"OH MY GOD, GET IT!"
Five words were all it took, turning the 2018 Women's College World Series' postgame press conference from a celebration of the Florida State Seminoles' national championship into an impromptu bug extermination.
With a nickname like "Postseason Anna," you better believe Florida State's Anna Shelnutt will be remembered in Tallahassee lore. After arriving on campus in 2017, the pride of Heard County High School in Franklin, Georgia, did nothing but help Lonni Alameda's juggernaut dominate. After making the ACC All-Tournament Team as a freshman, the standout catcher burst on the scene her sophomore year.
Shelnutt started 62 of 65 games, all but four of those starts came behind the dish. She clubbed seven home runs and drove in 32 RBIs as the Seminoles captured a fifth-straight ACC Tournament title — With two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning, Shelnutt's three-run, walk-off home run gave FSU the conference title.
2018 ACC Softball Championship Game
Don't worry. "Postseason Anna" wasn't close to being done.
Facing elimination in Game Two of the Super Regional versus LSU, Shelnutt's two-run home run in the 11th inning helped force the deciding third game, which FSU won. Her solo home run in Game One of the 2018 WCWS against Washington was all FSU needed, securing a 1-0 victory on a game remembered for Jessie Warren's all-time highlight reel catch.
After an 8-3 victory in Game Two, the Florida State Seminoles were NCAA national champions for the first time.
A celebration was in order, especially for Shelnutt, who was named to the 2018 WCWS All-Tournament Team. But at the postgame press conference, a disgusting visitor crashed the party when a bug crawled up Shelnutt's neck and onto her back, prompting her teammates into a mad scramble to get the roach off of their star.
Huge Bug Interrupts FSU Softball's Championship Celebration
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Shelnutt returned as a junior — this time without bugs — to post a career-high .293 batting average in 57 starts. She was named All-ACC Second Team and had All-American aspirations as a senior before the coronavirus pandemic cut the 2019-20 season short.
Luckily, the NCAA granted additional eligibility to spring athletes who want to return in 2021. In a move that rivals Michael Jordan's famous "I'm back" fax, Shelnutt announced via Twitter her intentions for the 2021 college softball season with the following reference:
Dear Florida State & FSU Softball Fans:
The Wolf of Wall Street?
Directed by: Martin Scorsese
Scene : 2:15:30 - 2:16:15That?s all I have to say. Thank you. #FSUTwitter #fsusoftball
— Anna Shelnutt (@AnnaShelnutt) June 3, 2020
For those unaware, the scene below is what she's talking about. (Warning: There's some NSFW language, but it's hilarious.)
Anna Shelnutt is a Seminole legend, and one disgusting roach off of the field won't stop us from celebrating what she's meant as a Florida State softball player on it.
This post was originally published on June 12, 2020 but "Postseason Anna" will always be an FSU legend.
MORE: Carsyn Gordon's Inside-The-Park HR Kickstarted FSU's Title Run
https://rumble.com/embed/u7gve.cc4f2z/
