FSU IS YOUR 2018 NATIONAL CHAMPION! pic.twitter.com/JVz4oqsCLL — espnW (@espnW) June 6, 2018 Despite an early three run deficit at the end of the top of the first inning the resurgent ‘Noles bounced back in the bottom half to cut the lead to only one run. A three run second inning gave the Seminoles the lead. Meghan King delivered another dominating performance for the second night in a row and the Seminoles never looked back winning by a final score of 8-3. Jessie Warren was named Most Outstanding Player of the series. In 34 years of Florida State softball the program has never had a losing season and have had at least 40 wins every year. The Seminoles do have two national titles under their belt, back to back AIAW slow-pitch titles in 1981 and 1982. But this is their first NCAA title in 31 tournament appearances and ten visits to the College World Series. They were also the first ACC team to play for and win a national title. Time to celebrate the amazing season and awesome accomplishment by one of the most successful programs in softball history. Below are reactions from social media on the win. Congrats @FSU_Softball !!!! Go Noles Baby‼️♥️ — DeMarcus Walker (@livinglegend_44) June 6, 2018 So pumped and proud!!!! Loved watching this championship run, this is the definition of FIGHTING, PERSEVERING, BELIEVING AND FINISHING!!! PROUD TO BE A NOLE AND I LOVED EVERY INING!!! Very inspired and proud!!! First ACC national champs, that's big time!!! pic.twitter.com/Xrk63SMB1B — Donte' Pimpleton (@coach_pimp) June 6, 2018 YESSSSSS!!!!!!!!! Way to go Ladies!!!! Y’all deserve it @FSU_Softball !!! So happy for y’all!!!! #Noles — Alec Eberle (@aleceberle54) June 6, 2018 There it is! Congrats FSU Softball! National Champs! Very proud moment for all Noles! Enjoy it — you’ve earned it! Parade coming to Tally soon! — Greg Frey (@CoachFreyFSU) June 6, 2018 Huge congratulations to the Lady Noles!! @FSU_Softball NATIONAL CHAMPS!!! #GoNoles — Drew Mendoza (@DrewMendoza22) June 6, 2018 #Team35 did it. Florida State is your 2018 NCAA National Champion. Congrats, ladies!! https://t.co/EL3lpRkTMN — FSU Beach Volleyball (@FSU_BeachVB) June 6, 2018 Looking forward to honoring our NATIONAL CHAMPIONS at a halftime this fall! Congratulations on making history, @Coach_Alameda and @FSU_Softball! #Noles #NationalChampions — Marching Chiefs (@FSUChiefs) June 6, 2018 Go noles!!!!! — Derrick Brooks (@DBrooks55) June 6, 2018 Amazing to watch people realize their dreams. One night, one time, best in the world. — Walt Bell (@coachwaltbell) June 6, 2018<doc-sep>(6) Florida State (56-12) sweeps (3) UCLA (58-7) 3-1 in the first game and 12-6 in the second game to advance to the Championship Series. This marks FSU's first appearance in the Women's College World Series finals. The Seminoles are also the first ACC team to make the finals. The Seminoles are 6-0 in post season elimination games this year. Game One Florida State was designated as the home team for this game. Meghan King was in the circle for the Noles against Rachel Garcia for the Bruins. King allowed a two out single to Aaliyah Jordan but stranded her at first to end the inning. Garcia allowed a one out Carsyn Gordon single to left and then walked Sydney Sherrill to give FSU first and second with one out. Garcia then got two straight strikeouts to end the threat. In the second King got two quick outs but then walked Taylor Pack and then gave up a single to Brianna Tautalafua. She bounced back with a strikeout of Zoe Shaw to end the inning. Garcia got two quick outs to start the inning but then gave up a double to Morgan Klaevemann. Unfortunately she was stranded when Elizabeth Mason grounded out. Kylee Perez laid down a nice bunt for a base hit to start the third. Her sister Briana Perez reached on an error by Jessie Warren at third. Kylee moved to third on the over throw. Jordan grounded out to short on a nice play by Cali Harrod. Garcia delivered an RBI single to left to score Kylee Perez. Bubba Nickles reached on a fielder's choice when Warren made a great play to throw out Briana Perez at home. King ended the inning on a Madeline Jelenicki groundout. Garcia got out of the third unscathed by sandwiching a Sydney Sherrill single between three Seminole outs. King set the Bruins down 1-2-3 with a ground out and two strikeouts. Dani Morgan started things by beating out a bunt single. Zoe Casas followed with a single to center and she got to second on the throw. After that Garcia struck out the side to get out of the jam with no damage. King kept cruising by sandwiching a two out single by Jordan around three other Bruin outs. Warren started the inning for FSU with a single but Garcia got three straight outs to end the inning. Nickles continued her hot hitting for UCLA with a single through the right side. After a Jelenicki strikeout Taylor Pack grounded into a double play turned by Sherrill at second to end the inning. In the bottom half of the sixth FSU made its move. Morgan started it by blasting the first pitch she saw deep to centerfield. Bubba Nickles tracked it down and put her glove up over the wall and the ball landed in it to rob Morgan of a game tying home run. Casas followed with a single through the right side. Cali