FSU softball (44-8, 18-3 ACC) clinched the ACC regular-season title with a series win over Virginia Tech over the weekend. The Noles will head into the ACC Tournament as the No. 1 seed and will play the winner of the Georgia Tech/California game.
The Noles swept California and didn't play Georgia Tech because their series got canceled when the shooting on campus took place.
This 2025 FSU softball team is a better version than last year's, which lost in the Super Regional against Oklahoma. They have more depth in the circle and a better overall offense now that Jahni Kerr and Katie Dack found their stride after struggling earlier in the season. Here's how they match up compared to last year's team.
๐๐๐ค'๐จ ๐ง๐๐๐๐ฎ ๐๐ค๐ง ๐จ๐ค๐ข๐ ๐ฅ๐ค๐จ๐ฉ๐จ๐๐๐จ๐ค๐ฃ ๐จ๐ค๐๐ฉ๐๐๐ก๐ก? ๐
โ ACC Softball (@ACCsoftball) May 4, 2025
The 2025 ACC Softball Championship Bracket is officially here!
๐๏ธ buy now: https://t.co/vG7FkyysCm
๐ read more: https://t.co/VljxmleoK7 pic.twitter.com/U8e7MKzI1f
Woo Pig Sooie. There's a different No. 1 for the fifth straight week as @RazorbackSB rises to the top spot after ending the regular season winning their last six SEC series.
โ Softball America (@SoftbalAmerica) May 5, 2025
๐ https://t.co/83m2tN3x0d pic.twitter.com/InDFep8j97
Pitching
FSU has four pitchers that can trot out to the circle with confidence, compared to maybe two last year. The overall team ERA is 2.32 and the WHIP is 1.08 compared to 3.71 and 1.49 last year. Opposing batters his .225 this year compared to .263.
FSU pitchers have surpassed last year's strikeout totals in 10 fewer games(274 to 259) and the walks have decreased by more than 50 percent(only 72 in 52 games compared to 182 in 62 games).
Hitting
FSU doesn't have the same power numbers as a year ago, but hit .360 this year compared to .333. They get on base at a higher clip, .446 to .419, and only strikeout in 11.4 percent of their at-bats, with a slightly higher slugging percentage than last year.
Kennedy Harp suffered a season-ending injury in our April 27 game at Louisville๐
โ Florida State Softball ๐ฅ (@FSU_Softball) May 5, 2025
We're all with Kennedy as she works her way back to be on the field next season#Team42 pic.twitter.com/7YTpZFyj9w
FSU losing a player the caliber of Kennedy Harp is a huge blow. She was hitting .412 and among the team leaders in several offensive categories.
Defensively
Defensively, they probably have taken a small step back (especially at second base with the loss of Devyn Flaherty) compared to last year's team, but a good bit of the errors have come via the pitchers this year.
The biggest difference between the two teams is the depth inside the circle. It's amazing FSU got as far as they did with freshman Ashtyn Danley carrying much of the load late in the year. Danley's growth, the additions of Annabelle Widra, Julia Apsel, and freshman Jazzy Francik provide FSU a greater margin of error if someone's not performing well. Makenna Reid could help pitch a few innings as well. FSU should do well in the ACC Tournament and receive one of the better seeds in the postseason. If this team continues to play well, they have a shot at a deep postseason run once again.