FSU Seminole Softball Sweeps Terps
Posted by NoleCC
I’m short on time today… so here are the game summaries from Seminoles.com:
Game 1 / Game 2 – Seminoles Sweep Doubleheader
Game 3 – No. 21 Florida State Completes Sweep of Maryland
Of note, all three wins were shutouts. Two of which were of the 1-0 variety. I’m concerned about the bats a bit, even if the pitching was able to bail them out. Then again, a win is a win is a win. The Seminoles are now 3rd in the ACC, and have a 32-13 overall record. Not to shabby for Lonnie Alameda’s inaugural season.
Leave me your thoughts on the weekend, and hopefully I’ll be able to contribute a little more later today.
Loading ...
Luvunoles on 
Abe Fr0man on 
I agree about the bats, we lead the conference in strikeouts. Hickey of Maryland dominated us except for the homerun and double. On the bright side we swept and McConn actually had the game winning hit!
Spoke to a colleague (another ACC softball team) who mentioned that FSU was picked 5th in the preseason poll which is where everyone thinks FSU should be right now. But the majority of the coaches didn’t know much about the transfer (Rafter) who played at the “lowly” Detroit Mercy (albeit Div. 1) so they didn’t think she’d figure much in the mix since she would now be playing at a much higher level in the ACC. The coaches knew FSU was very weak at catcher but they didn’t expect the transfer to be as much of a hitter either. They figured Rafter would have trouble with the ACC pitchers and therefore weren’t expecting much more than a .250 batting average, at best. On another note, a couple of the coaches (headed by the Gtech head coach) complained to the ACC about Rafter transferring (they felt it was a conflict of interest that Coach Alameda “recruited” Rafter to come to FSU with her). However, Rafter and Alameda broke no NCAA rules with the transfer (and it was FULLY investigated). But some of the coaches are not happy with how FSU is doing (can you imagine that FSU is a threat now!). Coach Alamade and Rafter are 2 of the least favorite people in the ACC right now – but only because of this. I’m sure everyone will forget about it next season when Rafter is no longer playing and therefore no longer a threat!
I think this is a bit contradictory – they didn’t give FSU credit because they didn’t think they were worthy of a higher ranking than 5th in the ACC but now that they are higher they are complaining that Coach Alameda “recruited” Rafter. Every coach would have done the same thing but since it was Alameda who got her (and they are doing well) they are complaining again. Also, I thought that recruiting was part of the coaching job.
@2 Nancy, these coaches that have a problem with it, should look themselves in the mirror, since they’re all likely guilty of doing the same thing. The fact is that, like you said, Coach Alameda and Kaleigh Rafter did everything legally. The transfer was legal. Everyone else in the ACC can close their mouths.
Why does the GT coach get on my nerves? Anyway I am upset they played lights out against us, yet blow it against teams they should beat. For coaches to be upset FSU is doing well sounds childish to me.
That’s funny that the ACC coaches would complain about Rafter. I hope the Maryland coach wasnt one of them complaining. When she got that job I remember her robbing a very good Bethune-Cookman team of half of it’s players to play at Maryland. Anyone remember Amber Jackson? A stud for sure.
Yes Rafter has added to this team, and with the injury to Arberg it happened at a great time. Arberg is a legit bat, and if Montez was healthy I think we would have been just fine in that department. Where I know the improvement has been is in the circle. ERA’s dont lie, and those two young ladies have done a awsome job this year.
If GT had a lights out pitcher they would be hard to beat. And NC has some great talent. Like I have said in the past, this FSU team is right where they belong in this conference, and would have been in this same position without Alameda or Rafter. That wont change next year or the next. FSU, GT, NC will be the top teams in the ACC every year with NC State sneaking in there sometimes.
sbdude you must be kidding (yourself) if you truly believe they FSU would be where they are without Alameda and Rafter. Ahrberg is not a good catcher but has a great bat and Montez will never be able to catch again (degenerative back problem) – in way too much pain to ever play that position again. I’d be willing to bet that Alameda will start one of the freshman for the catching position. It’s time you suck it up and accept the fact that FSU is way better already – than anyone expected or is willing to give credit to Alameda and company.
I find it interesting that Rafter sent messages to the big schools in the ACC when she was in the process of transferring. The only one she heard back from was NC State. So the big guns have no business being upset because they did not think much of her from the start. Also, she did spend a year playing and practicing against the best pitching from around the world. Don’t under estimate what a catcher that has caught against the best in the world can do for any pitcher. Expect the G tech FSU rivalry to heat up in the coming years.
Georgia Tech has dominated us the last few years in softball. Who was the coach before the current one? She should get credit for bringing in Haller and Johnson.
Bill said “Montez will never be able to catch again (degenerative back problem)”
Bill, Ive been watching Montez play since she was 12 years old and she has never been a catcher (she’s a outfielder).
