STARKVILLE — Mississippi State has spent the past six seasons trying to earn another national ranking in softball.
Now, the Bulldogs will work on staying there.
MSU entered the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Top 25 for the first time since 2009 Tuesday when it was ranked 24th.
The Bulldogs then celebrated that ranking by taking a 16-1 victory over Southeastern Louisiana.
Now, the Bulldogs will try to remain in that rarefied air when they resume Southeastern Conference play this weekend.
MSU takes on in-state rival Ole Miss in Oxford. The three-game series begins at 6 tonight at the Ole Miss Softball Complex.
“Being ranked is really exciting for this team,” MSU sophomore pitcher Alexis Silkwood said. “It just shows that when you believe in something and work hard for something, it can work out.”
MSU has flirted with a national ranking several times in Vann Stuedeman’s four seasons as head coach. However, each time, the Bulldogs would not be able to get that key series win to get ranked.
That all changed Sunday when Amanda Ivy hit a two-run bottom of the seventh inning home run to help her team walk-off with a 7-5 win over No. 23 Texas A&M.
MSU had gone 1,479 days without a walk-off home run before doing it back-to-back Sundays in wins over No. 8 Georgia and A&M.
“It’s all about confidence,” Stuedeman said. “Sundays are about grit and toughness.
“As we have had success, the girls have gained more confidence. We are still getting 14 underclassmen used to playing in the best softball conference in the nation.”
MSU actually let a 7-2 lead slip away in a 10-8 Saturday loss to Texas A&M. However, the Bulldogs won Friday and thus took their first-ever series from the Aggies.
Meanwhile, MSU has won eight straight games against Ole Miss and has not lost a game in Oxford since 2010.
Stuedeman risks a perfect 17-0 mark against in-state opponents this weekend.
The NFCA Top 25 this week has nine SEC teams, including five in the Top 10.
The Bulldogs are 4-4 against ranked opponents and will face another trio of games in that category next weekend when No. 3 Florida comes to town.
Follow Dispatch Sports Writer Scott Walters on Twitter @dispatchscott
Scott was sports editor for The Dispatch.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 36 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.