Ira Schoffel: A masterpiece of a season for FSU Softball's Team 40

OKLAHOMA CITY — The impossible always feels possible in sports. It’s one of the things we love most about the athletic arena.

If the underdogs never won, we’d probably all pick up different hobbies. Maybe read a few more books. Watch more films.

But the U.S. Olympic Hockey Team did beat Russia in 1980. Cinderellas do make runs every year during March Madness. Buster Douglas did drop Mike Tyson. And I’m pretty sure that 2013 Georgia Southern team just ran for another touchdown against the Florida Gators.

It’s why we always tune in … and usually stay tuned in to the end.

As long as there is more time on the clock, or another out remaining on the scoreboard, we know there’s a chance in sports. Anything can happen.

The down side of that knowledge, however, is we sometimes lose sight of the difference between what’s possible and what’s probable. And when the final results don’t go our way, it’s easy to turn our focus to what our team didn’t do that cost us that victory … instead of giving proper credit to the competition.

If only our receiver or running back had made that defender miss. If only our coach had made a different decision.

We saw that play out this week during the Women’s College World Series Championship Series.

When Florida State dropped the first game Wednesday to No. 1 Oklahoma, 5-0, many fans wondered loudly on social media why head coach Lonni Alameda hadn’t started staff ace Kathryn Sandercock in the circle. And it was a fair question.

You have a pitcher who hasn’t lost a game in nearly three months, is 28-3 on the year, is a senior and has come through in so many clutch moments: Why would you not give her a chance to maybe win Game 1 and then figure out a way to scratch out another win over the next two days?

In the moments immediately after Wednesday’s game, Alameda didn’t — and couldn’t — give a detailed answer for why she made that decision. Not with another game left to play. She simply said it’s how the team operated all season and that she, “needed to see what we had from our other pitchers, too.”

Less than 24 hours later, after the Seminoles had suffered a 3-1 defeat in Game 2 and the championship series was complete, Alameda gave a more honest answer.

“Strategically,” she said, “we wanted to match up Kat with whoever it was — [Nicole] May, [Alex] Storako — and thought we’d have a chance … it was our best chance to get to Game 3.”

Alameda wasn’t trying to be cute or clever. She wasn’t trying to play mind games. She simply thought FSU’s best chance of winning one of the first two games, and forcing a deciding Game 3, was to throw Sandercock in the game that Sooners ace Jordy Bahl would not be starting.

That’s not to say May or Storako would be easy matchups. Neither of them has lost a game all season; they’re a combined 36-0. But Bahl had looked unbeatable in this World Series and had yet to allow even one run.

And Alameda’s approach nearly worked.

Who knows? If Kalei Harding’s blast in the third inning had gone an inch or two further, and not been robbed by an outstanding leaping catch by OU center fielder Jayda Coleman, then maybe the Seminoles and Sooners are playing one more game later tonight.

Or if Mack Leonard’s slicing line drive in Wednesday’s opener had landed fair in the fourth inning, giving FSU a 2-0 lead, perhaps the ‘Noles would have been the ones hoisting a trophy.

Even Alameda wondered what could have been during Thursday’s postgame press conference.

“If Coleman doesn’t rob that home run, who knows?” she said. “It’s a game of inches. And I know the question was asked yesterday, if Mack’s ball is two inches [to the left] in Game 1, down the right-field line, maybe it’s a different game there too. So I just think the softball gods weren’t with us this time around.”

It’s fun to think about what could’ve been. But the reality is Oklahoma is the better softball team. The Sooners are the best team in the country.

Objectively.

Based on statistics, they came into this World Series with the nation’s No. 1 offense, No. 1 defense and No. 1 pitching staff.

There’s a reason they won 53 games in a row. There’s a reason they’ve claimed three straight national championships.

They’re a fantastic softball team. Sensational, really.

*** LIMITED OFFER: 3 months of premium access to Warchant.com for $1 or 50% off for a full year! ***

It’s not a loser mentality to acknowledge that fact. They’ve recruited better than anyone in the country, and they’ve become the destination program for elite transfers.

Storako, who started at pitcher Thursday, is a fifth-year senior who was first-team All-Big Ten last year at Michigan.

First baseman Cydney Sanders, who hit the home run that tied the game in the fifth, was a first-team All-American last year at Arizona State. She now hits seventh in the lineup for OU.

Four of Oklahoma’s starters on Thursday were superstar transfers from other schools. Then in the sixth inning, they brought another one — senior Alynah Torres — in to pinch hit. One year ago, Torres blasted 16 home runs as a first-team All-Pac-12 performer at Arizona State. She now comes off the bench for the Sooners.

And there’s nothing wrong with that — it’s the way of the college sports world these days. Just ask Mike Norvell as he’s scheming up plays for Keon Coleman, Jaheim Bell and company this fall.

But it’s also OK to acknowledge that sometimes it’s not about the decisions you make, or the plays you don’t. Sometimes, it’s about the squad you’re lining up against.

In her postgame press conference late Thursday night, OU coach Patty Gasso said she has heard outsiders describe her program as, “The Evil Empire.” Alameda started her press conference by thanking all the friends who reached out this week, encouraging the Seminoles to, “Take down The Machine.”

That’s what we’re dealing with here. That’s what FSU’s softball team — Team 40, as the Seminoles identify themselves — was up against.

