Mack Leonard 'very grateful' for Florida State's season

After losing to Oklahoma on Thursday night, Florida State had to watch the Sooners celebrate their third straight national championship. Despite this disappointing ending, Florida State star Mack Leonard said that she was grateful for the team’s season.

As Leonard explained, the Seminoles were able to build on what they learned from the 2022 season and use that as motivation to make it as far as they did in 2023.

“I think this team, we learned a lot from supers or regionals last year getting cut really early on by Mississippi State,” Mack Leonard said. “We took times to re-watch the games together as a squad. It was really hard. I hadn’t re-watched any of the games since then. That was my first time since then.”

This season, Mack Leonard was All-ACC Third Team and a member of the All-ACC Tournament Team. She hit .267 for the season with six home runs. She also had a 2.78 ERA as a pitcher in 40.1 innings pitched this season.

“The motivation and passion that returns to you, just the grit and the hard work that you put in in the fall and early spring. Mid-season we had tough conversations. All year we’ve been having tough conversations about holding each other accountable. That’s what we did,” Leonard explained.

“We worked really hard as a squad to be there for our left and right, constantly have each other’s backs. I know that’s a lot stems from last year. I’m really grateful looking back that we had that motivation in our hip pocket.”

Mack Leonard explained that the Seminoles left it all on the field, which wouldn’t have been possible without the season that led up to the WCWS.

“To have that going into this season and to leave it all out there on this biggest stage is indescribable, so… I’m just very grateful.”

Lonni Alameda praised Mack Leonard’s performance

In the first game of the WCWS, Florida State sent Mack Leonard to the mound as the team’s starter. There, she dominated for three innings before the Seminoles’ relievers gave way. After the game, head coach Lonni Alameda praised her performance.

“We’ll see if some adjustments are happening. I think she’s getting the ball down in the zone, mixing speeds a little bit,” Alameda said.

“That’s the big thing for her. She’s relaxed. This is a big moment for a lot of these pitchers to be in. Kat [Sandercock’s] got the most experience, but these guys are starting to build it. I’m really proud of her. This is awesome. This is why she came here, this is what she wanted. I’m super proud of her.”