Harrod reached after getting hit by a pitch. Cassidy Davis grounded out advancing the runners to second and third. Then came arguably the biggest at bat in modern day Florida State softball history. Elizabeth Mason cranked a 1-2 pitch over the centerfield wall to give the Seminoles a 3-1 lead and ultimately keep the season alive. In the seventh, King got Tautalafua to strike out to start things. Jelly Felix got a pinch hit single for UCLA. After a Kylee Perez strikeout her sister Briana walked but Jordan fouled out to Gordon at first to end the game. Meghan King (24-6) has been absolutely huge all postseason and she was great again today. The redshirt junior earned the win pitching 7 full innings allowing 7 hits, one unearned run with 2 walks and 10 strikeouts. Rachel Garcia (29-4) took the loss for the Bruins. This was the first time all year that UCLA lost after leading at any point in the game (56-1). Elizabeth Mason was the MVP for the Noles. The redshirt freshman went 1-3 with a homerun, a run scored and 3 RBI. Zoe Casas was 2-3 and Morgan Klaevemann was 1-2 with a double. Game Two The same two teams took the field again in the rubber match of their series. UCLA was the home team for this game. Garcia was in the circle again for the Bruins this time matched against Kylee Hanson for Florida State. Warren started the game off with a single right up the middle that just missed hitting Garcia. After two outs Anna Shelnutt singled to right but the inning ended with a Dani Morgan strikeout. Hanson started out well for FSU by sandwiching a Jordan single between three UCLA outs. In the second coach Kelly Inouye-Perez removed Garcia and replaced her with Selina Ta’amilo in the circle. Garcia remained in the game officially as the designated player. FSU immediately took advantage. After a Casas ground out, Harrod homered over the left field wall. Klaevemann followed with a hit to center field that she turned into a double with her speed. Inouye-Perez responded by putting Garcia back in the circle. Mason reached second on an error by Brianna Tautalafua at third. Klaevemann scored on the play. Warren came up and blasted a bomb over the right-centerfield wall driving in Mason. Inouye-Perez made another change putting Holly Azevedo in the circle replacing Garcia. Azevedo got two groundouts to end the inning but the Noles had taken a 4-0 lead. Nickles doubled to right center to start things for the Bruins. Tautalafua grounded out to second to advance Nickles to third. After a Jelenicki pop out, Pack homered over the left field wall to cut the lead to 4-2. In the third Morgan delivered a one out double but was stranded at second. Hanson got UCLA in order to end the inning. Klaevemann started the fourth by getting thrown out on a bunt attempt. Mason followed with a strikeout but FSU wasn't done. Warren singled to center. After a Gordon walk, Sherrill jacked a no-doubter over the right-centerfield wall to give the Noles a 7-2 lead. However, UCLA didn’t lie down. Nickles hit a one out single through the right side. Tautalafua doubled to right center and the Bruins had runners on second and third. After a Jelenicki flyout Pack hit a two run single to cut FSU's lead to 7-4. In the fifth Morgan reached on an error by Brianna Tautalafua at third. She promptly stole second. Casas doubled down the first base line scoring Morgan. After a Harrod flyout Klaevemann reached on a squeeze play scoring Rosario who was pinch running for Casas. Klaevemann took second because UCLA failed to cover the base. After a Mason strikeout the Bruins intentionally walked Warren with first base open. Carsyn Gordon made that strategy backfire when she homered over the left field wall to give the Noles a 12-4 lead. After a Kylee Perez ground out Briana Perez homered over the right field wall. Jordan followed with a single up the middle. Coach Lonni Alameda replaced Hanson with Cassidy Davis in the circle. Garcia grounded into a double play started by Davis who fielded her position very well on the play. In the sixth Inouye-Perez put Garcia back in the circle. Garcia responded by getting the Noles in order in the inning. Nickles continued her scorching hitting by depositing a solo shot over the left field wall to cut the lead to 12-6. The Bruins got two more singles to have runners on first and second with one out but the Nole defense came through again when Malia Quarles hit into a double play. FSU went down in order in the seventh. Alameda inserted King and she got the Bruins in order with two flyouts and a strikeout to send FSU to the championship series. Kylee Hanson (30-6) got the much needed win for the Seminoles. Selina Ta’amilo (10-3) took the loss for the Bruins. Hanson went 4 1⁄ 3 innings giving up 8 hits and 5 runs with no walks and 2 strikeouts. Cassidy Davis went 1 2⁄ 3 innings with 3 hits and one run with no walks or strikeouts. Meghan King closed the game for one inning giving up no hits or walks with one strikeout. Jessie Warren was 3-3 with a homer, 3 runs, 2 RBI and a walk. Carsyn Gordon was 1-3 with a homer, 2 runs, 3 RBI and a walk. Sydney Sherrill was 1-4 with a homer, 1 run, 3 RBI. Zoe Casas, Morgan Klaevemann and Cali Harrod had the other RBI for the Noles. Post Game