Alexis Slikwood will lead the Bulldogs into their first SEC series of the 2017 season with a perfect 9-0 record and a team-leading 0.70 ERA.
MSU Heads To College Station To Open SEC Play
March 09, 2017 | Softball
STARKVILLE, Miss. – With a scorching 15-game winning streak to their name, the Mississippi State Bulldogs (19-3) head to College Station, Texas to open 2017 SEC play this weekend against the No. 5 Texas A&M Aggies (19-1).
The Dogs will open their first conference series of the year on Friday, March 10 with a 6 p.m. CT showdown on SEC Network +. Casey Richardson and Chelsea Reber will have the call. First pitch for Saturday, March 11 is set for 2:30 p.m., while Sunday, March 12 is slated for a 2 p.m., start. The weekend's last two contests will be nationally televised on the SEC Network, with Courtney Lyle and Cheri Kempf on the call.
MSU and A&M have met 12 times prior to this weekend, with the series split at 6-6. The two programs haven't met since the 2015 campaign, when the Bulldogs took the series in Starkville with Friday and Sunday victories.
This will only be the third series against the Aggies in the Vann Stuedeman era, with the series split 3-3.
State is riding a 15-game winning streak that currently stands tied for the second-longest streak in school history. MSU went 5-0 over last weekend to capture the Bulldog Slamboree Championship and closed out a perfect seven-game homestand with a 2-1 victory against Troy on Tuesday night.
The Bulldogs' success has been heavily fueled by their strong play in the circle through the first 22 games of the 2017 campaign. As a staff, MSU sports a 0.98 ERA, which ranks third in the SEC and sixth in the NCAA. Senior lefty Alexis Silkwood has been the staff's leader, holding a perfect 9-0 record and a 0.70 ERA that stands sixth in the league and 21st nationally.
Recently, Cassady Knudsen has elevated her game to another level, highlighted by a lights-out showing against Alabama State last week. The junior tossed a career-high 10 strikeouts and threw her second-career no-hitter. On the year, Knudsen is second in the SEC and third in the nation with allowing just 2.33 hits per seven innings. She is also fourth in the conference and eighth in the NCAA with 11.1 strikeouts per seven frames.
The Bulldog offense has also come alive in recent week, as the squad sports a .301 clip with 30 doubles, 12 home runs and eight triples. State's power game has been strong to start the 2017 campaign, as its 12 homers are four more than MSU had through the first 22 games of the 2016 season. State has also blasted three multi-home run games this year, compared to one all of last season.
Helping lead the way for State has been the play of junior Bevia Robinson. The newcomer leads MSU with a .448 batting average, 26 hits, 16 runs and a .508 on-base percentage. She has also demonstrated lightning-fast speed, stealing 15 bases this year. Her 0.71 stolen bases per game average ranks third in the SEC and 30th nationally.
The Bulldogs will wrap up a four-game roadtrip in Conway, Ark., as they take on Central Arkansas on Wednesday, March 15 at 5 p.m. State will then return home to host its first SEC home series of 2017, welcoming the Alabama Crimson Tide to Nusz Park, March 17-19. All three games will be streamed on SEC Network +.
Last Time Out…
The Bulldogs closed out a seven-game homestand with a 2-1 victory against Troy on Tuesday night. The contest was the first softball broadcast for the SEC Network for the 2017 season. Holly Ward threw her third complete game of the year and tied a season high with seven strikeouts to move to 4-1 on the year.
Tuesday, March 7
Mississippi State def. Troy, 2-1 (Recap, Box Score)
Series History…
Against Texas A&M
Overall: Tied, 6-6
In College Station: Texas A&M leads, 4-1
Last Meeting: Mississippi State def. No. 19 Texas A&M, 7-5 (Starkville)
Current Streak: Mississippi State, +1
All We Do Is Win, Win, Win…
With the win on Tuesday night, the Bulldogs have won 15-straight games, tying the second-longest winning streak in school history. MSU's streak is the longest since winning 15-in-a-row from Feb. 7-28, 2014.
Dogs Got That Power…
The Bulldogs have tallied 12 home runs so far through the year, besting the eight they hit in the first 22 games of the 2016 season. State has put together three multi-home run contests through 22 games this season, while only having one all of last year.
Pitching Staff On Fire…
State's pitching staff has been stellar through 22 games in 2017. The group's 0.98 ERA ranks third in the SEC and sixth in the NCAA. Alexis Silkwood (0.70 ERA) stands sixth in the SEC, 21st NCAA, while Regan Green (0.82 ERA) is ninth in the SEC, 30th in the nation.
Adding to State's pitching dominance has been Cassady Knudsen's ability to strike out batters, as her 11.1 K's per seven innings is fourth in the league and eighth nationally. She's also second in the SEC and third in the NCAA with just 2.33 hits allowed per seven innings.
Silk Rewriting The Record Books…
Senior lefty Alexis Silkwood continues to make her way up several career records charts in the MSU record books. She's already claimed the top spot for career strikeouts and became the first pitcher in MSU history to record 500-career strikeouts last weekend.
