STARKVILLE — Mississippi State senior softball player Julia Echols feels like her team will have a slight home-field advantage this weekend.
“We are excited to be going back to ULL,” Echols said. “I think we have played well down there. It’s close enough that we can have a lot of our fans traveling down there. We are excited to still be playing.
“It’s a huge advantage. When you go somewhere you haven’t been before, you have to get acclimated to the field. This year, we can step in right away and feel at home.”
MSU was chosen for its fourth-straight regional berth Sunday night when the NCAA tournament selection committee sent the squad to the Lafayette Regional, hosted by the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.
The four-team, double-elimination event will begin at 5:30 p.m. Friday when MSU (35-19) takes on Baylor (38-15) at Lamson Park. No. 12 national seed Louisiana-Lafayette (39-9) and Weber State (38-17) complete the tournament field. They will play at 8 p.m. Friday.
“For the senior class, this is very special,” MSU fourth-year head coach Vann Stuedeman said. “To be able to go to the postseason four-straight years is very special. We have five sophomores who have really carry the load this season. Those sophomores have helped the seniors go out on a very strong note.”
MSU has reached postseason play in 12 of 24 seasons. The Bulldogs will play in a fourth-straight regional for the second time in program history, matching a streak from 2002-2005.
After a 10-14 finish in the Southeastern Conference play, the Bulldogs were eliminated in the opening-round of the SEC tournament Wednesday in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. In an effort to keep her team fresh, Stuedeman practiced the squad Thursday through Saturday.
With a Ratings Percentage Index (RPI) in the low 30s, MSU appeared to be a lock for the tournament. However, the anticipation was still lengthy.
“I feel like a kid who has opened all his presents on Christmas morning,” MSU sophomore pitcher Alexis Silkwood said. “Now you are looking at what all you have. I felt that way while the selections were being announced. It’s like you want to play there or do you want to play there. It’s like it’s all right there in front of you.”
Silkwood (25-14) is one win shy of the single-season school record for victories. Stuedeman has said more than once Silkwood’s ability to log a lot of innings will be critical if the Bulldogs are going to win a regional tournament for the first time.
The Bulldogs increase their chances to break through each year with another postseason invitation.
“I feel good to be dancing again,” Stuedeman said. “This is one of the best times of the year, if not the best time of the year. I am excited for the senior class because they are only one of two senior classes in the Mississippi State program to go to the postseason four-straight years.
“The expectations of our program is different. I am really happy for all of us who have grinded it out all year. We are excited about going back to down to Lafayette and righting some wrongs. We love to have the opportunity to keep playing and to live one more day.”
The SEC received 11 invitations Sunday night. Florida, Auburn, LSU, Alabama, Tennessee, Missouri, and Georgia were chosen as regional host sites. South Carolina, MSU, Kentucky, and Texas A&M also received regional berths.
The winner of the Lafayette Regional will face the winner of the Auburn Regional in a super regional.
“It’s a big accomplishment to make it four-straight years,” MSU junior shortstop Kayla Winkfield said. “It’s an amazing feeling to go back down to Lafayette and to be able to play Baylor, and possibly ULL. So much hard work has gone into this. All of the hard work pays off in moments like this.”
The Bulldogs will look for an upswing in play after dropping seven of their final 11 games in the regular season and their only game in the SEC tournament.
A year ago, MSU beat Texas Southern and dropped two one-run decisions to Texas in the Lafayette Regional. Through that experience came a lot of growth.
“Some of the older girls played there two years ago (in addition to last season’s regional),” Echols said, “so we feel like we have a huge advantage. It’s a different environment down there. It is Alabama-esque. Their fans tell you what they think. They will look up your Facebook page and start quoting things off your Facebook page.
“It’s something we are used to. I don’t think it will really affect us. We are going down there like this is our regional to win.”
Follow Dispatch sports writer Scott Walters on Twitter @dispatchscott
Scott was sports editor for The Dispatch.
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