An early deficit proved too much to overcome as No. 9 Florida State softball fell 8-3 to the Stetson University Hatters in the 2026 NCAA Division I Softball Tournament opener on May 15. Despite entering the opener fresh off the program’s 20th ACC championship on May 9, the Seminoles were unable to slow down a hot Stetson offense that totaled eight runs on 12 at the JoAnne Graf Field.
The Hatters struck first in the second inning when junior catcher Logan Forman blasted a no-doubt two-run home run over the left field wall. The ’Noles quickly responded in the bottom half of the inning as freshman catcher and 2026 Third Team All-ACC honoree Anna Hinde crushed a solo home run over center field, cutting the deficit to 2-1.
“Stetson came out and hit the ball and got after it and made some good pitches,” FSU head coach Lonni Alameda said in the postgame press conference. “We had some good swings … we were an inch and maybe a foot [away] from some home runs there. They hit some balls where we weren’t at and we hit some balls where they were at; you expect that this time of year.”
The Hatters grew their lead in the third inning behind sophomore third baseman Amber Chumley, who launched a three-run home run to put the score at 5-1.
Garnet and Gold starting sophomore pitcher Jazzy Francik exited the game after allowing five earned runs on five hits after 2.2 innings. The outing marked Francik’s third loss of the season and the most earned runs she’s surrendered in a game this season.
FSU rally falls short despite offensive push
Florida State attempted to battle back in the bottom of the third inning. Junior third baseman Jaysoni Beachum singled up the middle before junior utility player Ashtyn Danley powered a two-run home run over center field, trimming the deficit to 5-3.
“This time of year, hitters are hitting good pitches,” Alameda said. “Stetson did a good job of capitalizing on some swings and when people get hit, it’s not because they don’t have good stuff, it’s sometimes the hitters are just really good and they take advantage of things.”
However, Stetson continued to produce offensively. Senior outfielder Annabella McClerren delivered a two-out single in the fifth inning that drove in two runs and pushed the Hatters lead to 7-3. An inning later, Chumley added another RBI with a single to shallow left field for her fourth RBI of the afternoon.
“We came into this weekend [saying] ‘Why not us?,’” Stetson head coach Shellie Cousins said at the press conference. “We knew it was gonna be a battle, but the thing about them is that they’re not gonna back down, they’re gonna bow up, and they’re gonna have fun.”
Stetson’s pitching staff also played a major role in the victory. Sophomore pitchers Hayley Arnold and Ava Braswell held the Seminoles to seven hits on 28 at-bats and limited junior shortstop and USA Softball Player of the Year finalist Isa Torres to one hit in four at-bats.
“I just went out there and I was really carefree,” Arnold said. “I just wanted to attack the zone honestly, like my goal was to attack and paint my corners and attack every batter.”
Alameda looks ahead to win-or-go-home matchup
With the loss, FSU drops into the “losers” bracket of the Tallahassee Regional, where another defeat would eliminate them from the tournament opener. Alameda emphasized the urgency of the win-or-go-home format moving forward.
“Now it’s a chance and opportunity for us to dig deep and do what we’ve done all season and bounce back,” Alameda said to the FSView. “We need to turn around tomorrow and go play with our hair on fire.”
The Seminoles will face Jacksonville State University on Saturday, May 16 at 2:30 p.m. for their second game of the Tallahassee Softball Regional at JoAnne Graf Field.
Hunter Milligan is a Staff Writer for the FSView & Florida Flambeau, the student-run, independent online news service for the FSU community. Email our staff at contact@fsview.com.
This article originally appeared on FSU News: No. 9 FSU softball falls 8-3 to Stetson in Tallahassee Regional opener
Reporting by Hunter Milligan, Staff Writer, FSView / FSU News
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