Previewing all eight teams in the Women's College World Series. How does FSU stack up?
The Women's College World Series has finally arrived.
Starting June 1, Florida State softball will begin its quest for its second national championship in program history in Oklahoma City, along with seven other programs.
All eight of the teams competing were seeded, with FSU (55-9) at No. 3 nationally.
FSU has won 21 of their last 22 games, including an ACC regular season championship, ACC tournament championship and Tallahassee Regional and Tallahassee Super Regional titles.
The Seminoles won their only softball championship in 2018 and finished as runners-up in 2021.
FSU opens the double-elimination tournament against No. 6 Oklahoma State (46-14) at 7 p.m. Thursday (ESPN).
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FSU is the second-highest seed left following UCLA going down in the Los Angeles Regional, tying the 2022 Seminoles as the highest seed to ever lose in a regional.
No. 1 Oklahoma (56-1) enters as the heavy favorite, riding a 48-game winning streak.
The Seminoles went 3-1 with wins against Marist, UCF and South Carolina to win the Tallahassee Regional. Kathryn Sandercock delivered a perfect game against the Gamecocks following a loss earlier in the day to win that championship.
FSU then swept Georgia in two games in the Super Regional to advance to its 12th WCWS.
Here's a look at all eight teams in the NCAA Softball Women's College World Series in 2023.
No. 1 Oklahoma Sooners
Season Record: 56-1, 18-0 Big 12
Season finish: Big 12 Champions/Conference champions
RPI Ranking: 1st
Path to WCWS: Went 3-0 at Norman Regional; Swept Clemson 2-0 in Norman Super Regional
Offensive leaders
Average: Tiare Jennings, .436
Home runs: Alyssa Brito, 17
RBI: Jennings, 60
Runs: Jayda Coleman, 66
Stolen bases: Coleman, 15
Slugging %: Jennings, .818
Pitching Leaders
ERA: Nicole May, 0.82
Wins: May/Jordy Bahl, 18
Saves: Bahl, 3
Innings pitched: Bahl, 122 ⅔
Strikeouts: Bahl, 157
Analysis: The Sooners are the most complete team in the bracket, as evidenced by their 48-game winning streak and one loss. May is third in all of the NCAA with her ERA but also gives way to a talented duo with Bahl who leads the team in innings.
Oklahoma’s .372 batting average is the top in the nation and they lead the way with 112 home runs, or 1.96 per game. Brito leads the way with her 17 bombs, which is tied for 18th in the nation. Jennings and Coleman (16 each), Haley Lee (14) and Kinzie Hansen (12) also are in double figures.
The Sooners defeated the Seminoles 5-4 on March 14 in Norman, Oklahoma.
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No. 3 Florida State Seminoles
Season Record: 55-9, 22-2 ACC
Season finish: ACC regular season champions; ACC Tournament champions
RPI Ranking: 3rd
Path to WCWS: Went 3-1 at Tallahassee Regional; Swept Georgia 2-0 in Tallahassee Super Regional
Offensive leaders
Average: Jahni Kerr, .362
Home runs: Katie Dack/Michaela Edenfield, 11
RBI: Edenfield, 53
Runs: Kaley Mudge, 48
Stolen bases: Devyn Flaherty, 30
Slugging %: Dack, .625
Pitching Leaders
ERA: Makenna Reid, 0.93
Wins: Kathryn Sandercock, 26
Saves: Sandercock, 9
Innings pitched: Sandercock, 171 ⅓
Strikeouts: Sandercock, 107
Analysis: FSU started the season with a 21-6 record but caught fire at the end of the season and finished with 21 wins in their final 22 games.
The Seminoles boast a balanced lineup with several hitters who can hit for pop and singles and get on base with regularity.
FSU also has a strong pitching rotation and is led by ACC Tournament MVP Sandercock, who is a redshirt senior and has plenty of big-game experience.
Losing last year's regional has already lit a fire under this team. It would be a major shock to see them knocked off in back-to-back seasons.