Florida State has been overlooked nationally all season. This is what happens when you don't play in the SEC or PAC 12 and aren't the defending champs (Oklahoma). However, the Seminoles are proving that they do indeed have the talent to play with and beat the best teams in the nation. FSU took advantage of UCLA's biggest weakness which is pitching depth. The Bruins really needed to win game one because they just don't have the depth to slow down a team as good as FSU when Garcia goes out of the game. To Florida State's credit they were able to hit even Garcia when she was in the game. The defense came up huge in today. The Noles only had one error in 14 innings played today. It will be very important to continue that against for Washington because FSU can't afford to have too many mistakes against the Huskies. Morgan Klaevemann and Carsyn Gordon appeared to break out of their slumps today. Both players had hits in both games. Their resurgence means that there will be very few soft spots in FSU's lineup for Washington to exploit. Florida State now moves on to the championship series against (5) Washington. It will be the best 2 out of 3 for the championship. Washington will be the home team for game one. The game will start at 7pm (ESPN) from Oklahoma City.<doc-sep>
(6) Florida State (57-12) defeats (5) Washington (52-9) 1-0 to take a one game lead in the Women's College World Series best of three final series. Game Recap Due to being the higher seed Washington was designated as the home team. Washington sent freshman Gabbie Plain to the circle while FSU countered with redshirt junior Meghan King. Washington's Sis Bates committed an uncharacteristic error on a Sydney Sherrill infield hit but Plain was able to pitch around it to retire the Noles in the first inning. King retired the Huskies in order in the bottom of the inning. In the second Plain retired FSU in order with two strikeouts and a flyout. King sandwiched a walk between three other outs to end the inning. Morgan Klaevemann started the third inning with a single down the left field line. She promptly stole second and freshman catcher Emma Helm threw the ball into right centerfield allowing Klaevemann to scamper to third. Plain beared down from there and got two straight popouts followed by a strikeout to end the inning. Trysten Melhart started the inning for UW with an infield hit. Kelly Burdick sacrificed her to second. Taylor Van Zee singled up the middle and Melhart went to third with one out. After Van Zee stole second Sis Bates loaded the bases after getting hit by a pitch. King came back and struck out the next two batters and FSU got out of the inning unscathed. In the fourth Anna Shelnutt worked a one out walk. Deja Bush pinch ran for her and stole second. Dani Morgan walked to give FSU runners on first and second with one out. After Zoe Casas flied out Cali Harrod walked the bases loaded. Klaevemann hit a ball to Bates at short and she tagged out Morgan for the third out as she ran in front of her trying to get to third. King gave up a walk to Helm but but then got a foul out and a strikeout to end the inning. Warren hit a one out double in the fifth off of a ball that was at her shoelaces. Carsyn Gordon grounded to short but Warren moved to third. Plain got a foul out to strand her at third. Burdick started the inning with a single up the middle and stole second. Bates sacrificed her to third but King got a groundout to end the inning. "Playoff Anna" Shelnutt started the inning by blasting a 3-1 pitch over the left centerfield wall for the first run of the game. Morgan followed with a single through the right side. After a Casas groundout Morgan stole second. With her sixth steal Morgan sets a WCWS record. Harrod then lined into a double play to end the inning. King kept dealing getting the Huskies out 1-2-3. After two strikeouts Warren doubled down the left field line. Plain ended the threat by striking out Gordon. Taryn Atlee started the last of the seventh with a single up the middle. Melhart tried to bunt her over but the ball went into the air and Warren made an incredible diving catch and then doubled up Atlee from her knees. Look for this play on the Top 10 plays tonight. King ended the game when she got Van Zee to bounce out to her for the last out. Meghan King (25-6) has turned into a cross between Kat Osterman and Jennie Finch since she got off the bus in Oklahoma City. She continued her hot streak in this game going 7 full innings giving up five hits, no runs, with 6 strikeouts and only two walks. She lowered her ERA from 1.22 to 1.13 with the shutout. Gabbie Plain (22-5) pitched very well but took the hard luck loss. Anna Shelnutt was 1-2 with the only RBI on her massive homerun. Jessie Warren continues to rake as she was 2-4 with two doubles. This game went about as well as possible for FSU. King went the whole distance so Kylee Hanson will be fresh for tomorrow. The Noles played error-free softball. And oh yeah, they got the win. Florida State will face Washington in game two tomorrow night at 8pm (ESPN). The probable starters will be Kylee Hanson for FSU (30-6, 1.33 ERA) vs Taran Alvelo for UW (23-4, 1.10 ERA). Florida State will be crowned national champions with a win.