Why OU softball could face tough challenge vs. Florida State's big-game experience

NORMAN — OU softball’s super regional opponent is a familiar one.

The Sooners will host Florida State — their opponent in two of the last three Women’s College World Series Championship Series — beginning at 6 p.m. Thursday at Love’s Field in the best-of-three Norman Super Regional.

Game 2 is scheduled for 7 p.m. Friday with an if-necessary game slated for Saturday at a time to be determined.

The winner will advance to next week’s WCWS.

Here’s what to know about the Sooners’ opponent:

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Get to know the Seminoles

Record: 46-14 (19-5 ACC)

NCAA Tournament history: 111-78 record, 36th appearance.

Leading hitter: Freshman Jaysoni Beachum is hitting a team-best .425 with 15 home runs and 65 RBIs, in the top 12 nationally.

Leading pitcher: Freshman Ashtyn Danley has been the Seminoles’ workhorse this season, going 18-5 with a 3.12 ERA and 101 strikeouts in 137 innings.

OU’s all-time record vs. Seminoles: 11-8, 1-0 in Norman

Last meeting: 3-1 win, June 8, 2023, in Game 2 of WCWS Championship Series.

Short hops: The Seminoles are in the super regional for the 11th time. … Florida State coach Lonni Alameda is an OU alum, having played for the Sooners from 1989-92. … OU beat the Seminoles 5-4 last March 14 in Norman. … At 7.51 runs per game, Florida State is fifth nationally. OU averages 8.07.

More: College softball Super Regionals schedule: Bracket, list of matchups for NCAA Tournament

Florida State has plenty of big-game experience

The Seminoles, of course, have been in plenty of pressure-packed moments.

There are still plenty of players from last season’s WCWS runners-up, but with freshmen leading them in the circle and at the plate, the Seminoles aren’t lacking in big-game atmospheres this season.

Florida State has played 11 games against teams that are still alive in the final 16.

OU has also played 11, though all but one of those came in Big 12 play, while seven of the Seminoles’ such games were non-conference matchups.

Florida State went just 3-8 in those games, though, beating Stanford early in the season, winning one of three in their regular-season series against Duke and knocking off Florida in their in-state rivalry meeting in Gainesville.

More: How OU softball is hoping to turn around Love's Field fortunes in NCAA Tournament

Jaysoni Beachum keys FSU’s offense

It’s no secret that freshmen have been big pieces of OU’s offense, with Ella Parker and Kasidi Pickering being right in the middle of things for the Sooners.

Jaysoni Beachum has been similar for Florida State.

Beachum is hitting .425 — 36 points higher than any other Seminoles’ regular — with a team-high tying 15 home runs, and leads Florida State in run (53) and RBIs (65).

“She’s pretty level-headed and an old soul,” Seminoles coach Lonni Alameda told the Tallahassee Democrat earlier this season. I like how she comes to work every day. She’s got a very professional mindset.”

Beachum was just 2 for 9 in the Tallahassee Regional, but drove in a run and scored two in the Seminoles’ win over Auburn to send them to Norman.

More: Relive OU softball's run to three straight WCWS titles with our 'Crimson Empire' book

Seminoles have a revamped pitching staff

Kathryn Sandercock had been the Seminoles’ stalwart in the circle since she arrived ahead of the 2019 season.

Sandercock went 107-12 with a 1.44 ERA and 489 strikeouts in 718 innings pitched

Last season, she was 28-4 with a 1.44 ERA. That included a pair of appearances against the Sooners, including a complete game in Florida State’s 3-1 loss to OU in the WCWS-clincher.

Freshman Ashtyn Danley has taken over for Sandercock as Florida State’s ace but the Seminoles’ pitching staff isn’t as dominant on one arm as it has been.

While Danley has thrown 137 innings, Florida State has three other pitchers who have thrown at least 30 innings.

One thing to watch this weekend will be the availability of Allison Royalty, who is 7-5 with a 3.75 ERA and 38 strikeouts in 69 innings.

Royalty has been playing through an injury, but had to leave Sunday’s regional-clinching victory.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OU softball facing challenge of WCWS rematch with Florida State