Florida State’s top pitchers hadn’t been hit quite like this in the regular season or ACC Tournament. And now the Seminoles will have a long road ahead to fight off elimination in the Tallahassee Regional.
Logan Forman had a two-run homer in the second inning and Amber Chumley hit a three-run homer in the third as Stetson stunned No. 9 national seed Florida State 8-3 on Friday afternoon in the regional opener. The Seminoles’ six-game win streak, which included a run to the ACC championship, was also snapped.
FSU (49-9) will now face the UCF-Jacksonville State loser on Saturday at noon in an elimination game.
“There’s no need to be tight,” FSU pitcher / outfielder Ashtyn Danley said. “We just need to have fun and enjoy the game because that’s when we play our best.”
Stetson (37-20) won the ASun championship and will play the UCF-Jacksonville State winner on Saturday afternoon.
Stetson pounded out 11 hits and pushed eight runs across, the most since FSU allowed nine runs in a loss at Stanford on April 10. The Hatters were 0-6 against top-25 teams during the 2026 season — until Friday.
“We had zero wins against top 25 (teams) this year,” Stetson coach Shellie Cousins said. “We just had the biggest win in program history when it really mattered. That’s why we prepare for those games. That’s why you play that kind of competition.”
Francik (22-3) started and left too many pitches up in the zone, including Forman’s no-doubter to left field and Chumley’s shot that just cleared the wall in right field. The ACC pitcher of the year lasted just 2.2 innings, giving up five runs on five hits, recording five strikeouts. Francik had been electric down the stretch for the Seminoles, recording a 1.27 ERA in the last 49.2 innings.
Danley entered the game in the third and allowed three runs (one earned) on five hits. The left-hander went 2.1 innings.
FSU coach Lonni Alameda turned to Bella Dimitrijevic for the final two innings, resting Francik and Danley as they will be taxed with potentially two games on what could be a long Saturday fighting off elimination.
Stetson’s Hayley Arnold gave up home runs to Anna Hinde and Danley, but FSU’s bats were quiet the rest of the way. The Seminoles stranded six runners combined in the fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh innings.
Alameda doesn’t want the team to stress or press after a loss in the double-elimination regional. She thinks FSU’s juniors and seniors will help the underclassmen keep the right mindset as they rest up on Friday night and prepare for the early game Saturday.
“Our backs are against the wall,” Alameda said. “We can’t press. It is what it is. We really need to enjoy the moment and just let people do what they do.”
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