STARKVILLE — Mississippi State University softball coach Vann Stuedeman wanted her team to use last week’s appearance in the prestigious NFCA Leadoff Classic as a learning experience.
The Bulldogs showed a lot of what they learned Friday at the MSU Softball Field.
MSU extended its win streak to three by defeating Columbia 11-1 in five innings and Louisiana Tech 8-0 in five innings. It has won three straight games by the run rule for the first time since 2004.
“We found out we can compete with some of the nation’s elite teams,” Stuedeman said. “Even though we managed one win, we were still close in every game. The players learned how close we are to being a good team. Now, it is all about coming back, working hard, and finding a way to help take that next step.”
Brittany Bell provided a huge lift. Hitless Wednesday in an 11-2 win against Jackson State, Bell had seven RBIs. She also hit her second grand slam of the season, becoming the first MSU player to do that since Ka’ili Smith hit two in 2010.
“My teammates look for me to drive them in when I get up to bat,” Bell said. “Even though I didn’t have any hits in the last game, this was a new day for me. Last weekend was a good experience. It made us hungry. It made us want to do more to become better. We were looking forward to getting back out here in front of our fans to show what we can do.”
Stuedeman said piecing together a pitching rotation is the biggest task of the non-conference schedule. More answers came Friday. In the opener, Misty Flesher (1-1) threw a complete-game three-hitter. In the nightcap, Stephanie Becker (5-1) allowed three hits in four innings, while Shana Sherrod retired the side in order in the fifth.
“I was really impressed with Misty Flesher,” Stuedeman said. “She settled in after the first inning and put up zeroes the rest of the game. Stephanie was great. Her performance should really give her some confidence going into conference play.”
MSU will face Columbia, Eastern Illinois, and Samford to complete its second on-campus invitational tournament. The No. 3 University of Florida comes to town Wednesday to open Southeastern Conference play.
“These are the teams you are supposed to beat,” Bell said. “It is important to come out here every day and take care of business. There is a fine line between being a (NCAA tournament) regional team and not. These are the kinds of games you have to win to give yourself a chance.
“We really are learning and getting better each week. I think we will be ready for the challenge next week when conference play starts.”
To meet the challenge, the Bulldogs will need a deep pitching staff. Stuedeman feels Flesher, a fifth-year senior who has been battling back from injury, took a step toward helping that situation.
“I really have a lot of confidence in my defense,” Flesher said. “They tell me to go out there and throw strikes. We have really grown up a lot by playing some really good teams. For those of us who have been here, we know how tough the league is.
“You have to believe in yourself. You have to believe in your teammates. If you do that, you have a chance.”
Typically, 30-win teams in softball can make the postseason. The Bulldogs are 11-5 start in Stuedeman’s first season. By the time this 10-game homestand ends, MSU will have faced Florida and No. 7 Georgia to open league play. A year ago, the Bulldogs won 10 games in a 28-game Southeastern Conference schedule.
“Learning and getting better,” Stuedeman said. “That is how we challenge our team every day. We want them to grab the opportunity that is ahead. We have to keep working hard because there are some big challenges ahead.”
Erin Nesbitt had two of MSU’s five hits against Louisiana Tech. The Bulldogs took advantage of three errors to score four unearned runs.
Against Columbia, Sam Lenahan had a team-best three hits.
MSU had three different bases-loaded hits in the doubleheader. Bell and Smith are the only two Bulldogs to hit safely in each of MSU’s first 16 games.
The Bulldog Classic resumes with five games today. MSU faces Columbia at 11 a.m. and Eastern Illinois at 1 p.m.
Scott was sports editor for The Dispatch.
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