In the final stretch of Florida State softball's regular season, outfielder Kaley Mudge feels 100 percent.

And, most importantly, pain-free.

Since last October, when Mudge had surgery on her ankle, she has dealt with chronic pains throughout her recovery process. She also took time off away from softball to rest her ankle.

There were times when Mudge limped off the field, and everyone noticed. There were times she had to hit with a walking boot. She has been working her way back to her full self for the last seven months.

Mudge’s playing time has been limited while FSU coach Lonnie Alameda and the training staff have monitored her ankle. Alameda and Mudge played the long game, even if it meant being in and out of the lineup.

Alameda would call it the returning-to-play mentality.

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“When you're a competitor, you want to be out there all the time, but you know, we had to hold her back for some games in the beginning, and you know she just kept trusting the process on that side and just kept doing the work she needed to do,” Alameda said.

Mudge has played in the last 34 games and started to see improvements late in the season. She hit her first home run on Mar. 24 against Pittsburgh. Everything started to go Mudge’s way in April as both she and Alameda envisioned. On April 12 against Notre Dame, she recorded her first triple, and went 7-for-10 in the three-game series.

Against Boston College, she had a season-high three hits and a three-run score on April 21. Florida State has been on a hot streak, winning 23 consecutive games and 20 of the last 21 games following Friday's 13-3 run-rule victory over visiting North Carolina.

The teams are scheduled to play Saturday at 4 p.m.

“And I do feel comfortable like where I'm at now,” Mudge said.

“I feel like I'm getting the speed back up,” Mudge said. “Not really limping anymore, and I'm able to use my different tools. So definitely feels good to be back to 100% and pain-free. That was the goal of surgery to be pain-free.”

Mudge will hang up her cleats after this season but will remain at Florida State

Mudge will be among the six seniors honored when the Seminoles play North Carolina at noon Sunday.

The group includes Autumn Belviy, Devyn Flaherty, Kalei Harding, Allison Royalty and Emma Wilson. The group has been a part of national runner-up teams, two ACC Tournament Championship teams and has won over 200 games.

Mudge says he has experienced many wonderful moments during her five-year career. She has competed in the Women's College World Series and received high honors, including All-ACC honors, the NFCA Southeast All-region team and the WCWS All-Tournament team.

While this will be her last season with the softball team, Mudge will remain at FSU as a full-time student.

She is working toward her master’s certificate in athletic coaching and already has a degree in exercise physiology. After graduation, she will attend nursing school, where she was admitted last month. The Winter Park native is excited to remain on campus as a student.

“Nice to stay around the program and just stay around like Florida State has meant so much to me as a university as well as a softball program,” Mudge said.

However, it will be an adjustment at first in life after being a student-athlete. Mudge will still be around to support her teammates.

“It's definitely going to get hard to transition out of softball, for sure,” Mudge said. "I know that's going to be a really hard transition for me, but I think being in Tallahassee, just staying around Florida State University, and still going to school here is going to help with the transition."

Peter Holland Jr. covers Florida State athletics for Tallahassee Democrat. Contact him via email at PHolland@Gannett.com or on X @_Da_pistol.

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This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: FSU senior Kaley Mudge feels healthy after dealing with ankle injury