Florida State University Athletics
Florida State
46-16
Oklahoma
54-6
Seminoles' Season Ends With Hard Fought Battle Against No. 2 Oklahoma
5/24/2024 11:05:00 PM | Softball
NORMAN, Okla. - There was no question about the fight and grit in the Florida State softball team as they left Love's Field on Friday night as the Noles gave the No. 2 Oklahoma Sooners everything they had in a 4-2 loss that ended the Seminoles' season on Friday night in front of a sold out crowd in Norman, Okla.
With a depleted pitching staff, the Seminole pitching staff of Ashtyn Danley, Makenna Reid and Mimi Gooden kept the nation's top offense in check for most of the night. The Sooners loaded the bases with one out in the top of the first, but Danley forced a pop up and a groundout to get out of the inning. Reid made her return from injury and pitched in her first game since Apr. 21 and did not miss a beat as she sat down the Sooners in order in the top of the second.
The Seminoles had their first scoring chance of the game in the bottom of the second as an error, a walk and an infield single loaded the bases for the Noles with two outs, but they were unable to bring a run across.
OU scored the run's first game on a double steal, but the Seminoles responded right back as Jaysoni Beachum belted her 16th home run of the season over the left field fence to tie the game. Beachum ended her freshman campaign as the freshman record holder for batting average, RBI and on base percentage. Beachum's 16 home runs were the second-most by a FSU freshman and her 78 hits are the fifth-most by a FSU freshman.
The Sooner used a three-run fifth inning to take a 4-1 lead, but the Seminoles looked to take the air out of the stadium as Beachum drilled one to center field, but the Sooners robbed Beachum of her multi-home run game. However, Kalei Harding sent an absolute rocket out of Love's Stadium to cut the lead to two. Harding ends her career as one of the most prolific hitters in school history. Harding ends her career with the second-most career doubles in school history, third-most career home runs in school history, the fourth-most career RBI in school history and the eighth-best career slugging percentage in school history.
Danley put up back-to-back zeros on the board for the Noles to keep them within striking distance, but the Seminoles were unable to bring any runs across in the final two innings.
Autumn Belviy, Devyn Flaherty, Kalei Harding, Kaley Mudge, Allison Royalty and Emma WIlson all played their final game in the Garnet and Gold and will go down as one of the greatest classes in school history. The senior class won 207 games in four seasons which is the second-most by any senior class since 2000. The group won two ACC Tournament Championships, one ACC Regular Season Championship, made two Women's College World Series and made the Championship Series in both appearances.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Keeney, Karlie (6-1)
L: Gooden, Mimi (5-2)
S: May, Nicole (2)
Batting:
HR: Pickering, Kasidi 1
RBI: Pickering, Kasidi 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Coleman, Jayda 1 ; Jennings, Tiare 1 ; Parker, Ella 1 ; Pickering, Kasidi 1
SB: Parker, Ella 1
CS: Parker, Ella 1
HBP: Hodge, Avery 1
Batting:
2B: Torres, Isa 1
HR: Beachum, Jaysoni 1 ; Harding, Kalei 1
RBI: Beachum, Jaysoni 1 ; Harding, Kalei 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Beachum, Jaysoni 1 ; Harding, Kalei 1
SB: Belviy, Autumn 1
