STARKVILLE — Prior to the start of the 2018 season, Mississippi State softball coach Vann Stuedeman said her team could replace the offensive production of Caroline Seitz by having each starter drive in five more runs this season.
Seitz earned all-conference honors and anchored the left side of the infield during her time with the Bulldogs. In her senior season, Seitz drove in 44 runs.
It turns out that freshman catcher Mia Davidson replaced Seitz all by herself.
Davidson set a school record for freshmen by hitting 18 home runs during the regular season. She also leads the squad with a .384 average and 46 runs batted in.
That power hitting will again be on display at 11 a.m. Wednesday when No. 24 MSU (35-20) takes on No. 9 Texas A&M (40-15) in an opening-round game of the Southeastern Conference tournament being played at Mizzou Stadium in Columbia, Missouri.
All four first-round games Wednesday in the 12-team single-elimination tournament will be shown nationally on the SEC Network.
“She’s a dynamic player,” MSU head coach Vann Stuedeman said. “Obviously, she answered the question of where we would go for more offensive production. She is just a natural at the sport and is always learning more. She will have an incredible career when all is said and done.”
While MSU has been a regular NCAA regional participant under Stuedeman, it has lacked strong offensive production to become one of the elite programs in the always rugged SEC.
All 13 league members are ranked in the Top 34 in this week’s Ratings Percentage Index, meaning the league is almost guaranteed to get 13 regional invites for a second straight season.
Tournament host Missouri missed playing in the conference tournament due to a last-place finish. However, with a record above .500 (28-27) and an RPI of No. 23, the Tigers are also a virtual lock for the postseason.
“This league can humble you,” said Davidson, a Hillsborough, North Carolina native. “The biggest challenge is staying even keel. You can’t get too high or too low. This team is close. Fortunately, when there is some adversity, everybody rallies around everybody else.”
MSU snapped an eight-game conference losing streak with a 10-3 win over No. 7 Tennessee Saturday at Nusz Park. The Lady Vols still took two of three in the series, thanks to a 7-4 win Friday and 6-3 win Sunday.
A total of 17 runs in the series had to be a welcome relief after the Bulldogs were held to 12 total runs in three conference losses to both Florida and South Carolina.
“We carry a lot of momentum into the tournament,” Stuedeman said. “Even though we didn’t win the final series, we made a lot of winning plays. The offensive production was better, so we have a lot of hitters entering the conference tournament on a high note.”
The Bulldogs will also be looking to halt a skid in this event. The Bulldog have lost nine straight in the event, dating back to the 2005 season.
MSU has qualified for the conference tournament six times in Stuedeman’s seven seasons. The regional streak should hit the same number when selections are made Sunday.
During the regular season, MSU took one of three games against Texas A&M.
“We have been right there, several times through the season,” MSU junior outfielder Kat Moore said. “Being consistent will be the key to making a run.”
Follow Dispatch sports writer Scott Walters on Twitter @dispatchscott
Scott was sports editor for The Dispatch.
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