 TALLAHASSEE – Florida State Softball Welcomes Julia Apsel as First Transfer Portal Addition
Head Coach Lonni Alameda and the Florida State softball team have made a significant addition to their roster with the signing of left-handed pitcher Julia Apsel from Hofstra. This marks the first transfer portal acquisition for the Seminoles, adding a formidable talent to their pitching staff.
Apsel, a Second Team All-Northeast Region selection, emerged as the ace for Hofstra in the 2024 season. Her impressive performance included 33 appearances and 31 starts, during which she pitched a team-high 201.2 innings. Apsel achieved a stellar 1.39 ERA and a 19-12 record. Notably, she completed 20 out of her 31 starts, ranking 15th in the country for complete games. Her ERA was the 10th best nationally, and she recorded 176 strikeouts, placing her 37th in the country.
Apsel’s prowess was particularly evident against Power Five opponents. Against the NCAA Tournament-qualifying Penn State Nittany Lions, she allowed just two earned runs on seven hits over 6.1 innings, striking out three. Similarly, against the National Runner-Up Texas Longhorns, Apsel pitched 6.0 innings, conceding only four runs to one of the top offenses in the nation. Hofstra was one of just two non-Power Five teams to limit Texas to five runs or fewer this season, and one of three unranked teams to achieve this feat.
One of Apsel’s standout performances of the season was against Missouri, the No. 7 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament, who were on the cusp of the Women’s College World Series. In a thrilling nine-inning game, Apsel allowed just two runs on four hits while striking out six, effectively shutting down the Tigers.
Apsel’s excellence continued in the CAA Conference Tournament, where she earned CAA All-Tournament Team honors. She started every game for Hofstra, pitching 26.2 innings and allowing only three earned runs while recording 24 strikeouts. In her final 12 appearances of the season, she gave up just 11 earned runs over 73.2 innings.
Joining the Seminoles, Apsel will be part of a pitching staff that has shown steady improvement throughout the 2024 season. She will team up with Second Team All-ACC selection Ashtyn Danley, 2023 Second-Team All-ACC selection Makenna Reid, and Mimi Gooden, who had a strong finish to the season. Additionally, the Seminoles will welcome Jasmine “Jazzy” Francik as part of the 2024 class. Francik, the 2022 Florida Gatorade Player of the Year, boasts a 0.40 ERA and over 1,500 strikeouts as a six-year varsity player for Melbourne High School.
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