“We gave our best … but they’re really good,” Alameda said. “Oklahoma does a really good job. They do a good job in all cylinders from recruiting to developing to meeting the NIL, development of program and team. It’s really an honor to compete against the highest level. We talked about that today.”

Indeed, there is absolutely no shame in coming up short against this Oklahoma softball team. A team that went 61-1 on the season and set an NCAA record for consecutive victories.

Which is why it was so gratifying to hear Florida State’s players seemingly understand that as they spoke during Thursday night’s press conference.

They were sad, to be sure. They wanted to go out on top. They wanted to make the impossible possible.

But they also know all that they accomplished this season — as a team and individuals.

They appreciated the fact that they rebounded from a devastating loss in the NCAA Regionals last season to make it all the way to the WCWS championship series one year later.

“It was really, really hard to lose at regionals. It was really hard,” Sandercock said. “I mean, I couldn’t even watch super regionals last year. I was grateful that I had another year to put the jersey on. It was really hard to say goodbye to Syd and Danielle (2022 seniors Sydney Sherrill and Danielle Watson), for them to end their careers like that. What they gave to this program was so amazing. It really just set up a foundation for Team 40 to thrive. I think that we really took what we could from last year’s team and we ran with it this year.

“We didn’t let the little things go. We talked about them. We fought for them. I mean, this team, like, it’s just incredible what we’ve been able to do. So I’m just really, really proud of Team 40. It started with Team 39, with Syd and Danielle, just the legacy they left with us. How we were able to build off that. Just thankful for them. Thankful for the foundation that they left for us.”

They felt pride about going toe-to-toe with an Oklahoma squad that will go down as one of the most dominant in college sports history.

They offered great perspectives about their individual development. Leonard, who transferred to FSU in 2022 after starting her career at Illinois State, said FSU helped her live, “a dream I didn’t know I had.”

“To be able to do that and not just make it to the World Series but to make it to the championship series says a lot about our program, just the people behind me. I think that I’m so grateful for these memories. … I’ve made a lot of great memories in this postseason. I have made a lot of really great friends through all these memories. A lot of times I’m not ready to give up yet.

“But to finish it here on this stage means the world, especially having my mom and my sister in the crowd, my step-dad, family and friends. Meant a lot (tearing up). It’s definitely not easy, but I’m just extremely grateful I could be here with these people in this program. They’ve given me such a new lease on life, just an outlet to be myself genuinely. I’m so grateful. I don’t really have words.”

They expressed their love for the program and each other.

They even savored some of the great moments from this championship series. Kaley Mudge’s outstanding catch over the left-field fence on Wednesday night. The stellar pitching and defense that prevented Oklahoma from scoring a single run in the third inning Thursday when the Sooners had the bases loaded, no outs and the top of their star-studded lineup coming to the plate.

“The bases loaded, no outs, all the momentum was on their side,” Sandercock said with a smile. “We were able to get out of it with no runs. What an awesome moment. What amazing defense. That was so, so fun.”

There is no fun or satisfaction in losing. The results matter. Even when you’re playing a juggernaut of a program that proved to be almost unbeatable this season.

But it’s also important to remember there should be joy in the pursuit. Of trying to make the impossible possible.

In giving everything you have. In harnessing every ounce of talent in your body and then laying it all on the line in the spirit of competition.

That’s what Team 40, which finishes with a 58-11 record and the title of national runner-up for the second time in three years, did once again on Thursday night.

“We laid it out there. I’m really proud of them,” Alameda said. “It feels really good to know that you bounce back and you’re able to do what we did. Kat led us the whole way there. It was pretty special to see that and end her career there.”

If you saw this Florida State softball team play every inning this season — or even if you just tuned in this week — I’d encourage you to watch every second of that postgame press conference.

There were so many beautiful moments.

Leonard explaining how FSU Softball helped her live that dream, then Alameda coming back later — after the players had gone back to be with their teammates — and reflecting on how elated she and her staff are that Leonard is now seeing the potential they always saw in her.

Seniors Sandercock and Leonard fighting back tears when younger teammate Michaela Edenfield talked about their impact on her life and the program overall.

Alameda needing to pause to regroup, then pulling her cap down to hide the tears, when reflecting on how much these players have grown during their time in garnet and gold: “When you see them ready to take on the world, it’s very heartwarming. I’m just very grateful we could get here. … I’m just so grateful for the opportunity to be there by their side for four or five years.”

These typed-out words don’t really do any of it justice. Go watch the press conference. Or at least skim to around the 3:55 mark to watch maybe the most poignant moment of all.

When Edenfield took her turn explaining what the Seminoles accomplished this season after the disappointment of 2022.

“I really like the analogy that a successful team is like a big puzzle piece. You’re trying to create that big picture,” Edenfield said. “If you don’t take care of your own individual piece and all the edges and the curves, you have to fill in where other people don’t. Being able to open up and learn from that year, being able to use it into this year, has been really big for us individually.

“Really, really proud of Team 40. I’m glad that we had all the puzzle pieces together, for sure. I think this team is special. I hope you guys saw the big picture.”

We certainly did.

And it was breathtaking.

Contact Warchant managing editor Ira Schoffel at [email protected] and follow @IraSchoffel on Twitter.

Talk about this story with other die-hard FSU football fans on the Tribal Council.