STARKVILLE — Mississippi State softball coach Vann Stuedeman doesn’t take NCAA regional berths for granted.
However, the fourth-year coach is giddy about this season’s Southeastern Conference tournament.
The expanded 12-team, single-elimination tournament kicks off at 11 a.m. today when No. 10 seed MSU (35-18) takes on No. 7 seed and 13th-ranked Missouri (38-15) in the first of four first-round games at Tiger Park on the LSU campus in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
The SEC Network will broadcast the games.
“This is not to downplay an NCAA regional, but this really is the big time,” Stuedeman said. “The SEC Network is totally changing this event. All the games will be live. The network will have a studio on-site. Players and coaches will be interviewed on the set in between games. The sport will receive exposure like it has never had before.
“A regional is bigger because of what you are playing for. However, this is really big-time event. I want our players to soak it all in.”
The Bulldogs will soak it in on the fly. MSU bypassed its pre-tournament practice window Tuesday and stayed home to complete final exams. Many players had multiple finals Tuesday followed by a late-night bus ride to Baton Rouge.
“It’s not good to only be on the site for a couple of hours before you play,” Stuedeman said. “However, finals come first, so we will just have to win some games to make sure we get the full effect of the tournament.”
MSU is scheduled to play host to the 2016 conference tournament.
For now, winning games might be easier said than done. While MSU has made the conference tournament in three of four seasons under Stuedeman, the Bulldogs haven’t won in this event since 2005.
Still, this MSU team has won big games, including regular-season victories against No. 2 and top-seeded Florida and No. 8 and fourth-seeded LSU.
“We always play with a lot of confidence,” MSU junior shortstop Kayla Winkfield. “Wins against LSU and Florida really helped us go a long way with that. We have a hard time winning a series against elite teams. The good news is here you don’t have to do that. You are going to see a different team each day, so we just have to focus on the process and approach each day with a fresh mind looking for good results.”
With a Ratings Percentage Index (RPI) of 32 entering the tournament, MSU appears a lock for a fourth-straight regional berth. With a thin pitching staff, the Bulldogs will be hard-pressed to win the four games necessary — all most likely against ranked opponents — to win a first SEC tournament championship, which is why Stuedeman wants her team to live in the moment.
“We want to go there and win some games,” Stuedeman said. “We are going to ride (sophomore) Alexis Silkwood as far as she can carry us in the postseason. Everyone knows that. You really think you need more than one pitcher. However, Kelsey Nunley pitched Kentucky to the Women’s College World Series last year by herself.”
Silkwood leads the league with 211 2/3 innings and 25 victories. She is second in strikeouts with 198. Silkwood can tie the school record for victories in a season with a win today.
MSU has set a school record with 52 home runs and is on pace to set a record in batting average at .321.
Despite all of the success, MSU was the only SEC school shut out Tuesday when postseason honors — voted on by the conference coaches — were announced.
“It is frustrating because we have had a solid season,” MSU sophomore third baseman Caroline Seitz said. “All we can do is competing and keep trying to prove people wrong.”
MSU lost five of its final six conference games. Stuedeman admitted Tuesday some of her younger players hit a wall late in the year. However, the team had very few scheduled games down the stretch and elected not to make up three rainouts.
“I think everybody is re-charged and ready to go,” Stuedeman said. “At this point in time, you really are what you are. There is nothing you can say in practice that matters now. There is nothing you can do to change your season.
“It’s the third season now. You simply go out and try to play your best.”
Follow Dispatch sports writer Scott Walters on Twitter @dispatchscott
Scott was sports editor for The Dispatch.
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