STARKVILLE –Mississippi State third baseman Caroline Seitz joked that she might wear Katie Anne Bailey’s batting helmet and swing her bat for the rest of the weekend.

For a moment, it looked like that might have already happened Thursday night at the MSU Softball Field.

Bailey continued her torrid hitting pace to start the season and Seitz slapped a game-winning two-run home run as MSU opened the February Freezer with a 6-4 win over Louisiana Tech.

“I think we all need to rub up on Katie Anne’s bat,” Seitz said. “There is some magic going on in there for sure. Maybe, we slip on the batting helmet, batting gloves. Whatever is working for her is what we need to be doing.”

The Bulldogs collected nine hits in the opening game of this weekend’s four-day tournament. MSU will be back in action at 5:30 p.m. today when its takes on Big Ten foe Illinois.

Bailey collected her third multi-hit game of the season and is 11-of-19 with three triples and eight RBIs through six games.

“This is a whole lot of fun right now,” Bailey said. “I think all of the hitters began the year with a different mind-set and a different level of confidence. For me personally, it’s just about having fun and taking it one at-bat at a time. The whole team has more confidence when it comes to the plate this season and that has had a carry-over effect.”

Last season, MSU hit 34 home runs. This season, the Bulldogs have hit six through six games. In bitterly cold conditions Thursday afternoon, senior first baseman Erika Gault hit her first career home run — a two-run shot — in the third inning and Seitz broke a 4-4 tie with her two-run shot in the fifth inning.

“It means so much to know you can come back like that,” Bailey said. “If the other team has a big inning, it’s like no worry we will come back right here.”

The Bulldogs did just that Thursday.

In her fourth start, freshman Holly Ward was on cruise control before being touched for a solo home run in the fourth inning. An inning later, the Lady Techsters pushed three runs across in a meager offensive attack. One run scored on a bases-loaded hit batsman, another on a ground out and another on a steal attempt which resulted in an out at second base.

Alexis Silkwood (3-0) worked MSU out of the tight spot and allowed two hits in three innings of work. In the seventh inning, Silkwood set the side down in order via strikeouts.

“It is a great relief when you have somebody like Alexis there at the end,” MSU head coach Vann Stuedeman said. “She came in and dominated. This is the second game in a row she did that. Holly had another strong start. We really like where she is right now.”

Ward and Silkwood combined to allow eight hits with seven strikeouts.

On this day though the story was on offense where a young lineup continues to make strides.

“It’s a totally different atmosphere around here right now,” Seitz said. “We know we are young and we have some new faces. However, I think we are going to surprise people. Just wait and see what happens.”

Follow Dispatch sports writer Scott Walters on Twitter @dispatchscott

Scott was sports editor for The Dispatch.