Florida State's Devyn Flaherty Uses FGCL To Prep For College Season

One of the best freshmen in the country during the abbreviated 2020 college softball season got to keep her hot streak going this summer in the Florida Gulf Coast League. That freshman, who is now preparing to begin her second season at Florida State, is Devyn Flaherty, who played five different positions for the Seminoles in 2020 and finished the shortened campaign with a .333 batting average and 16 RBI.

Flaherty, who played this summer for the Bradenton Lynx during the inaugural FGCL campaign, lit it up throughout the 25-game summer season. She led the Lynx with a .388 batting average, posted seven doubles, one triple, three home runs and collected 14 RBI. Flaherty also held things down at shortstop for the Bradenton squad, which was coached by Florida alum Lindsey Fico and Appalachian State alum Cara Parker.

The seven-team FGCL kicked off its inaugural season on June 18 despite the COVID-19 pandemic and welcomed Flaherty and dozens of other college softball players to Florida for their first game action in more than three months after the college season was canceled on March 12.

For her efforts in the FGCL, Flaherty earned all-star honors, which allowed her the opportunity to play against the USSSA Pride in a three-game exhibition series at the pro softball team's complex in Viera, Fla. During that series with the Pride, Flaherty got the chance to play against former Florida State stars Jessie Warren and Alex Powers, which was a thrill for her.

"It was so cool because Jessie Warren and Alex Powers were giving me pointers on my swing while I was on the field," Flaherty told Softball America. "Their classes left a huge mark in FSU softball history, and it was an honor to get to play against them."

For the 2020 FGCL season, Flaherty said she "felt prepared" thanks to the time she spent with the Seminoles during the 2019-20 academic year. As someone who was able to hit the ground running at the Division I level, Flaherty did not skip a beat with the Lynx this summer in the FGCL.

Heading into the 2021 campaign, Flaherty feels even more prepared for college softball than she did last season thanks to her experience in the FGCL.

"Playing in the FGCL was a unique experience," she said. "Because we played almost every day, we were able to focus on improving different aspects of our game each day. Playing live games provided us the opportunity to work and get better while in the college offseason."

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