC State on Mar. 28 to put the Seminoles on top 8-6. Torres was the first true freshman to hit a walk-off home run since Jessi Warren in 2015 against Notre Dame.
- Torres also hit a two-RBI walk-off single against Texas Tech on Feb. 9 to win the game for the Noles.
- As one of the top freshman pitchers in 2023, Makenna Reid has begun to find her groove in the circle in 2024 after a tough start.
- Over the course of her career, Reid holds a 25-1 record for the Seminoles.
- Reid has pitched the second-most innings for the Noles this season with 87.1 innings and leads the team with a 3.37 ERA.
- In one of the best performances of her young career, Reid stifled one of the top offenses in Duke as she pitched a career high seven innings while allowing just three hits and not allowing a run.
- In 2023, Reid was one of just three pitchers last season to not suffer a loss joining Alex Storako and Nicole May from Oklahoma.
- Reid was one of just five players to post a sub 1.00 ERA last season.
- Reid was the first Seminole since Sarah Hamilton in 2009 to finish with a sub 1.00 ERA.
- True freshman pitcher and outfielder Ashtyn Danley came to Tallahassee as one of the top recruits in the country and has begun to find her footing as a Seminole.
- Danley has made a team-high 16 starts for the Seminoles this season and holds a 13-3 record.
- In her last 13 appearances, Danley has allowed nine earned runs while striking out 44 in 52 innings.
- In ACC play, Danley holds a 2.64 ERA in 53 innings.
- Against one of the top offenses in the country in Texas, Danley threw three scoreless innings while striking out three.
- Redshirt junior Jahni Kerr is back for the Seminoles after a breakout season in 2023.
- In 2024, Kerr is hitting .336 with 30 RBI in 38 games. Kerr missed seven games this season due to injury.
- Against Pitt, Kerr hit three home runs in three games for the Noles.
- As one of the top recruits in the country coming out of high school, Kerr struggled in her first two seasons as a Seminole as she dealt with the implications of COVID and was recovering from a knee injury that she suffered her freshman season.
- The tide turned for Kerr in 2023, and it all started with a home run in a primetime ESPN slot against Alabama at the 2023 Clearwater Invitational. Kerr came into the game starting in just three out of the Seminoles nine games and was 2-for-10 at the plate.
- Kerr led the team with a .356 batting average while adding eight home runs and 40 RBI in 2023.
- Kerr earned First Team All-ACC honors for the first time in her career and was named to the Preseason All-ACC Team.
- Fans have known the name Amaya Ross for awhile but mainly for her insane speed on the base paths. Now, Ross has found herself in the FSU lineup for more than just her speed.
- Ross has started all 46 games this season after making just 18 starts the past two seasons.
- Ross has already surpassed her hit, RBI and home run numbers this season from the last two seasons combined.
- Ross had one of the best weeks of her career at the Dugout Club Classic.
- In six games, Ross recorded 10 hits in 15 at-bats (.667) with six RBI and three triples.
- Ross was involved in 17 out of the Seminoles 47 runs scored in the Dugout Club Classic and was a perfect 5-for-5 on the base paths.
- Ross's six triples is ninth in the country.
- Ross is 25th in the country and second in the ACC with 23 stolen bases this season.
- Ross currently holds a .318 batting average with eight home runs which is fourth on the team.
- Ross has stolen 50 bases in 54 attempts over the course of her career.
- No one was more dangerous on the base paths last season than Florida State's Devyn Flaherty.
- Flaherty stole 31 bases on 32 attempts which led the ACC.
- Flaherty cracked the all-time top 10 list for most career stolen bases in school history. Flaherty has 97 career stolen bases which puts her eighth in school history.
- Flaherty was one of four players in the NCAA in 2023 to steal 30 or more bases while only being caught once.
- Flaherty has come alive at the plate for the Seminoles during ACC play as she is hitting .390.
