#36 Mississippi State Softball 2018 Preview

 
 
Mississippi State Bulldogs
 
Overall Rank: #36
Conference Rank: #13 SEC
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Mississippi State is coming off a forgettable trip to the NCAA Tournament. The Bulldogs were blanked in their opener by BYU and followed it up with a loss to fourth seeded Fordham. Mississippi State should get another crack at the NCAA Tournament in 2018.Coach Vann Stuedeman will have to find a way to replace ace Alexis Silkwood though. Silkwood went 15-8 with a 2.16 ERA. Seniors Holly Ward and Cassady Knudsen have plenty of experience and both played well last season.
 
2017: 36-22, 10-14
2017 Postseason: NCAA
Coach: Vann Stuedeman
 
Key Departed Players:
Caroline Seitz, IF, .313 BA, 9 HR, 44 RBI
Olivia Golden, IF, .241 BA, 6 HR, 27 RBI
Alexis Silkwood, P, 2.16 ERA, 15-8 W-L, 158.2 IP, 108 SO
 
Key Returning Players:
Reggie Harrison, IF, .333 BA, 4 HR, 22 RBI
Bevia Robinson, UTL, .326 BA, 11 RBI, 30 SB
Kat Moore, OF, .304 BA, 1 HR, 16 RBI
Calyn Adams, IF/C, .292 BA, 1 HR, 17 RBI
Holly Ward, P, 2.26 ERA, 7-9 W-L, 114.2 IP, 91 SO
Cassady Knudsen, P, 2.20 ERA, 9-4 W-L, 73.1 IP, 77 SP
 
Projection:
In the tough SEC, Mississippi State often needs to generate runs one base at a time. That may be the case even more so in 2018 with their top two power hitters, Caroline Seitz and Olivia Golden, gone. Reggie Harrison is the team’s top returning homerun hitter with four. She also belted a team high 15 doubles and hit an impressive .333 on the year. Bevia Robinson will be a key piece to the lineup as well. She is a speedster on the base paths and will often get herself into scoring position. The question is whether or not Mississippi State can find a couple players to get those timely hits and put a couple runs on the board.
 
Projected Postseason: NCAA Softball Tournament