FSU softball: How can the Noles beat Oklahoma for a national title?

Conclusion

That’s 30+ mistakes by FSU softball. Some common themes were FSU batters getting behind in the count and having awful at-bats. They had several strikeouts that were three-pitch at-bats. FSU pitchers lived behind in the count for nearly the entire game.

Oklahoma made some costly mistakes but had way more opportunities to score runs. Oklahoma batters only struck out once in the game, compared to 12 strikeouts for FSU. The Sooners had 13 hits to only six for FSU.

Oklahoma made a huge baserunning mistake in the bottom of the fifth inning that likely cost them at least one run, and left nine runners on base in the game. FSU only left two runners on.

How can things go differently in the National Title game series?

The way Lonni Alameda used the season to prepare this team for this moment was masterful. FSU softball was a work in progress when they made the trip out to play Oklahoma State and Oklahoma.

The pitching staff had players still trying to find their roles, which is why FSU used four pitchers in that Oklahoma game. There’s a reason why we’ve only seen Kathryn Sandercock, Mack Leonard, and Makenna Reid on the mound over the past few games. Sandercock and Leonard in particular, will be key against the Sooners because they induce a lot of ground ball outs.

Those drop balls low in the zone do a great job keeping balls in the park, which is something they must do for a chance to win. Alameda getting the freshman Reid into that game earlier this year should help when she enters the national championship series.

She’s already gotten into some tough situations in the postseason, so she’s not a freshman anymore. The offense hadn’t evolved into what it is now, as several players were batting well below .300 before finishing the season well above or right at .300.

For instance, Tennessee has one of the best pitching units in the nation, and FSU only struck out three times. They only struck out five times against Washington, six times against Oklahoma State, and four times in two games against Georgia.

FSU batters have had much better at-bats overall since then, and some of their best hitters have been missing in action over the past few games, and they’ve still won. Good pitching stops good hitting, but when they’re on, FSU can score in a variety of ways.

FSU can’t give Oklahoma extra outs when on defense, and they can’t give away outs with poor baserunning decisions. FSU pitchers can’t walk batters to lead off innings or with two outs.

FSU batters must make Oklahoma pitchers pay when in hitter counts. Oklahoma pitchers will look to get ahead in the count early, and FSU batters need a plan but with some aggression early in counts. If they get behind in the count, the chance to be productive drop dramatically against this unit. This team is battle tested and has overcome adversity several times this season.

If they do the little things mentioned above, and that’s asking them to be elite, they can beat Oklahoma for the national title. This FSU softball team is elite in a lot of areas, and they have a better chance than anyone else in the country. They have to live in the moment, and play exceptional situational softball with each pitch.

This is the situational lens I want you to watch the game through over the new few days. Enjoy it, you’re watching greatness on both sides.