STARKVILLE — At about 9:26 p.m. Sunday, dozens of cowbells started ringing.
While it may have sounded like Buffalo Wild Wings was on fire, the news instead was quite good for the home folks.
The Mississippi State University softball team saw its name in lights as it earned its ninth appearance to the NCAA softball regionals. MSU will travel to the Eugene, Ore., regional, where Brigham Young University will be the first-round opponent at 5 p.m. Thursday at Howe Field on the University of Oregon campus.
“This was totally awesome,” MSU senior outfielder/designated player Brittany Bell said. “I have never been to any type of party quite like this. We wouldn’t have done this this year without the fans. It was great to be able to share this night with them.”
A crowd of more than 400 packed one of Starkville’s newest eating establishment. Fans were treated to free wings, while the nationally televised selection show flashed across many of the television sets.
MSU had to feel good when the University of Arkansas was shown in the first tournament field unveiled. The Razorbacks missed the eight-team Southeastern Conference tournament, but their bid helped the SEC put a league-record and national-best nine teams into the field.
“The league was so strong this year,” MSU coach Vann Stuedeman said. “The league champion (Alabama) had (five) losses. There are some years when the league champion has one loss. That is a testament to what the league was all about this year. Arkansas beats Georgia, Alabama, and Tennessee, but yet they don’t make the conference tournament. That is amazing.”
The first roar of the night didn’t come for MSU. The Mississippi Valley State University softball team also ate at the establishment Sunday night. MVSU was on its way back to campus from Irondale, Ala., where it defeated Jackson State University to win the Southwestern Athletic Conference tournament earlier in the day.
“We just had the idea to stop off here on the way home to watch the show,” MVSU head coach Lee Smith said. “I think it is kind of neat that we were able to share the moment like this. It was a real festive atmosphere and capped an exciting day for our program.”
MVSU erased a 3-0 sixth-inning deficit to post a 7-3 win in the SWAC title game. Its postseason destination is Lafayette, La., where it will play the host squad, the University of Louisiana-Lafayette, Friday.
About 10 minutes later, the restaurant had its next round of applause and a strong chorus of cowbells as MSU was announced with Portland State University, BYU, and Oregon for the Eugene Regional. Oregon is the No. 11 seed.
“It is kind of funny that before the show began I told someone I wanted to go to Oregon,” Stuedeman said. “I have been to Washington, but I have never been to Oregon. I thought this would be a great way for me to get a trip to Oregon. This is a testament to hard work. This is about a group of girls buying into one another and buying into a new coaching staff.
“I am super proud of these girls. They earned it. They have worked hard. You earn what you get. They earned this trip. We are going to go out there and go to work to keep earning it.”
MSU (33-22) made a nine-game improvement from last season. The Bulldogs’ 12-16 SEC record and a Ratings Percentage Index in the mid-30s was enough to place the squad firmly into the tournament field.
All nine MSU regional appearances have come in the past decade. The Bulldogs last made postseason play in 2009. That squad went 0-2 in the Florida State University-hosted Tallahassee Regional. Bell and senior catcher K’aili Smith played on that last regional tournament team.
“As seniors, we really have to be leaders,” Smith said. “This is a fun trip, but we also have work to do. The thing about a regional is it is not like a three-game series. You have to make adjustments to what the other team is doing right away. You have to focus on each at-bat, but you can’t be uptight.
“This is your moment, so you have to enjoy, relax, and have fun with it. In the last couple of week, the seniors have really stepped up and been leaders. We have a great opportunity in front of us.”
BYU is 43-13 and 15-4 in the Western Athletic Conference. It earned that league’s automatic invite by defeating Fresno State University in the WAC tournament title game. BYU is in its eighth straight regional.
“This is totally awesome for this team,” Bell said. “It really didn’t matter where we were told to go, we just wanted in the tournament. The girls are excited. The fans are excited. The coaching staff is excited. This is a new season and we are ready to get started.”
The overflow crowd touched the hearts of many of the softball players. Athletics director Scott Stricklin was in attendance, as was Senior Associate Athletic Director Ann Carr. Many members of the support staff were in attendance, as well as members of the softball booster club and dozens of classmates.
“You saw first-hand the type of impact a coach can have on a program,” MSU Student Association President Rhett Hobart said. “She has energized the whole student body. This is just the beginning of what should be some really great times for the softball program.”
While she is finishing her playing career this season, Smith agrees.
“When I first met (Stuedeman), I knew great things were going to happen,” Smith said. “Still, you never know what a season holds. We have the opportunity to do some great things. I am just so excited to be in this spot.
“For the younger players, this is just the beginning point. It is going to get even better from here.”
Scott was sports editor for The Dispatch.
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