STARKVILLE — A quick glance of the Southeastern Conference softball standings reveals that the University of Tennessee is riding a conference-best 17-game win streak.
That seems quite fitting since the Volunteers are ranked No. 7 in the nation.
The team that has the league’s second longest win streak, though, may be a surprise.
Entering the final week of the regular season, Mississippi State University is on an 11-game win streak. It is the longest streak since the Bulldogs opened the 2008 season with 11 straight victories.
“We had a successful week,” MSU first-year coach Vann Stuedeman said. “Senior Day is always such an emotional day. It was good to see the team get two wins Saturday and seniors play such a vital role in both games.”
MSU capped the home portion and non-conference portion of its schedule Saturday with 6-2 and 5-1 victories against Ohio Valley Conference member Tennessee Tech University.
Senior Misty Flesher was the winning pitcher in game one, while senior Lindsey Dunlap was the winner in game two.
During the midweek, MSU also beat the University of Memphis a 9-1 and the University of Southern Mississippi 1-0. MSU is 21-5 in non-conference play this season, and 16-11 at the MSU Softball Field.
The good news for MSU is that the four victories against below-.500 opposition didn’t affect its Ratings Percentage Index. The Bulldogs remained at 34th in the nation after the 4-0 week. The Bulldogs had dropped three spots in the ratings the previous week.
However, the Bulldogs received a bounce from the University of Arkansas taking one game from the No. 4 University of Alabama and the University of Kentucky beating the No. 2 University of Florida twice this past weekend. MSU swept Kentucky in Starkville in its last conference play.
“We are excited about a chance to play Auburn (this weekend) and a chance to help our postseason chances,” Stuedeman said. “When you start the season, the goal is to have meaningful softball to play in the month of May. We have worked hard to put ourselves in that position.”
While Kentucky helped MSU in the RPI column, the Wildcats did the Bulldogs no favors in the SEC standings. MSU enters the final weekend trailing Kentucky by one game in the league ledger.
The top eight teams advance to the SEC tournament, which begins May 10 at Rhoads Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Ala. Alabama, Florida, Tennessee, University of Georgia, LSU, Kentucky, MSU and Auburn.
Entering the final week, the Bulldogs are seventh and could be as high as sixth or as low as eighth. MSU also is one game ahead of Auburn. Kentucky and LSU play this weekend in Lexington, Ky.
At the top of the standings, Alabama is 21-4 and Florida is one game behind at 20-5. Those teams play one another for the conference title this weekend in Tuscaloosa. Waiting on those results is Tennessee, which is 22-6 and through with league play. Florida has the tiebreaker against Tennessee, while Tennessee and Alabama split their two games.
If Florida takes two of three, there will be a three-way tie at the top of the standings.
Meanwhile, MSU will enter the Auburn series 32-19 and 11-14 in the SEC. MSU last broke even in league play in 2007, while it last won 35 or more games in 2008. With the solid RPI, the Bulldogs appear a lock to play in a regional for the first time since 2009.
Scott was sports editor for The Dispatch.
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