Florida State softball: Examining the ranked teams the Seminoles will play in Clearwater
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It may only be the second weekend of the softball season, but it could be a major one for Florida State softball.
The No. 4 Seminoles will play in the 2023 TaxAct Clearwater Invitational starting Thursday in Clearwater, where they will face some of the best teams in college softball.
FSU (6-1) are off to a hot start in the 2023 season with wins over Lipscomb, Longwood and Purdue in the JoAnne Graf Classic this past weekend followed by a doubleheader sweep of FAMU on Tuesday.
The real test begins this weekend, with five games against five top-20 opponents, starting Thursday.
"I think people look at that tournament like a World Series or a Super Regional tournament, which is it," FSU head coach Lonni Alameda said about the invitational following Tuesday's game.
"But it's not World Series or Super Regional time. We're going in for the competition of it and want to see our abilities to make adjustments throughout the weekend.
"We are ready for that opportunity. I know they are excited, but the freshmen have no idea what they are getting into, so that's always fun for them to go down there."
Here is more information on each opponent the Seminoles will face this weekend.
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No. 18 Arizona
The Wildcats went 5-0 in their season-opening tournament, the Candrea Classic, with victories over Long Beach State (9-1, 9-1), Kansas (15-2) and North Carolina State (15-1, 15-1). All their wins came in five-inning run-rule performances.
Pitcher Devyn Netz made a big impact, returning from a leg injury. She picked up three wins with a 1.27 ERA and 0.82 WHIP, Netz hit .500 with 10 at-bats over the weekend.
Arizona hit a total of four home runs to score 63 runs , while also adding stolen bases in those five games.
Jasmine Perezchica led the team with three home runs, with both Tayler Biehl and Dakota Kennedy ending the weekend with two each.
The Wildcats are 15-6 all-time against FSU, though the Seminoles have won two straight, including a 4-3 win on June 5, 2021 in the College World Series in Oklahoma City.
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No. 8 Arkansas
The Razorbacks are also off to a 5-0 start after sweeping their way through the Rebel Kickoff in Las Vegas this past weekend.
Arkansas picked up wins over Weber State (8-0, 11-0), UNLV (11-0), Southern Utah (10-2) and Baylor (11-7).
Spencer Prigge went 6-for-12 with three home runs, 12 RBI and nine runs scored. She also added five walks. Kristina Foreman also added three home runs, while Atalyia Rijo hit .636 and scored seven times.
Callie Turner went 2-0 in the circle, striking out nine and walking four in 11 innings of work.
The last time these two teams played was on Feb. 29, 2020, when pitcher Kathryn Sandercock picked up a two-inning save in a 2-1 FSU win in Fayetteville, Ark in the Wooo Pig Classic.
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No. 2 UCLA
The Seminoles defeated the Bruins 4-3 when these teams squared off last year in the same invitational. A double from Kalei Harding proved to be the game-winning hit, as FSU overcame a 2-0 deficit. Michaela Edenfield hit a solo home run in the game.
FSU leads the all-time series 9-6, with six of the matchups coming in Oklahoma City.
The Bruins are off to a 7-0 start, sweeping through their Stacy Winsberg Tournament with wins over Cal State Fullerton (3-0), CSU Bakersfield (18-1, 8-0), Loyola Marymount (11-0) and San Diego (14-0, 5-2).
UCLA defeated Liberty 3-2 on Tuesday, with starting pitcher Megan Faraimo striking out 13 in a complete-game effort. Faraimo is 4-0 with a 0.69 ERA in 21 innings this season. She has struck out 38 hitters and walked just two.
Maya Brady has four home runs and 14 RBI and is hitting .684 with a .864 on-base percentage through the first seven games.
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No. 20 Louisiana
The Ragin' Cajuns represent another undefeated and ranked opponent in the tournament for the Seminoles. They are off to a 4-0 start, following a sweep of the 37th Annual Louisiana Classics in Lafayette, La., defeating Lafayette College (12-0, 6-0), Stephen F. Austin (12-1, 12-0).
Pitcher Sam Landry did not allow a run in nine innings of work, striking out 19 hitters, while walking four and allowing just one hit.
Victoria Valdez led the team with a .636 batting average with two doubles, a home run and six RBI. Jourdyn Campbell added a home run and 10 RBI, hitting .600.
The Seminoles are 2-2 all-time against the Ragin' Cajuns. FSU swept UL (7-1 and 8-0) in a pair of games on April 4, 2018, at JoAnne Graf Field, in the last matchup between the two teams.
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No. 6 Alabama
This will mark the fourth straight season Alabama and FSU will face off. The Seminoles have won six straight over the Crimson Tide, including wins in consecutive days in the College Softball World Series in 2021. FSU leads the all-time series 7-4.
The Crimson Tide bounced back from a season-opening defeat at the hands of Lehigh (7-4) to finish their Leadoff Classic in Tuscaloosa, Ala. with a 2-1.
Alabama defeated Georgia Southern 8-2 and 13-1, before seeing their second matchup against the Mountain Hawks canceled due to inclement weather.
Kali Heivilin and Ashley Prange each hit a home run and drove in four runs for the Crimson Tide.
Star pitcher Montana Fouts struck out 20 of the 33 hitters she faced, allowing just one walk. That includes a 16-strikeout performance against the Panthers, where she allowed two runs on four hits in that complete game performance.
FSU at 2023 TaxAct Clearwater Invitational
Thursday, Feb. 16
No. 4 Florida State vs. No. 18 Arizona, 4 p.m. (ESPNU)
Friday, Feb. 17
No. 4 Florida State vs. No. 8 Arkansas, 1 p.m. (ESPNU)
Saturday, Feb. 18
No. 4 Florida State vs. No. 2 UCLA, 10 a.m. (ESPNU)
Sunday, Feb. 19
No. 4 Florida State vs. No. 20 Louisiana, 1 p.m. (ESPN+)
No. 4 Florida State vs. No. 6 Alabama, 5 p.m. (ESPN)
Reach Ehsan Kassim at ekassim@gannett.com or follow him on Twitter at @Ehsan_Kassim. You can also follow our coverage on Facebook (NoleSports) and Instagram (tlhnolesports).
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This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: What to know for Florida State softball playing in Clearwater Invitational
