Meet the star of the women’s College World Series: FSU’s Jessica Warren

Florida State's Jessica Warren smacks softballs out of the park with such regularity she now ranks in the NCAA top 10 in career homers and RBIs. She also makes highlight-worthy catches in the field.

Her ability to do both is a big reason she is the star of the women's College World Series.

The former Alonso star hit a homer in the finale of a two-game sweep of UCLA that sent the Seminoles to the championship series for the first time.

But her best play might have come Monday. In the opening game of the championship series against Washington, the third baseman made an acrobatic diving catch, then threw to first to complete a double play in the seventh inning of FSU's 1-0 victory.

That catch put the national spotlight on Warren.

The play made it on SportsCenter's top 10. It also drew plenty of praise from sports celebrities.

Warren is soaking in all the attention.

Warren is a fan favorite for more than just making plays. She wrote an open letter to softball, thanking the sport for all it has given her.

ESPN's opening segment of the first game showed Warren and three other players meeting their young idols. The encounter reduced Warren to tears.

The Seminoles can clinch their first national title with a win in either of tonight's games. It will be an emotional moment for Warren.

In November, longtime Alonso assistant coach Sherman Johnson died after a four-year battle with cancer. Johnson made a call to convince FSU coach Lonnie Alameda to take a look at Warren.

Johnson also took Warren to one of the Seminoles' clinics. In a 20-pitch audition, Warren made enough of an impression to get a scholarship, the only she got from a Division-IA school.

Now, Warren is on the verge of being a national champion, capping off what has been a remarkable career.