STARKVILLE — Katie Anne Bailey has liked how her team has responded this weekend.

After suffering its first loss and going 2-2 last weekend in a tournament in Gulfport, Mississippi State has bounced back this weekend going 3-1 in the first two days of the Bulldog Slamboree. The Bulldogs beat the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga 4-0 and lost 1-0 to Northwestern State Friday night, but beat Longwood 3-1 and Central Arkansas 3-0 Saturday afternoon.

“Just this week we focused on staying within ourselves, focusing on us and what we do and what we believe in here,” Bailey said. “Like I keep saying, working the process and I think the last four games have really displayed what we focused on this week.”

The Bulldogs (15-3) began the season with 10 straight wins, but lost 8-4 to McNeese State Feb. 26, but rebounded with a 6-0 win over Incarnate Word the next day. The Bulldogs then lost 4-0 to Baylor, but got revenge on McNeese State with a 3-0 victory to end last weekend’s tournament.

Bulldog coach Vann Stuedeman agrees with Bailey that the team has responded in a way that was desired with the culture Studeman has built.

“The main goal is to always come right back, regardless of what situation: a loss, a strikeout, a missed call or an error,” Stuedeman said.

Bailey was integral in the Bulldogs bouncing back this weekend. In the four games, she went 5-for-10 with three RBIs and a home run. Her home run gave her team a 2-0 lead in the third inning against Central Arkansas.

Batting with one out and a 2-1 count, Bailey got a pitch from Bear pitcher Shivaun Landeros that she could handle and she saw it sail over the left field fence. Bailey said it was a screwball and she didn’t miss it.

“I picked it up out of her hand and backed off just a hair,” Bailey said. “I think that that’s why I was able to turn on it. I wasn’t trying to hit a home run, but usually that’s what happens when you do what you do.”

Stuedeman has used several freshmen, with position players Emily Heimberger and Sarai Niu and pitchers Cori Cooper and Regan Green, this season. Stuedeman said she likes how they have responded to early playing time.

Cooper pitched the final two innings of the Chattanooga game to pick up her first save of the season. She walked just one batter. After throwing five innings against Northwestern State, Green took the loss. She gave up the lone run on four hits.

Green bounced back and pitched a 1-hitter against Central Arkansas to move her record to 4-2. She struck out 11 versus two walks.

“Every game, we try to bounce back,” Green said. “Our goal is: every single game get better and better because it doesn’t matter about the losses, it’s how you respond to them and how you react to them that make you who you are and make you better each game.”

After the losses last weekend, Green said there was no panic from anyone on the team. Playing in the Southeastern Conference, Green said she knows other losses are going to come, but the reaction to those losses is what matters.

The Bulldogs look to go 4-1 for the weekend with a 2 p.m. first pitch against Western Kentucky today. MSU then plays Penn State in the midweek before heading to California for a five-game set.

But first, Stuedeman expects her team to be focused for the final game of this weekend’s tournament.

“We we always talk about ‘toughness Sunday,’ regardless of who were playing,” Stuedeman said. “We need to bring our best game on the last day. That’s where championships are won, so I’ll be looking for a tough Mississippi State softball team to come out here.”

Follow Dispatch sports writer Ben Wait on Twitter @bcwait

Ben Wait reports on Mississippi State University sports for The Dispatch.