As the regular season comes to a close, Santa Fe College’s softball team is ranked third in the state and sixth in the nation — and the Saints want to go all the way to the World Series.
The Santa Fe Athletics Department hosted a send-off for the team on Tuesday morning. Santa Fe faculty, family and staff made goodie bags filled with candy and motivational notes for the players to take with them.
The Saints are headed into the FCSAA Softball Division 1 Championship tournament in Clearwater, Florida, following a regular season overall record of 43-13.
The team consists of a couple new players, and they’re talented.
Molly Bender, a 21-year-old physical education sophomore, is in her first season on the team.
“We want to win and take it home for our coaches, for each other, and move on to the World Series,” Bender said.
Bender, who plays in the outfield, was named to the All-FCSAA First Team, an award given to athletes who are selected as the best in their sport.
Their strategy headed into the tournament, she said, is prioritizing teamwork and communication.
“The team that stays together the most and wants to win for each other, battle for each other and fight for each other is the team that’s going to come out on top,” Bender said.
Belle Mancillas, a 20-year-old business sophomore, is in her first season, too. The pitcher was also named to the All-FCSAA First Team.
Mancillas said the team has been preparing for the week. They’ve gone through film and analyzed plays to help their response in future games, she said.
The tournament is double-elimination style and will be streamed live on the FCSSA Digital Network.
The Saints play their first game on Wednesday at 1 p.m. against Miami Dade College.
“I’m super excited to play against these teams that are pretty competitive teams,” Mancillas said. “I’m just excited to bring our competitiveness out and play with everybody.”
The Saints haven’t performed this well in over a decade; this is their first time they’ve won over 40 games since 2014.
Head Coach Savannah Webster has been with the team for 11 years. She’s filled her current role for five. She is proud of the kids and admires their passion for the game.
“It’s just really special because of the kids and the enjoyment that they bring every day,” Webster said.
She’s seen the team’s potential since the beginning of the season. She recalled some adversity in their first two games of the season, but she remembers the team’s focus and determination even more, she said.
Santa Fe President Paul Brodie offered some words of encouragement to the team before they boarded the packed charter bus.
“You leave it all out on the field,” Brodie said. “Keep going and bring it home.”
Their destination is Clearwater, but their goal is to win.
Contact Tess Lippincott at tlippincott@alligator.org. Follow her on X @tesslippincott.
