State Steps Out Of Conference, Hosts Birmingham Southern
Bulldogs Close Out Five-Game Homestand, Face Panthers For First Time
STARKVILLE, Miss. -- The Mississippi State softball team (20-10) will close out a five-game homestand Wednesday afternoon when the Bulldogs step out of conference for the second time in as many weeks to host Birmingham Southern (11-19) in a 5 p.m. doubleheader at the Mississippi State Softball Field.
With the midpoint of the season being just a blip in the rearview mirror for the Bulldogs now, the Maroon and White has posted the second-best 30-game start in school history, falling runner-up to just the 2000 NCAA Regional squad's 23-7 mark after 30 games. Mississippi State has posted an 18-6 mark against non-conference opponents this season, including a pair of victories over top 25 squads.
"Overall, we are 20-10 and we have beaten some ranked teams and I think we have gotten some good wins," said Mississippi State head coach Jay Miller. "We've lost a couple of games that we shouldn't have lost, but that happens along the way. I think we have done a good job both offensively and defensively, but I'm a little disappointed in the pitching that we are getting. We need to compete better on the mound than what we are doing right now."
Birmingham Southern will enter Wednesday's twinbill on a four-game skid, having dropped all of its games at the Panther Spring Classic this past weekend. BSC will bring a .248 team batting average into Starkville with freshman Nikki Rombough paving the way on a .359 (33-for-92) clip to go along with 10 extra-base hits (one HR) and 11 RBI. Rombough has also posted a .489 slugging percentage and a .400 on-base percentage and has only struck out six times in 92 at-bats.
Birmingham Southern has had its troubles from the circle, however, posting a 3.56 team ERA in 189 innings of work. The Panthers' staff has posted a strikeout to walk ratio of 1.33 to 1, but has allowed their opponents to hit just .264. Sophomore Dawn Treadwell has paced the staff so far, this season, turning in a 5-6 record and a 2.38 ERA.
"Some of our non-conference games have been rained out this season and that's been a bit of a disappointment," Miller said. "Those are games, one, that you can use to build confidence and those are games that we can use to get innings and at-bats for people that aren't playing as much and to keep everybody sharp. We haven't got the consistency that we need that those games give you."
Following Wednesday's action at home, the Maroon and White will head to Knoxville, Tenn., this weekend for a three-game set against the Tennessee Lady Vols. The teams will begin their series with a Saturday afternoon doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. EST and close out the set on Sunday with a single game at the same time. All three games of the series will be played at the 1,000-seat Tennessee Field at Tyson Park.
"I think we are in pretty good shape," Miller said. "We are 2-4 in the conference and, obviously, we would have liked to start a little better. But, also, we have to realize that we started with the top teams in the conference. The thing that we have got to do is not get down and take care of business now against the teams that aren't as strong in the conference. "I think we can still have a very successful conference season and get a bid to the NCAA Tournament."