STARKVILLE — Kayla Winkfield called it “a leap of faith.”
When Mississippi State hired Vann Stuedeman in the summer of 2011 to reverse the fortunes of its softball program, one of her initial targets was Winkfield, an All-State senior at Giddings High School (Texas).
Winkfield was considered one of the state’s best defensive players. Stuedeman had her sights set on building the MSU program around pitching and defense.
“It was a natural fit,” Winkfield said. “Coach Vann had such enthusiasm and passion for the game. She made you feel like you could become part of something special. The more I learned about Mississippi State, the more I knew this would be a great place to play college softball.”
This week, Winkfield, Stuedeman, and the Bulldogs will take another huge step forward in the history of the program when they play host to the Southeastern Conference tournament for the first time.
The four-day, 12-team tournament begins with four games Wednesday at Nusz Park. No. 12 seed MSU (26-30) and No. 5 seed Alabama (45-11) will play at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday. The SEC Network will show all four games from MSU’s new home.
“Playing in this tournament is huge, and it really is a great way to finish my time playing here at home,” Winkfield said. “There have been so many firsts while I have been here. It seems like the time has just flown by. We were so excited about the new stadium. During fall practice, we were watching it go up piece by piece.
“We knew the stadium was going to be awesome, and it certainly has been. For about two years now, too, we have been looking forward to this tournament and the opportunity to play at home in front of our fans.”
When Winkfield signed with Stuedeman, she was looking forward to becoming part of those firsts. On the other hand, Stuedeman has gotten what she thought she would get.
“Kayla has made herself into one of the best players in the SEC,” Stuedeman said. “Her biggest strides have been on offense. She has become a tough out. She excels in the leadoff role. Her leadership with such a young team has been outstanding.”
Stuedeman has called Winkfield and junior third baseman Caroline Seitz “the best left side of the infield in SEC” several times. While the Bulldogs have been solid in the field, the struggles have been at the plate.
However, Winkfield has made great strides. As a sophomore, Winkfield drew 60 starts and hit .221. The number grew to .331 last season and is a team-best .330 entering the conference tournament. She leads the team with 58 hits, six triples, and 17 stolen bases. The Bulldogs’ struggles are defined, though, by the team’s .247 batting average, which is last in the 13-team league, and is 13 points lower than the next closest team (Arkansas, .260). Mackenzie Toler (.291) has MSU’s second-best average.
“My relationship with (hitting) coach (Samantha) Ricketts has been outstanding,” Winkfield said. “She gave me a plan. She helped me realize my potential. The biggest thing is confidence. She saw I could become a good hitter and then gave me a plan to make that happen.
“You have to be in love with being a great softball player. She helped me fuel that motivation. In some ways, I am surprised. In other ways, I am just glad I have been able to tap into more of my potential.”
While Stuedeman has been proud of Winkfield’s offensive strides, her growth as a leader has been just as important.
“It’s exciting when you see a quiet player become a vocal leader,” Stuedeman said. “Kayla has been here for four years, so she is very comfortable in what she is trying to do and what she has been asked to do. You could really tell she was close to taking off last season. The leadoff batter is a lot like the quarterback. She can help set the tone.
“She always has such a high level of energy, and I think that is one of the reasons why we clicked immediately.”
Last month, Winkfield’s offensive prowess and leadership skills paved the way for the Pennsylvania Rebellion to use the 35th pick in the National Pro Fastpitch draft to select Winkfield. She became the 12th Bulldog chosen to play professionally.
“The best thing about that day is I was able to share it with my teammates,” Winkfield said. “This is another opportunity to keep going and to push for greatness.”
MSU will look for greatness this weekend. The Bulldogs will have to win the tournament to advance to a fifth-straight NCAA regional. Winkfield will make her 174th-straight start Wednesday against Alabama.
To have any chance to advance, better offensive production will be a must. The Bulldogs have scored 201 runs (3.6 per game). That is 18 runs fewer than Arkansas (the lone SEC team not to qualify for the SEC tournament) and 59 runs fewer than Ole Miss, which is 11th in the league.
“We have had some ups and downs this season, that is for sure,” Winkfield said. “We can’t worry about the past now. We have to concentrate on being the best team we can be this week.”
Follow Dispatch sports writer Scott Walters on Twitter @dispatchscott
Scott was sports editor for The Dispatch.
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