- 1st in strikeouts (500)
- T-1st in complete games (45)
- 2nd in innings pitched (576.0)
- 2nd in wins (53)
- T-3rd in shutouts (13)
- T-3rd in starts (82)
- T-3rd in saves (8)
- 4th in appearances (121)
Robinson's Off To An Impressive Start…
One of the highly-touted additions to the 2017 Bulldog softball squad has been JUCO transfer Bevia Robinson. Robinson comes to State via Pensacola State University, where she established herself as one of the top players in the NJCAA DI.
In just 21 games, she owns a team-best .448 clip, which was 12th in the SEC. She also leads the team with 26 hits, 16 runs and a .508 on-base percentage. She also has 15 stolen bases and averages 0.71 stolen bases per game, good for third in the SEC and 30th in the NCAA.
Seitz Moving On Up The Homers List…
Senior Caroline Seitz knocked two balls out of the park last weekend, marking her first two homers of the 2017 season. The pair of bombs moved Seitz to 30 and into a tie for fourth on the all-time list with former MSU standout Sam Lenahan (2011-14).
Weather…
Friday's Forecast (March 10) – Scattered Thunderstorms, 77 Degrees (60%)
Saturday's Forecast (March 11) – Scattered Thunderstorms, 71 Degrees (50%)
Sunday's Forecast (March 12) – AM Clouds/PM Sun, 62 Degrees (20%)
Live Stream/Broadcast…
Friday night's SEC opener will be broadcast on SEC Network +, with Chelsea Reber and Casey Richardson on the call. Saturday and Sunday's games will be nationally televised on the SEC Network, with Courtney Lyle covering play-by-play duties and Cheri Kempf as the color analyst.
Mississippi State at Texas A&M SEC Network + Broadcast (Friday)
Mississippi State at Texas A&M SEC Network/SECN+ Broadcast (Saturday)
Mississippi State at Texas A&M SEC Network/SECN+ Broadcast (Sunday)
Live Stats…
Texas A&M will provide live stats for all three games this weekend. They can be found in the link below.
Mississippi State at Texas A&M Live Stats
Up Next…
The Bulldogs will wrap up a four-game roadtrip in Conway, Ark., as they take on Central Arkansas on Wednesday, March 15 at 5 p.m. State will then return home to host its first SEC home series of 2017, welcoming the Alabama Crimson Tide to Nusz Park, March 17-19. All three games will be streamed on SEC Network +.
Social Media…
For more on Mississippi State softball, follow the Bulldogs on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram by searching for "HailStateSB." You can also find all-access coverage of the program on SnapChat by searching for "HailStateSnap".
The Dogs will open their first conference series of the year on Friday, March 10 with a 6 p.m. CT showdown on SEC Network +. Casey Richardson and Chelsea Reber will have the call. First pitch for Saturday, March 11 is set for 2:30 p.m., while Sunday, March 12 is slated for a 2 p.m., start. The weekend's last two contests will be nationally televised on the SEC Network, with Courtney Lyle and Cheri Kempf on the call.
MSU and A&M have met 12 times prior to this weekend, with the series split at 6-6. The two programs haven't met since the 2015 campaign, when the Bulldogs took the series in Starkville with Friday and Sunday victories.
This will only be the third series against the Aggies in the Vann Stuedeman era, with the series split 3-3.
State is riding a 15-game winning streak that currently stands tied for the second-longest streak in school history. MSU went 5-0 over last weekend to capture the Bulldog Slamboree Championship and closed out a perfect seven-game homestand with a 2-1 victory against Troy on Tuesday night.
The Bulldogs' success has been heavily fueled by their strong play in the circle through the first 22 games of the 2017 campaign. As a staff, MSU sports a 0.98 ERA, which ranks third in the SEC and sixth in the NCAA. Senior lefty Alexis Silkwood has been the staff's leader, holding a perfect 9-0 record and a 0.70 ERA that stands sixth in the league and 21st nationally.
Recently, Cassady Knudsen has elevated her game to another level, highlighted by a lights-out showing against Alabama State last week. The junior tossed a career-high 10 strikeouts and threw her second-career no-hitter. On the year, Knudsen is second in the SEC and third in the nation with allowing just 2.33 hits per seven innings. She is also fourth in the conference and eighth in the NCAA with 11.1 strikeouts per seven frames.
The Bulldog offense has also come alive in recent week, as the squad sports a .301 clip with 30 doubles, 12 home runs and eight triples. State's power game has been strong to start the 2017 campaign, as its 12 homers are four more than MSU had through the first 22 games of the 2016 season. State has also blasted three multi-home run games this year, compared to one all of last season.
Helping lead the way for State has been the play of junior Bevia Robinson. The newcomer leads MSU with a .448 batting average, 26 hits, 16 runs and a .508 on-base percentage. She has also demonstrated lightning-fast speed, stealing 15 bases this year. Her 0.71 stolen bases per game average ranks third in the SEC and 30th nationally.