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No. 4 Tennessee Volunteers
Season Record: 49-8, 19-5 SEC
Season finish: SEC regular season champions; SEC Tournament champions
RPI Ranking: 8th
Path to WCWS: Went 3-0 at Knoxville Regional; Swept Texas 2-0 in Knoxville Super Regional
Offensive leaders
Average: Kiki Miloy, .420
Home runs: Milloy, 25
RBI: McKenna Gibson, 59
Runs: Milloy, 83
Stolen bases: Milloy, 39
Slugging %: Milloy, .981
Pitching Leaders
ERA: Ashley Rogers, 0.75
Wins: Rogers, 16
Saves: Payton Gottshall/Karlyn Pickens, 2
Innings pitched: Rogers, 131 ⅓
Strikeouts: Rogers, 173
Analysis: Milloy has arguably been the best hitter in college softball this season with her 25 home runs and 83 runs scored and .987 slugging percentage all leading the nation. Behind her, Gibson provides another potent bat in a dangerous lineup. The Volunteers were 11th in the nation in home runs.
In the circle, Rogers is second in the nation with her ERA and 20th with her 9.2 strikeouts per seven innings. Beyond her, Gottshall is the No. 2 pitcher and has also thrown over 100 innings and posted a respectable 1.42 ERA.
Tennessee is 5-3 all-time against the Seminoles but has lost three in a row in the series. FSU won the last meeting 9–3 in a meeting in Clearwater, Florida on Feb. 17, 2022.
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No. 5 Alabama Crimson Tide
Season Record: 45-20, 14-10 SEC
Season finish: Finished 4th in SEC regular season/Lost in SEC semifinals
RPI Ranking: 12th
Path to WCWS: Went 3-3 at Tuscaloosa Regional; Beat Northwestern 2-1 in Tuscaloosa Super Regional
Offensive leaders
Average: Ashley Prange, .325
Home runs: Prange, 16
RBI: Bailey Dowling, 49
Runs: Prange, 45
Stolen bases: Kristen White, 14
Slugging %: Prange, .654
Pitching Leaders
ERA: Montana Fouts, 1.48
Wins: Fouts, 25
Saves: Fouts, 4
Innings pitched: Fouts, 223
Strikeouts: Fouts, 319
Analysis: Fouts’ (knee) return helped catapult the Crimson Tide from an 0-1 series deficit to two straight wins to win the Tuscaloosa Regional. Fouts leads the nation with 317 strikeouts. Her 223 innings thrown were the seventh most in the nation and accounted for over 50% of the innings for UA.
Prange is the main hitter for the Crimson Tide offense as the only player with an OPS over 1.000 (1.094). Her 16 home runs lead the team and she walked (36) double the amount of times she struck out for the season.
FSU is 7-5 all-time against Alabama but lost a head-to-head matchup earlier this season against Fouts (2-1) in Clearwater.
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No. 6 Oklahoma State Cowgirls
Season Record: 46-14, 10-8 Big 12
Season finish: Finished 3rd in Big 12 regular season; Lost in 1st round Big 12 Tournament
RPI Ranking: 5th
Path to WCWS: Went 3-0 at Stillwater Regional; Swept Oregon 2-0 in Stillwater Super Regional
Offensive leaders
Average: Rachel Becker, .449
Home runs: Kiley Naomi, 13
RBI: Naomi, 64
Runs: Becker, 61
Stolen bases: Naomi, 12
Slugging %: Naomi, .689
Pitching Leaders
ERA: Kelly Maxwell, 1.77
Wins: Maxwell, 16
Saves: Maxwell, 6
Innings pitched: Maxwell, 138 ⅓
Strikeouts: Maxwell, 223
Analysis: Maxwell’s 11.2 strikeouts per seven innings ranked as the second-best in the nation. Much like Sandercock, she is used in a variety of ways with 31 starts and nine relief appearances. Alabama transfer Lexi Kilfoyl represents a good second option, having thrown only eight fewer innings.
Becker and Naoimi were the only two regulars on the Cowgirls to finish with an OPS over 1.000 and provide a good chunk of the offensive production. The two were the leaders in most stat categories for the season.
OSU leads the all-time series against Florida State 14-12, including taking two out of three in a series from March 10-12 in Stillwater, Oklahoma earlier this season. FSU has won four straight in the series prior to the series loss.
