Florida State softball freshmen preparing for first collegiate action in JoAnne Graf Classic
The fans who lined up outside of JoAnne Graf Field on Saturday ahead of the Garnet & Gold Scrimmage open to fans was a thrilling sight for Lonni Alameda.
But unlike the Florida State softball coach heading into her 16th season at the helm, the number of people there to watch the scrimmage was a little overwhelming for some of the freshmen.
"I remember I was with Katie Dack, I walked out and saw the big line out there and I [gasped]," freshman two-way player Asthyn Danley said at a media availability Tuesday.
"I took a deep breath and [Dack] said it was going to be OK. I remember talking to [Kaley] Mudge and some of the people who have been here and done it, I was like, 'This is insane. I can't believe there's this many people coming.'
"I took a deep breath with them and [they said] it was going to be OK."
Danley did turn out to be just fine. She pitched for Team Garnet, facing a lineup that featured many of FSU's projected starters, including catcher Michaela Edenfield, second baseman Devyn Flaherty and third baseman Kalei Harding.
She also added a double in her first at-bat.
With FSU graduating a ton of talent, including pitching ace Kathryn Sandercock and shortstop Josie Muffley, Danley and a few other freshmen will have to play bigger roles for FSU this season to get the Seminoles back to the Women's College World Series.
FSU starts the 2024 season with the JoAnne Graf Classic which kicks off Thursday at 6 p.m. with the Seminoles hosting Charlotte. They will also play Florida A&M and Texas Tech over the weekend.
Graf - who was the FSU softball coach from the program's inception in 1979 until 2008 - will throw out the first pitch.
"I was a little shaky," freshman shortstop Isa Torres said of playing in front of the home crowd at JoAnne Graf for the first time.
"But as soon as I saw to my left and my right, my girls, I was totally fine. Seeing the crowd, seeing the fans, that was have is amazing to see in that environment. It was definitely something I hadn't been around. Just seeing it felt great, it felt like I was in place and it just felt like home."
Torres and Danley are part of a strong freshmen class which Alameda is high on. Danley was the second-ranked prospect in the 2023 signing class.
Former Florida High star third baseman Jaysoni Beachum was picked as a potential breakout freshman by Softball America, while pitcher Mimi Gooden and first baseman Angelee Bueno each have an opportunity to carve out playing time.
"They are a very outgoing group," Alameda said of the freshmen class. "I haven't really put my thumb on it, yet. Is it because the upperclassmen have made them feel so comfortable or are they just a really outgoing group?
"We're going to see when the heat starts going a little in some of these games to see how they respond to it. That's what the next step of growth for us is. But they are very talented and they are all in."
Texas Tech coach Craig Snider returns
There will be a lot of familiarity in the opposing dugout when the Texas Tech Red Raiders take on the Seminoles for their 1 p.m. matchup Saturday.
The game was originally slated to start at 12:30 p.m. but was moved back to allow fans to honor legendary FSU baseball coach Mike Martin, who died last Thursday following a battle with Lewy body dementia.
Texas Tech is coached by Craig Snider who was an assistant coach under Alameda at FSU from 2011-19. Also on Snider’s staff is former FSU player Morgan Klaevemann (Assistant Coach), former FSU graduate assistant Bryce Te Kulve (Assistant Coach) and former FSU manager Pete Suarez (Director of Operations).
"It is literally the junior squad of Florida State," Alameda said with a chuckle. "They are family to us. They [put in] blood, sweat and tears from the playing side to the coaching side to the managing side. They built this place as much as we have.
"It's going to be really great to celebrate them coming back here."
Split venues for games
For the first time, FSU will split the nine games played during the JoAnne Graf Classic. FAMU will host Texas Tech for a double-header Friday at Rattler Field.
It will be the first time since 2015 for the Rattlers to open the season at home when they hosted Kentucky at home.
“That hasn’t happened in a very long time,” FAMU head coach Camise Patterson told the Democrat's Gerald Thomas.
“That was something I wanted to make sure happened coming in as a head coach. We want the crowd to get behind the team so the players feel connected to the community and the university."
Alameda said the splitting of the game is also beneficial for FSU in terms of teams not having to wait around to play and could help with potential weather delays, which are common for early-season tournaments.
According to Weather.com, there's an 80% chance of rain on Sunday, the only day of the weekend with a significant chance of rain.
Alameda said team's splitting hosting venues is a common thing across the country now.
"It helps our groundcrew, it helps out time that you're not playing six games a day on a field, it helps with the weather," Alameda said. "FAMU's got a beautiful facility over there. So we're very lucky to have good softball over here."
JoAnne Graf Classic schedule
Thursday, Feb. 8
Charlotte vs. Florida State, 6 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 9
Texas Tech vs. FAMU, 1 p.m. (DH) at Rattler Field
Charlotte vs. Florida State, 6 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 10
Texas Tech vs. Charlotte, 10 a.m.
Texas Tech vs. Florida State, 1 p.m.
FAMU vs. Florida State, 3 p.m.
Charlotte vs. FAMU, 5:30 p.m.
Sunday, Feb. 11
Texas Tech vs. Charlotte, 10 a.m.
FAMU vs. Florida State, 12:30 p.m.
Where: Seminole Softball Complex
TV: ACC Network Extra
Reach Ehsan Kassim at ekassim@gannett.com or follow him on Twitter at @Ehsan_Kassim. You can also follow our coverage on Facebook (NoleSports), Instagram (tlhnolesports) and YouTube channel (NoleSportsTD).
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This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: FSU softball to host Charlotte, Texas Tech and FAMU in JoAnne Graf Classic