The Bulldogs will wrap up a four-game roadtrip in Conway, Ark., as they take on Central Arkansas on Wednesday, March 15 at 5 p.m. State will then return home to host its first SEC home series of 2017, welcoming the Alabama Crimson Tide to Nusz Park, March 17-19. All three games will be streamed on SEC Network +.
Last Time Out…
The Bulldogs closed out a seven-game homestand with a 2-1 victory against Troy on Tuesday night. The contest was the first softball broadcast for the SEC Network for the 2017 season. Holly Ward threw her third complete game of the year and tied a season high with seven strikeouts to move to 4-1 on the year.
Tuesday, March 7
Mississippi State def. Troy, 2-1 (Recap, Box Score)
Series History…
Against Texas A&M
Overall: Tied, 6-6
In College Station: Texas A&M leads, 4-1
Last Meeting: Mississippi State def. No. 19 Texas A&M, 7-5 (Starkville)
Current Streak: Mississippi State, +1
All We Do Is Win, Win, Win…
With the win on Tuesday night, the Bulldogs have won 15-straight games, tying the second-longest winning streak in school history. MSU's streak is the longest since winning 15-in-a-row from Feb. 7-28, 2014.
Dogs Got That Power…
The Bulldogs have tallied 12 home runs so far through the year, besting the eight they hit in the first 22 games of the 2016 season. State has put together three multi-home run contests through 22 games this season, while only having one all of last year.
Pitching Staff On Fire…
State's pitching staff has been stellar through 22 games in 2017. The group's 0.98 ERA ranks third in the SEC and sixth in the NCAA. Alexis Silkwood (0.70 ERA) stands sixth in the SEC, 21st NCAA, while Regan Green (0.82 ERA) is ninth in the SEC, 30th in the nation.
Adding to State's pitching dominance has been Cassady Knudsen's ability to strike out batters, as her 11.1 K's per seven innings is fourth in the league and eighth nationally. She's also second in the SEC and third in the NCAA with just 2.33 hits allowed per seven innings.
Silk Rewriting The Record Books…
Senior lefty Alexis Silkwood continues to make her way up several career records charts in the MSU record books. She's already claimed the top spot for career strikeouts and became the first pitcher in MSU history to record 500-career strikeouts last weekend.
- 1st in strikeouts (500)
- T-1st in complete games (45)
- 2nd in innings pitched (576.0)
- 2nd in wins (53)
- T-3rd in shutouts (13)
- T-3rd in starts (82)
- T-3rd in saves (8)
- 4th in appearances (121)
Robinson's Off To An Impressive Start…
One of the highly-touted additions to the 2017 Bulldog softball squad has been JUCO transfer Bevia Robinson. Robinson comes to State via Pensacola State University, where she established herself as one of the top players in the NJCAA DI.
In just 21 games, she owns a team-best .448 clip, which was 12th in the SEC. She also leads the team with 26 hits, 16 runs and a .508 on-base percentage. She also has 15 stolen bases and averages 0.71 stolen bases per game, good for third in the SEC and 30th in the NCAA.
Seitz Moving On Up The Homers List…
Senior Caroline Seitz knocked two balls out of the park last weekend, marking her first two homers of the 2017 season. The pair of bombs moved Seitz to 30 and into a tie for fourth on the all-time list with former MSU standout Sam Lenahan (2011-14).
Weather…
Friday's Forecast (March 10) – Scattered Thunderstorms, 77 Degrees (60%)
Saturday's Forecast (March 11) – Scattered Thunderstorms, 71 Degrees (50%)
Sunday's Forecast (March 12) – AM Clouds/PM Sun, 62 Degrees (20%)
Live Stream/Broadcast…
Friday night's SEC opener will be broadcast on SEC Network +, with Chelsea Reber and Casey Richardson on the call. Saturday and Sunday's games will be nationally televised on the SEC Network, with Courtney Lyle covering play-by-play duties and Cheri Kempf as the color analyst.
Mississippi State at Texas A&M SEC Network + Broadcast (Friday)
Mississippi State at Texas A&M SEC Network/SECN+ Broadcast (Saturday)
Mississippi State at Texas A&M SEC Network/SECN+ Broadcast (Sunday)
Live Stats…
Texas A&M will provide live stats for all three games this weekend. They can be found in the link below.
Mississippi State at Texas A&M Live Stats
Up Next…
The Bulldogs will wrap up a four-game roadtrip in Conway, Ark., as they take on Central Arkansas on Wednesday, March 15 at 5 p.m. State will then return home to host its first SEC home series of 2017, welcoming the Alabama Crimson Tide to Nusz Park, March 17-19. All three games will be streamed on SEC Network +.
Social Media…
For more on Mississippi State softball, follow the Bulldogs on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram by searching for "HailStateSB." You can also find all-access coverage of the program on SnapChat by searching for "HailStateSnap".
Players Mentioned
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