Champion ’Noles
Florida State pitcher Meghan King (top) celebrates with catcher Anna Shelnutt after the Seminoles’ 8-3 victory over Washington on Tuesday at the Women’s College World Series in Oklahoma City. The victory clinched the national championship for the Seminoles.
FLORIDA STATE 8, WASHINGTON 3
OKLAHOMA CITY — Jessie Warren’s career finished just the way she envisioned it.
On Monday night, Florida State’s star third baseman made perhaps the play of her career, a diving catch and throw for a double play that helped preserve a 1-0 victory over Washington in Game 1 of the Women’s College World Series championship series.
On Tuesday, the senior did the damage with her bat. She had three hits, including a home run, and Florida State beat Washington 8-3 to claim its first national title.
Warren, who hit .520 in the World Series, was named Most Outstanding Player. As it all sunk in, tears started to flow.
“I think that’s every senior’s dream, is to leave with a ‘W,’ to end their season on a ‘W,’ ” she said.
The Seminoles (58-12) won the best-of-three championship series 2-0. They lost their opener before winning six consecutive games to become just the third team to come through the losers bracket and take the title.
Florida State pitcher Meghan King settled down after a rough start to complete a record-setting World Series. She broke the record for lowest ERA (0.20) among pitchers who threw at least 10 innings.
It was the first national title for an Atlantic Coast Conference team in softball.
Washington (52-10), one of four Pac-12 teams to reach the World Series, was undefeated outside the conference until the two losses to Florida State.
“I hope that I can impart that on these women, that for what they were able to do throughout our entire journey, they are champions in how they went about it other than us not having the gold trophy,” Washington Coach Heather Tarr said.
The Huskies got the only earned run off King early. Taylor Van Zee led off the game with a single, advanced to second on a passed ball and scored on a bunt by Sis Bates. Washington then took advantage of an error, a passed ball and a double after miscommunication to take a 3-0 lead.
Florida State Coach Lonni Alameda talked to her team during the rough start.
“You eye it up and you kind of look around and you walk in there with a big smile and be like, ‘We’re the cardiac kids. We need to be down by three in order to perform. We’re right where we want to be,’ ” she said. “So they all kind of laugh.”
Anna Shelnutt started the Seminoles’ rally with a twoout, two-run home run in the first.
Florida State got more in the second when Elizabeth Mason singled and two runs scored with help from an error in right field. Warren’s RBI single later in the inning pushed the Seminoles’ lead to 5-3.