Just two days after a unique contest pitting them against the United States Olympic softball team, the Bulldogs of Mississippi State are prepared to battle the SEC East team with the same nickname.No. 24 Mississippi State (35-15, 9-10 SEC) is set to take on No. 23 Georgia (35-16, 8-9 SEC) in a three-game series spanning Satuday and Sunday in Starkville at the MSU softball field.
After a strong start to the season, UGA had lost eight straight heading into Wednesday’s doubleheader with Auburn.
“[Georgia has] been struggling a bit lately,” said sixth-year MSU head coach Jay Miller. “They played a pretty easy non-conference schedule at the beginning of the year. They’ll be a typical aggressive Georgia team, running and stealing bases, putting pressure on us. I think our kids are ready though, and we’re playing good ball right now.”
On the season so far, UGA has only 58 stolen bases on 66 attempts, compared to MSU’s 114 on 131 attempts.
Georgia’s and Mississippi State’s pitching is relatively even on the season so far, with both primary starters hovering just below a 2.00 ERA.
MSU’s pitching has been solid all year, according to Miller.
The recent change he has been pleased with most is the offensive showing displayed in last Sunday’s contest in South Carolina.
“That was huge,” Miller said. “We knew we had to win a series, but going and getting a sweep, especially on the road in the SEC, was a big thing for us.”
He said hitting is contagious, and he was especially impressed that it was a freshman who finally led the awakening of MSU’s bats Sunday.
“We finally had someone step up,” Miller said. “Ali Bainbridge stepped up and got a base hit to start the scoring, and everyone started contributing after that.”
Bainbridge, a freshman second baseman out of Vestavia Hills, Ala., had a bases-clearing double in the second inning of Sunday’s contest against the Gamecocks, capping a four-run inning.
“We had more key hits last weekend,” Bainbridge said. “We got hits when we needed to and executed. We had great pitching and a really good defense against South Carolina as well.”
Miller said the lineup spots of designated player and right field continue to be somewhat open for competition, though he was impressed with freshman Brittany Bell, of Brandon, Fla., in South Carolina.
“We still have a revolving door in [the spot of designated player],” Miler said. “Brittany Bell had a good showing in right field over the weekend. We’ll still continue to rotate the designated player position until someone steps up.”
With the season winding down and the hunt for the top eight SEC teams who will make the conference tournament becoming more real, winning the last few SEC series will be vital for MSU.
Senior Nakita Boyce, of Springfield, Mo., is closing out her final season for the Bulldogs and has seen the team experience its ups and downs.
She said she wants to close out this season on a strong note.
“We have three series left,” Boyce said. “If we can beat Georgia, even sweep Georgia, we’ll be OK for Tennessee and Arkansas and we’ll end the season out strong. Hopefully we’ll get a good bid and regionals, and we’ll see from there.