The Noles’ Bats Woke Up Tonight in Tallahassee
FSU Heats Up in Game 2 of the Season
The No. 7 Florida State Seminoles said they want to get back to OKC, but you must first take it a game at a time. Last night’s season opener resulted in a 2-0 win in a no-hitter tossed by Jazzy Francik, and today the Noles improved to 2-0 after defeating the Iowa Hawkeyes 12-3 in five innings.
It didn’t take long for FSU to open up a lead. After Ashtyn Danley shut down the top of the first, the Noles hopped on for a 1-0 lead as Marin Heller scored from third after she reached on a walk and advanced on a Jaysoni Beachum single up the middle. A Shelby McKenzie sac fly would bring her in.
Danley was dialed in, and the two-way player recorded four strikeouts in the first two innings after striking out the side in the second. Then the Noles opened it up more. After Makenna Sturgis reached on a fielder’s choice, she would eventually score on an error after Marin Heller reached. Then a Beachum no doubt three-run shot would make it 5-0 FSU.
The Noles were just putting the bat on the ball and registered hit after hit with great barrels. They were totally comfortable at the plate today. Ashtyn Danley and Anna Hinde recorded back-to-back hits, with Hinde’s double moving Danley to third with no outs in the bottom of the third.
With the Noles threatening again, Iowa went to the bullpen to bring in the third pitcher of the game, Serayah Neiss. Neiss was the Mountain West Pitcher of the Year last year while at Fresno State. However, she would walk Hayley Griggs to load the bases with no outs.
Angelee Bueno grounded to second, which resulted in a force out with a great play made by Ann Streff. That was a heads-up play by Streff to save a run, but Florida State would end up increasing the lead to 8-0 after Bella Ruggiero scored on a fielder’s choice, and then an error in the outfield would allow Griggs and Bueno to score.
Iowa was doing themselves no favors. They’d committed two errors to that point that resulted in Florida State runs. Also, the Noles were not easy to pitch to. Their offense looked to be on point today.
After Danley pitched three scoreless innings, Makenna Reid would come in relief in the top of the fourth. Coach Lonni Alameda was asked after, why she went away from Danley after a great start. It’s early in the season and the Noles have options.
“I mean, we have a great pitching staff, and I want to make sure I can get everybody some opportunities in there. You know, wanted to see what Makenna could do and get her back into it and feeling good. So Ash threw good innings for us, and you know, she wants to be the two-way player and hit and play the outfield. So we have the opportunity to bring her back in if we wanted to,” Alameda explained.
Reid spoke with me on the Mays Sports Media Podcast a few weeks ago, and she was feeling great and ready to bounce back off a rough last year. Today, she would have a little rust to get through and that is sort of expected after coming back from an injury.
Reid started out with two reaching, one on a 3-2 hit by pitch and then a Mariah Myers single. Tory Bennett would then move runners over with a sacrifice bunt, and Leah McAnally followed with a two-run double that went out to the center field wall to make it 8-2 FSU. The Hawkeyes took themselves out of run rule territory with that hit and were taking advantage of Reid’s rust as this was her first outing of the season.
McKenzie Leitgen would push across another Hawkeye run with an RBI double to bring in Logan Currie. That would make it 8-3 with three runs scored in the top of the fourth.
Jaysoni Beachum led off the bottom of the fourth with a rip up the middle. That would make her 3-for-3 on the day, and she was looking really comfortable at the plate. If the Seminoles can keep up the nice at bats, this season should set up to be nice for Florida State.
Reid would return in the fifth and continue her early struggles. Brianna Johnson reached on a hit by pitch that bounced off of her helmet. Reid’s rust just has to wear off, and it could take some time. Also, she has to make sure she can stay healthy throughout the year. I don’t believe you will just see a bunch of heat right off the bat this season. However, with a flyout and some good work on a double play, Reid was able to get out of the fifth without damage.
Florida State would come back and load the bases after Makenna Sturgis smacked a one-out double to right, and then with two outs, things went south for Iowa quick. Neiss put Heller on with a hit by pitch, then walked Beachum to try and avoid damage. Finally, with bases loaded and two outs, Shelby McKenzie sent a no-doubt walk-off grand slam to seal the deal in five innings for Florida State, 12-3.
When asked after the game how McKenzie felt after that walk-off grand slam, she had nothing but great feels. “Oh, it feels great, especially knowing like walk-off. They intentionally walked Jay to come to me, so feels great that I got it done.”
McKenzie is returning off of a freshman year that saw her hit .371 in 62 at-bats across 38 games played. Through consistent work, her confidence has taken off as Coach Alameda spoke on after the game.
“I mean, we saw glimpses of Shelby last year, right? She had moments last year, and I think she gained some confidence in what the freshman year did for her and just hitting. And so she spent a lot of time this fall really getting after her swing and being able to hit to all fields, sitting pitches, doing those things. I see her confidence really taking off, but today she was looking for a pitch, caught the pitch and hammered it. So that’s always fun as a hitter to really sell out for that.”
The Noles looked much different in the batter’s box tonight than they did last night. Florida State scored 12 runs on nine hits and were just putting together good hits. Beachum finished 3-for-3 with a home run, three RBIs, and two runs scored.
McKenzie spoke about the offense clicking today in comparison to last night’s opener. “I think yesterday, of course, nerves, first game, nine freshmen, just getting all in. But I think today we came out knowing that we can play Florida State softball and go after it.” McKenzie went ahead to mention that the nerves were gone today, and they were all calm.
Coacha also spoke on yesterday being the first game of the year, and how you could throw that out the window. Today Florida State had a great plan and approach at the plate.
“I mean, it was game one yesterday, so I think you can kind of throw game one out the door because it’s just the energy. You know, you’re just kind of pressing a little bit with the excitement, and so today we were definitely a lot looser and really getting after it, good game plans and hitting the ball hard. So a little bit of that, and then Iowa made a couple of errors, forced a couple of errors there that got us some runs. So, you know, that and impressive base running and things like that.”
This team is strong, deep, and versatile as Coach Wilson told me back in the fall. Keep an eye on this Seminoles squad this season.
Florida State returns to action tomorrow with a doubleheader against Marshall at 3:00 PM ET on ACCNX. Stay tuned to Mays Sports Media for more softball coverage.
