Stuedeman's Squad Set For NCAA Eugene Regional
May 17, 2012 | Softball
EUGENE, Ore. - In the 329 days Vann Stuedeman has been head coach of the Mississippi State softball team (33-22), there has been one goal for the 2012 season: make the NCAA Tournament. On Thursday at 5 p.m. CT (3 p.m. PT) at Howe Field on the campus of the University of Oregon, Stuedeman and her squad will reach that goal when they square off against BYU (43-13) in the first game of the NCAA Eugene Regional.
"BYU is a great team that won the WAC and is led by Player of the Year Delaney Willard," Stuedeman said. "There are 64 teams left and we are playing for our life. The Bulldogs are hungry to get it done."
Free live audio and video streaming of all of MSU's games in Eugene will be available through HailStateTV at www.hailstate.com/hstvlive. The audio will feature MSU play-by-play announcer Anthony Craven while the video will be available through HSTV via a stream share from the University of Oregon. The video can also be accessed through Oregon's official web site at www.goducks.com/liveEvents/liveEvents.dbml.
Stuedeman is one of only two coaches in their first head-coaching gig in 2012 to make the NCAA Tournament. The MSU skipper, who spent the previous 11 seasons helping guide Alabama to six appearances in the Women's College World Series, is also the winningest first-year head coach in MSU history (.600).
Mississippi State is making its ninth appearance all-time in the tournament (2000, 2002-05, 2007-09, 2012) and enter this year's Big Dance with a 9-16 overall record in the field of 64. State's showing in the Eugene Regional is its first NCAA Regional appearance since 2009.
The Maroon and White are 3-0 all-time against participants in the Eugene Regional, with a 2-0 mark against BYU and a 1-0 record against Oregon. The Bulldogs have never played Portland State or any member of the Pacific Coast Softball Conference. In its opening game in the NCAA Tournament, MSU boasts a 5-3 record, but is 1-7 all-time vs. Pac-12 teams in the tournament and 0-2 versus teams that hail from the WAC.
All five MSU seniors have seen playing time in the NCAA Tournament: Brittany Bell (2008-09), Misty Flesher (2008), Ka'ili Smith (2009), Brittany Gates (2009) and Lindsey Dunlap (2009). In two trips to the Big Dance, Bell is 7-for-13 (.538) with five runs, two walks, a double and a solo home run.
State is currently riding a 13-game winning streak against non-conference opponents, its longest such streak since MSU won a school-record 16-consecutive contests to begin the 2006 season. In midweek games alone, MSU is a flawless 8-0 against out-of-league foes. The 2012 Bulldogs broke the school record for true road wins in a season with their 13th road win at Auburn on May 4, 2012. Overall, Starkville's Team has won 14 of its last 18 games, including a 12-game winning streak from April 10-May 4. The stretch was the Bulldogs' third-longest winning streak in school history and best since the 2006 team opened the season with a school-record 16-straight victories.
State's selection to the Big Dance was part of an NCAA-best nine selections from the Southeastern Conference, setting a league record. Regional play begins May 17-20, followed by the Super Regionals on May 24-27. The Women's College World Series is May 31-June 6 in Oklahoma City, Okla. at ASA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium. For more information on the MSU softball program, follow the team on Twitter at @MStateSB and like the team on Facebook at Facebook.com/MStateSB.
MSU All-Time In NCAA Tournament
Appearances: 8 (2000, 2002-05, 2007-09)
Overall Record: 9-16
In First Game: 5-3
Vs. Ranked Teams: 0-13
MSU All-Time vs. Eugene Regional Opponents
Vs. Oregon: 1-0
Vs. BYU: 2-0
Vs. Portland State: Never Met
MSU All-Time in NCAA Tournament
|
YEAR |
OPPONENT |
RESULT |
DATE |
LOCATION |
|
2000 |
Chattanooga |
W, 6-1 |
May 18 |
Seattle, Wash. |
|
2000 |
Utah |
W, 11-3 (6) |
May 19 |
Seattle, Wash. |
|
2000 |
#1 Washington |
L, 1-4 |
May 20 |
Seattle, Wash. |
|
2000 |
Utah |
L, 1-4 |
May 20 |
Seattle, Wash. |
|
2002 |
#4 Arizona State |
L, 1-4 |
May 16 |
Lafayette, La. |
|
2002 |
Northwestern State |
W, 9-6 |
May 16 |
Lafayette, La. |
|
2002 |
#19 Louisiana-Lafayette |
L, 3-10 |
May 18 |
Lafayette, La. |
|
2003 |
Florida International |
W, 4-2 |
May 15 |
Lincoln, Neb. |
|
2003 |
#8 Washington |
L, 0-8 (6) |
May 16 |
Lincoln, Neb. |
|
2003 |
#11 Nebraska |
L, 0-8 (6) |
May 16 |
Lincoln, Neb. |
|
2004 |
Iowa |
W, 2-1 (8) |
May 20 |
Lincoln, Neb. |
|
2004 |
#2 California |
L, 1-2 |
May 21 |
Lincoln, Neb. |
|
2004 |
Florida Atlantic |
L, 0-1 |
May 21 |
Lincoln, Neb. |
|
2005 |
Texas A&M-CC |
W, 1-0 |
May 20 |
Austin, Texas |
|
2005 |
#5 Texas |
L, 0-2 |
May 21 |
Austin, Texas |
|
2005 |
Texas A&M-CC |
W, 2-1 |
May 22 |
Austin, Texas |
|
2005 |
#5 Texas |
L, 0-2 |
May 22 |
Austin, Texas |
|
2007 |
Pacific |
W, 7-1 |
May 18 |
Tucson, Ariz. |
|
2007 |
#4 Arizona |
L, 0-8 |
May 19 |
Tucson, Ariz. |
|
2007 |
Pacific |
L, 10-12 |
May 19 |
Tucson, Ariz. |
|
2008 |
#23 Hawaii |
L, 7-9 |
May 16 |
Tempe, Ariz. |
|
2008 |
Stony Brook |
W, 8-3 |
May 17 |
Tempe, Ariz. |
|
2008 |
#23 Hawaii |
L, 4-7 |
May 17 |
Tempe, Ariz. |
|
2009 |
#14 California |
L, 3-8 |
May 15 |
Tallahassee, Fla. |
|
2009 |
#16 Florida State |
L, 0-5 |
May 16 |
Tallahassee, Fla |
