STARKVILLE — There is a buzz in the Mississippi State softball team’s locker room.
Eight-game winning streaks always help create that excitement.
“The confidence level on this team is growing,” MSU coach Vann Stuedeman said. “You can see the strides from the first week of the season to the second, then from the second to the third.”
MSU (12-3) will open a seven-game homestand against Alabama State (3-9) at 6 p.m. today at Nusz Park. It then will play host to the three-day, four-team Bulldog Slamboree. Samford, Massachusetts, and Central Arkansas will round out the field.
The homestand will end with a nationally televised battle against Troy at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday (SEC Network).
“The focus is on getting wins and getting better as a team,” Stuedeman said. “We know the challenges of Southeastern Conference play, so this is a very important stretch of games. You really want go into league play with a high level of confidence because it can humble you quickly. This a huge weekend so we can make sure we are in the position we want to be to start league play.”
The opening SEC series will be March 10-12 at Texas A&M. The Aggies have been one of the biggest surprise stories in college softball. The squad moved all the way to fifth in this week’s National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Top 25. A season-opening 15-game winning streak ended Wednesday night with a 1-0 loss to Houston in College Station, Texas.
Six of MSU’s eight conference opponents are ranked. The other two (Arkansas, South Carolina) received votes, so MSU will receive a significant Ratings Percentage Index (RPI) boost each weekend. Thus, the need to stack non-conference wins is vital.
The balance of the non-conference schedule also includes games against No. 9 Oklahoma and No. 25 Ole Miss.
“Each week is a grind in this conference,” MSU senior Katie Anne Bailey said. “You just can’t get too high and can’t get too low. We couldn’t shake off the adversity last year. We have to do a better job of that this season.”
Junior college transfer Bevia Robinson leads the Bulldogs with a .500 batting average (18 hits in 36 at-bats). The Bulldogs are hitting .288 as a team with eight home runs.
MSU is third in the league with a 1.11 earned run average. Senior Alexis Silkwood is 7-0 with a league-best three saves. She is third in the league in victories, eighth in ERA (0.72), and 14th in strikeouts (33).
“Pitching depth is the biggest challenge for this team,” Stuedeman said. “We have several players who can get the job done. We just have to get them more experience and put them in the right position.”
Follow Dispatch sports writer Scott Walters on Twitter @dispatchscott
Scott was sports editor for The Dispatch.
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