Senas’ next stop? Local grinds

The journey from Tallahassee to Honolulu can build up an appetite. So Courtney Senas has some definite plans when the Florida State softball team arrives in town.

"I’m going to go Zippy’s or something, get some local food," Senas said. "That’s the first thing I’m going to do."

Once that’s taken care of, the rest of Senas’ weekend back home will be centered on softball as the Seminoles prepare for a six-game stay on Oahu.

Senas, a 2010 Mililani graduate, returns to Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium to play in the Bank of Hawaii Invitational, starting Friday. Florida State will play five games in the tournament, then close the trip with a stand-alone game against Hawaii on Tuesday.

"I’m just excited to play in front of my whole family for the first time and all the people who helped me throughout high school," the Seminoles’ sophomore center fielder said in a phone interview Tuesday.

COURTNEY SENAS School: Florida State Class: Sophomore Position: Center field High School: Mililani (2010) Career statistics   AVG. G-GS AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB-ATT. 2011 .291 59-57 165 29 48 8 2 5 23 21-27 2012 .349 15-15 43 8 15 3 0 0 8 9-10

Florida State is scheduled to arrive this afternoon, sporting a 15-0 record and ranked 20th in both the USA Today/NFCA poll and the ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate Top 25. Hawaii (12-0) moved up to No. 22 in both polls this week and the Rainbow Wahine and Seminoles have meetings scheduled on Saturday and Tuesday, with another possibly on Sunday, depending on how the tournament bracket shakes out.

Those games will put Senas in the opposite dugout from several former teammates, including fellow Mililani graduate Makani Duhaylonsod-Kaleimamahu, UH’s starting first baseman.

"I think they’re going to be one of the best teams we’ve played so far," Senas said. "It’s more fun because I know some of the girls on their team."

Senas, an All-State shortstop at Mililani, has started all 15 games in center field this season and enters the tournament second on the team in hitting at .349, and has nine stolen bases in 10 attempts.

She broke into the lineup early in her freshman year and hit .291 with five home runs and 21 stolen bases. She hit .600 in the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament and drove in three runs in FSU’s 4-1 win over North Carolina in the championship game to clinch the program’s 12th consecutive appearance in the NCAA tournament.

Still, she wasn’t entirely satisfied with her performance in her first year of college ball — her rate of strikeouts, in particular — and Florida State head coach Lonni Alameda cited Senas’ improved plate discipline as a sign of growth between her freshman and sophomore seasons.

"She was just a very good athlete last year and she’s learning how to be a better softball player this year," said Alameda, who envisions Senas developing into a power threat in the lineup.

Alameda said she recruited players from Hawaii while at UNLV and had met the Senas family during her scouting trips and in clinics she helped coach. When she was hired at Florida State prior to the 2009 season, Alameda kept in touch with Courtney during the recruiting process, but felt "it was going to be a long shot, her coming this far out."

But when the time to sign rolled around, Senas — the youngest of four sisters to play college softball — chose the Seminoles. While there were several factors in her decision, attending a Florida State football game during her recruiting visit certainly didn’t hurt.

"I never went to a football game that intense and the whole crowd is doing the same cheer," said Senas, who’s still not quite comfortable doing the school’s signature war chant. "It was pretty crazy."

This weekend, Senas, who didn’t think she’d have the opportunity to play at home when she signed, is looking forward to hearing more familiar cheers when she takes the field with her family in the stands.

"It’s more fun and relaxing when they’re around. Even if I’m having a bad game, they always make me laugh," Senas said.

"They’re one-of-a-kind fans, I don’t even know how to explain it. I just love playing in front of them, because I’m trying to give my all on the field and they’re giving their all in their cheers."