Rafter is a stud for sure, but Gilmore would of done just fine behind the dish. I give coach Alamenda loads of credit for the progress of the pitchers, but I still believe FSU would of been just as good at third place in the ACC with who ever was coaching. If they would have played that week-end in Colombus there would have been a good chance that they would have lost three of those games, and they would have played a team with a catcher that’s by far better than any catcher in the ACC, Rafter included. With that rained out week-end they would be close to the same record as last year at this time. When the current coaching staff was at UNLV they didnt do anything special in a very weak conference, and believe me recruiting to UNLV was no hard task. I like Lonnie and Angel tons, and they are recruiting a few of my girls I coach so I wish them nothing but the best. I think that there is some people that dont want to give coach Graf her due. She was a great coach, recruiter and person that just so happens to have about 1300 more wins than most coaching staffs in the country.
Gilmore has great skills but have you noticed she’s not playing? Nothing to do with skills and everything to do with attitude. You win ball games with a team and not just individuals on that team.
sbdude the Graf days are over and she happened to get plenty of due in her days (well deserved). Unfortunately when she left she didn’t leave everything behind and has been a thorn in the side of many players and the new coaches since they arrived. I’m glad she was a great person to you but that hasn’t been the case behind the scene. I’m sure it’s difficult for Graf to cut all ties after spending half her life on the diamond but she needs to move on and let the new era take over. I think she was prepared to continue in the background with Louie at the helm and wean herself slowly away from the field.
What the new coaches have done is bring positive energy to the team. Give them time to develop this team on their terms.
@9 I have to admit Gilmore is one of my favorites to watch play, I think she’d have been okay behind the plate too. I also agree that Graf is a great coach, but I really don’t think the Noles would have been in the same position with her still here. To me, the performance of the pitchers comes from Alameda’s stability coaching the pitchers. Tiffany McDonald had 3 during her tenure, and battled through it, but I also wonder how much better she might have been (or worse depending on the coach) had there been more stability at pitching coach.
@10 I guess that’s part of the problem with a new staff maybe. This is Gilmore’s 3rd staff in 4 years I think? That’s rough on any player. I’m not making excuses, but just trying to point out that sometimes players end up with circumstances they don’t like. The only thing I can say for Graf is that her retirement did feel a bit forced to me, which blows my mind since Bowden and Martin would never be forced off the field. I’ve always had good experiences with the limited communication I had with Coach Graf as a booster for the team, but I can also she where a lot of players and coaches have problems letting go.
Nancy, I wasnt saying that they would be any better with Graf. I was saying that in this conference (that I feel is weak), FSU is right where they are going to be every year. Top three with a chance to win the conference.
Nancy said,”You win ball games with a team and not just individuals on that team.”
I also believe this is true. But I also believe teams are made up of individuals with different backgrounds, personalities, skills, circumstances and attitudes. Good coaches can take all these differences and pull the best out of each one. A young lady on the team was mentioned as to having a bad attitude. I know this young lady and think she is a great teammate, and that her attitude is one of her biggest assets. A hard nosed no nonsense player that gives 100% all the time. No she doesnt smile and joke all the time, but if I needed a player to run through a fence to get a ball, she would be the one to do it. I have watched her play out in Fullerton against some top teams the last three years, and can tell you that she is very well respected by here opponents. If a coaching staff cannot use a player with her amount of talent, then it’s their loss.
Nancy also said,”Unfortunately when she left she didn’t leave everything behind”. Wrong , wrong, wrong! Coach Graf left a strong successful program, a group of very good players who are all fine young ladies, who have done a great job for thier new coaching staff. The new coaching staff is very lucky to have everything coach Graf left behind.
It seemed in my humble opinion that Coach Gs teams the last few seasons were regressing not progressing and she realized that and stepped down. Says a lot about her character to know when to hang it up.
Anyone know why they are not playing tonight in Troy, I realize the recent bad spat of weather but radar looks clear in that neck of the woods.
Ed,
They played the game in the doubleheader last week, but if there are any non-conference rain outs they could schedule another one. I assume this is like the baseball team scheduling an extra game (4 game series, Monday finale) at the end of the season usually against a close-by opponent and if they don’t have any rain outs they don’t play the extra game.
Troy contacted coach A and asked for the pass. They are struggling with their bats and did not want to hit against gober/hamilton. They are tring to build some confidence and the games tonight would have been counter productive.
@16, thanks for the scoop.
“Troy contacted coach A and asked for the pass. They are struggling with their bats and did not want to hit against gober/hamilton. They are tring to build some confidence and the games tonight would have been counter productive.”
That has got to be the lamest thing I have ever heard a softball coach say. No travel cost, and a chance to get some swings in against a pretty good team. Wow! I know a 14U team that would play FSU in a heartbeat.
Found this on UCS, can anyone confirm that all of these young ladies are still committed to FSU?
Class of 2010
Eliza Crawford, Ashlyn Masters, Maddie O’Brien, Kelly Hensley, Hannah Rogers, Evelyn Morgado
Crawford is from California and from readings on the web doing very well. However her and Masters I am not sure about since the coaching change.
Nancy, gilmores attitude has nothing to do with her not playing, she has one of the best attitudes , I know her at the personal level and as a players. She is very much a team player.. And I think that it is good that they got rafter she is doing great, but gilmore could have done a great job to.