STARKVILLE — Senior third baseman Caroline Seitz knows the relevance of the 2016 softball season for Mississippi State.
“You have to learn from last season,” Seitz said. “You can’t dwell on it. You can’t have adversity and not make sure it makes you better. We have to take the positives from last season, and we have to fix the things that went wrong. Everybody is ready to get started on that.”
MSU finished 26-31 and won only three Southeastern Conference games last season. As a result, the Bulldogs missed a NCAA regional for the first time since 2011.
Seitz, senior pitcher Alexis Silkwood, and sixth-year head coach Vann Stuedeman vowed this season would be different Monday at the school’s annual Media Day.
The season begins at 3 p.m. Friday against Georgia State in the first of five games scheduled for the Bulldog Kickoff Classic at Nusz Park.
“Sports is all about overcoming adversity,” Silkwood said. “Not every day is going to work out to be your best. Our job is to believe in the process. We have always felt like we are competing against the game. We have to live in the moment and control what we can control to have a different outlook this season.”
With some key injuries and the nation’s third-hardest schedule, the final result of 2016 wasn’t shocking. However, the program has established itself as a regular postseason participant. Stuedeman feels her team’s experience and depth will help it start a new regional streak.
“It’s all how you look at (last season’s finish),” Stuedeman said. “A setback is a setup for a comeback. We look at it as learners, it’s ‘what can we learn from last year while returning all five of our hitters?’ All five of them hit and will hit again this year, so what can we learn from that and that experience? Also, iron sharpens iron. We had the third-toughest schedule in the country last year, and if the adage is true, we should be really sharp.”
Stuedeman returns virtually her entire pitching staff from a season ago. In her fourth season in the program, Silkwood, who won 26 games two seasons ago, will anchor the staff. Juniors Holly Ward and Cassady Knudsen will join senior Mackenzie Toler, sophomore Regan Green, and freshman Emily Mitchell in the circle.
“One thing I like to think about is that is was almost like a twilight zone last year,” Silkwood said. “We came back and said we’re going to change this year. We’re not just going to invest in our softball skills, but invest in each other and really embrace the family mentality. You can already see it. We have weekly get-togethers at each others’ houses, have game nights, go to movies. It’s not just about our chemistry on the field; it starts off the field as well. Then you see it go into the weight room and into running and ultimately into softball. So I think that it’s definitely been an improvement this year.”
Improved production at the plate will be a key. Last season, the Bulldogs hit .247 as a team last season, including .192 in the SEC. In 2015, the Bulldogs hit .312 during assistant coach Samantha Ricketts’ first season as hitting coach.
Seitz leads all returnees with a .282 batting average. She hit five home runs and had 31 RBIs last season.
“I don’t know (if the lack of success) was mental or physical,” Seitz said. “What I do know is we are looking a lot better in practice. We have some players who are really attacking the ball. I think you have to forget about the disappointment of last season and focus on being how good you can become this season.”
Senior catcher Katie Anne Bailey and senior outfielder Amanda Ivy also return. The Bulldogs, who were picked 12th in the 13-team SEC preseason poll, return 16 letterwinners and six position starters.
“We really like this team,” Stuedeman said. “The season is a marathon. You can’t get down. You have to stay positive. The biggest thing we have been working on during this offseason is the culture of the program and team togetherness. When adversity hits, you have to make sure everybody is in it together. We will be a much closer team this season.”
Follow Dispatch sports writer Scott Walters on Twitter @dispatchscott
Scott was sports editor for The Dispatch.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 36 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.