Florida State pitcher Kathryn Sandercock discusses her team's mindset heading into 2023 NCAA Softball Tournament

Florida State pitcher Kathryn Sandercock has been devastatingly dominant during the 2023 women’s softball season for the Seminoles. In 151 innings, she’s fired 92 strikeouts while pitching an ERA of 1.16. She brought home 2023 ACC Pitcher of the Year honors and she’s also helped propel FSU to an impressive 50-8 overall record and a 2023 ACC Tournament crown. The Seminoles are out to avenge their early exit from last year’s NCAA Tournament, when they fell to the Mississippi State Bulldogs in the Regional Final. This year, the Seminoles earned a No. 3 overall seed in the 2023 NCAA Softball Tournament. Following the softball tournament bracket reveal show on ESPN2, ESPN’s Holly Rowe took some time to speak with Sandercock about her team’s special 2023 season and more.

First, Sandercock talked about her team’s spectacular 2023 season. The Seminoles have coasted through their competition all season long. They even finished 30-2 at home.

“Yeah, I’m just super proud of the team. We have worked really hard all season. We’ve been playing with a lot of heart. We’ve been playing really gritty. And yeah, I was in a great spot this fall coming in. Coming off last year’s loss was tough, but [I’m] just really proud of the team and just what we’ve been able to do this season,” Sandercock said.

She discussed her team’s mindset and focus heading into the 2023 NCAA Softball Tournament.

“Just….about being gritty. It’s a huge one. We have a let’s ride motto that we’ve been sticking with all year. And we just played a really great ACC Tournament. It took a lot of fight. We got punched in the face. We were able to come and punch back. Just playing a lot of team softball. Play Florida State softball has just been the focus all year long, but yeah, just super proud of us and what we’ve been able to do this season,” Sandercock said.

Sandercock talked about how her team felt about going down early to Mississippi State in the Regional Final of the 2022 NCAA Softball Tournament, after her team compiled an impressive 54-7 overall record in the 2022 campaign. She discussed the heartbreaking exit and how her teammates were able to learn from it.

“Yeah, I think coming off of the Mississippi State loss last year was tough. But I think that we learned a lot from it. That was the first thing we did when we got back this season was watch that game and took what we could from it to go into this season. We didn’t just sweep it under the rug. We learned from it, and I think that it’s made this team better,” Sandercock said.

Then she discussed the advantages her team has since they have so many players on their roster with experience from the 2021 Women’s College World Series.

“Yeah, I think that it’s huge to have a bunch of returners that know what it takes to get there. I mean, we had an incredible experience when we were in Oklahoma City, so, just wanting to get back there really bad. And knowing what it takes. Knowing that it takes a lot of heart. Knowing that it takes playing as a team and playing smart. And just, all of our core values. Playing as a family. Being aggressive at the plate, on the mound. But, we know what it takes and we’re just real excited to get after it this postseason,” the 2023 ACC Pitcher of the Year said on Sunday evening.

Regionals are set up in pods of four and will be a double-elimination format. Florida State will be the No. 1 seed in the Tallahassee Regional. The No. 2 seed in that regional is UCF. The No. 3 seed is South Carolina. And the No. 4 seed are the Marist Red Foxes.

For a full look at the 2023 NCAA Softball Tournament Bracket check it out here.