OU Softball: Breaking Down Oklahoma's Super Regional vs. Florida State

The Sooners and the Seminoles will play a postseason series against each other for the third time in the last four years this weekend at Love's Field.

Brett Rojo-USA TODAY Sports

NORMAN — Oklahoma and Florida State are no strangers to intense postseason battles. 

Two of the last three seasons have ended with the Sooners and the Seminoles facing off in the Women’s College World Series Championship Series. Florida State took the first game of the series in Oklahoma City in 2021, but OU rallied to win two straight games and take home the 2021 crown. 

Then last season, Jordy Bahl out-dueled Kathryn Sandercock to help the Sooners secure a third consecutive title. 

Now, 2-seeded Oklahoma will host 15-seeded Florida State at Love’s Field for the right to return to Oklahoma City. 

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How to Watch Oklahoma vs. Florida State:

Game 1: Thursday, 6 p.m., ESPN2
Game 2: Friday, 7 p.m., ESPN+
Game 3 (if-necessary): Saturday, time TBD

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Sandercock and Bahl are gone, but OU holds a 5-1 head-to-head edge over the Seminoles over the last three years including Florida State’s midweek trip to Marita Hynes in 2023. 

Patty Gasso’s impact transfer in the circle has history with the Seminoles, too. 

Left-hander Kelly Maxwell pitched 6 1/3 innings against FSU when the Seminoles traveled to Stillwater to take on Oklahoma State in 2023. Maxwell allowed five runs on four hits, walking seven Florida State batters while striking out six in the regular season series. 

She then pitched two innings in the WCWS against Florida State, allowing a pair of runs off one hit. 

Maxwell was excellent in regional action last weekend for OU, crucially allowing no walks and firing 10 strikeouts in nine combined innings against Oregon. 

Game 1 between Oklahoma and Florida State will be on Thursday at 6 p.m. at Love’s Field, and Friday’s contest will be at 7 p.m. If a third game is necessary, the start time for the Saturday battle will be announced at a later date. 

Meet the Florida State Seminoles:

Record: 46-14

Head Coach: Lonni Alameda

Oklahoma's Patty Gasso and Florida State's Lonni Alameda will have battled each other in three of the past four NCAA Tournaments. / NATHAN J. FISH/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY

NCAA Tournament Path: Went 3-0 in the Tallahassee Regional with a 3-2 win over Chattanooga, a 5-1 victory over UCF and a 10-4 win over Auburn.

Notable Regular Season Wins: Stanford (4-0 on Feb. 15), Duke (4-2 on March 16), Florida (12-3 on April 24)

Ace in the Circle: Ashtyn Danley

Florida State freshman Ashtyn Danley leads the way for the pitching staff. / Ehsan Kassim/Tallahassee Democrat / USA

As was the case in 2023, Florida State has a large pitching staff that head coach Lonni Alameda is comfortable leaning on. But instead of Sandercock leading the charge, Alameda leans on freshman Ashtyn Danley. The left-hander has a staff-best 3.12 ERA, and she leads the Seminoles with 137 innings pitched. She’s allowed eight home runs this year and has 101 strikeouts to 62 walks while holding opposing lineups to a .237 batting average. The Sooners have struggled with left-handed pitchers at times this year, and the freshman held Texas’ explosive lineup scoreless in a two-inning outing in March. Danley did allow four runs on six hits in 5 1/3 innings against Auburn on Sunday, but the Florida State offense picked her up to power the Seminoles further in the NCAA Tournament. 

Standout Slugger: Jaysoni Beachum

Freshman Jaysoni Beachum adds another big bat to Florida State's already explosive offense. / MIKE FENDER / THE NEWS HERALD / USA

A pair of familiar names still hammer opposing pitchers in Florida State’s lineup. Michaela Edenfield and Kalei Harding are again key cogs in the Seminole order. Edenfield has blasted 15 home runs and 46 RBIs while hitting .389 with a 1.333 OPS and Harding is right on Edenfield’s heels with 14 home runs. Harding is batting .337 and is second on the team with 64 RBIs, but a new face burst onto the scene in Tallahassee this year. Freshman Jaysoni Beachum leads the team in batting average (.425) and RBIs (65) while hitting 15 home runs with a 1.262 OPS. She’s also added 11 doubles and a triple while drawing a team-high 34 walks on the year.