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No. 7 Washington Huskies
Season Record: 43-13, 16-8 Pac-12
Season finish: Finished 2nd in Pac-12 regular season; Lost in Pac-12 Tournament semifinals
RPI Ranking: 13th
Path to WCWS: Went 3-1 at Seattle Regional; Swept Louisana 2-0 in Seattle Super Regional
Offensive leaders
Average: Baylee Klinger, .388
Home runs: Klinger, 12
RBI: Klingler, 47
Runs: Klingler, 42
Stolen bases: Brooklyn Carter, 27
Slugging %: Klingler, .680
Pitching Leaders
ERA: Ruby Meylan, 2.19
Wins: Meylan, 18
Saves: Meylan, 7
Innings pitched: Meylan, 169 ⅓
Strikeouts: Meylan, 197
Analysis: Klinger’s 14 home runs and 12 doubles represent the biggest offensive weapon for the Huskies at the plate as her 121 total bases were tied for the 31st most in the nation. Washington is also active on the basepaths with 79 stolen bases this season.
In the circle, Meylan made 43 appearances (23 starts, 20 relief outings) for the Huskies, leading the team in wins and saves, much like Sandercock. She however did give up 11 home runs, struggling times with that aspect.
The Seminoles are 7-7 against the Huskies but notably a pair of wins, including an 8-3 victory over Washington secured FSU its first national title in 2018. The Huskies won the last matchup 7-0 in Clearwater in 2020.
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No. 9 Stanford Cardinal
Season Record: 45-13, 14-10 Pac-12
Season finish: Finished 4th in Pac-12 regular season; Lost in Pac-12 Tournament semifinals
RPI Ranking: 4th
Path to WCWS: Went 3-0 at Stanford Regional; Swept Duke 2-0 in Durham Super Regional
Offensive leaders
Average: River Mahler, .367
Home runs: Aly Kaneshiro, 7
RBI: Kaneshiro, 40
Runs: Taylor Gindlesperger, 38
Stolen bases: Gindlesperger, 8
Slugging %: Gindlesperger, .482
Pitching Leaders
ERA: NiJaree Canady, 0.48
Wins: Alana Vawter, 20
Saves: Vawter, 4
Innings pitched: Vawter, 179 ⅔
Strikeouts: Canady, 193
Analysis: Canady brings the best ERA in the nation to the tournament, sitting at a dazzling 0.48 for the season. She has allowed just eight runs across 116 ⅓ innings, with three coming in a 3 ⅔ inning performance against Washington. The freshman also has an 18-strikeout performance against Villanova in her stacked resume.
Offensively, the Cardinal have the weakest lineup of all the WCWS teams with a .402 slugging percentage and 24 home runs. They only had 267 runs for the season but the pitching allowed just 96 to make their remarkable run possible.
The Cardinal defeated FSU 8-2 in February of 2017 to even the all-time series between the programs at one win a piece. The Seminoles beat Stanford 3-1 in 2013.
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No. 15 Utah Utes
Season Record: 42-14, 15-9 Pac-12
Season finish: Finished 3rd in Pac-12 regular season; Won Pac-12 Tournament
RPI Ranking: 18th
Path to WCWS: Went 3-0 at Salt Lake Regional; Beat San Diego State 2-1 in Salt Lake Super Regional
Offensive leaders
Average: Aliya Belarde, .400
Home runs: Karlie Davison/Ellessa Bonstrom, 11
RBI: Bonstrom, 54
Runs: Belarde, 53
Stolen bases: Haley Denning, 33
Slugging %: Bonstrom, .638
Pitching Leaders
ERA: Mariah Lopez, 2.15
Wins: Lopez, 23
Saves: Sarah Ladd, 3
Innings pitched: Lopez, 191 ⅔
Strikeouts: Lopez, 201
Analysis: Following a three-game series sweep at the hands of UCLA at the end of April, the Utes have found their groove and are playing their best softball. They have won 11 of their last 12, including the Pac-12 tournament championship win over UCLA.
The last time the Utah softball team advanced to the NCAA Women’s College World Series was in 1994.
Lopez is a workhorse in the circle and is top 30 in innings pitched and strikeouts, despite her 2.15 ERA not looking as strong as the other aces in the tournament.
The Utes and Seminoles are tied 3-all in the all-time series, with the Seminoles winning three straight, including two wins in the 2016 Tallahassee Regional.
Reach Ehsan Kassim at ekassim@gannett.com or follow him on Twitter at @Ehsan_Kassim. You can also follow our coverage on Facebook (NoleSports) and Instagram (tlhnolesports).
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This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Who will Florida State softball play in Women's College World Series?
