STARKVILLE — Junior first baseman Sarai Niu can sense the difference in the Mississippi State softball team this season.
“The confidence level on this team is through the roof,” Niu said. “The last couple of years, there was a little doubt here or there. Not this year. This team has a lot confidence at the plate. It makes all the difference in the world.”
Niu and senior shortstop Reggie Harrison hit home runs as No. 23 MSU beat Central Arkansas 7-0 in a nationally televised non-conference matchup Wednesday night at Nusz Park.
MSU improved to 26-4 entering this weekend’s three-game Southeastern Conference series against No. 7 Georgia. The week began with the Bulldogs ranked No. 18 in the NCAA’s Ratings Percentage Index (RPI).
Wednesday was a chance to hold serve. This weekend’s series provides a chance to move higher in those rankings and to strengthen the quest for a top-half finish in the SEC.
“This weekend is huge, but then every weekend in this league is huge,” MSU coach Vann Stuedeman said. “This will be a dog fight, no pun intended. Georgia may be playing the best softball in the nation. We won’t back down from that challenge. The challenge is why you sign a scholarship paper to play here.”
MSU enters the weekend with a confidence built on some stellar offensive production.
A year ago, MSU hit .295 with 28 home runs and averaged 4.03 runs per game. This season, the average is at .336. The two home runs lifted the total to 27. The Bulldogs are averaging 6.2 runs.
‘”It’s just a totally different mental outlook,” Niu said. “Our pitchers know they don’t have to pitch the perfect game. If a player gets a hit, they know they are going to move around the bases because of who comes next. If you make an out, you cheer your teammates on and watch as they pick up the slack.
“Our margin for error was so small last year. This year, with Cassady (Knudsen) and Holly (Ward) doing what they are doing, we just have to give them a little something. If we do that, we will be fine.”
Knudsen and Ward combined for the team’s 12th shutout. Knudsen was dominant, only losing her no-hit bid on an infield single with no outs in the sixth inning. The duo combined to allow that one hit, walk two, and strike out nine.
MSU had seven hits. Freshman Mia Davidson leads the team in average (.433) and home runs (10). She was the lone multiple hitter against UCA.
“You look up there and we had four runs on three hits, then later we had seven runs on five hits, six hits,” Stuedeman said. “That’s the story of our season, taking advantage of opportunities. That is what we didn’t do well in the Saturday game at Missouri (a 7-2 loss). For the most part, we have been full of timely hits, and we are really going to need them this weekend.”
Harrison, who is a veteran, struggled to put into words what it is like to be part of a nationally ranked team that believes it can win any series.
“We are still just working the process,” Harrison said. “I know that’s the motto around here. We are doing what we have always done. We are just doing it better. The at-bats are better. The timely hitting is better. We just take the field with a new sense of confidence. You are going to have play really well to beat us.”
While MSU opened conference play by taking two of three games from Missouri, Georgia won two of three against then-No. 2 Florida. That set of Bulldogs saw a 25-game winning streak end when the Gators won the Sunday game.
“When we have played the elite teams in the past, there was a little hesitancy at the plate,” Niu said. “This year is different. We have had so many games where we have hit home runs, doubles, driven in runs. The positive vibes are real. They make us believe we can compete with anybody.”
Harrison said playing at Nusz Park will be huge for the homestanding Bulldogs this weekend. MSU will look to take that next step in being an SEC contender.
“The Nusz is really going to be rocking,” Harrison said. “We have waited a long time for a big series like this. We will be ready to play.”
Game 1 will be at 6 p.m. Friday. The final two games will be at 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. All three games will be broadcast on SEC Network+.
Follow Dispatch sports writer Scott Walters on Twitter @dispatchscott
Scott was sports editor for The Dispatch.
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