Softball vs. Georgia Southern - OPENING DAY THREAD - Meet your girls!

[BulldogBear]

This year's team:

#2 Kat Moore (FR)
BKMMKMLPEDFPILB.20150914151344.jpg Bats - L, Throws - R (Utility)

#3 Katie Anne Bailey (JR)
STFKGAZSTIPFDZD.20150914144910.jpg Bats - R, Throws - R (Catcher)

#4 Cassady Knudsen (SO)
AHDXVIZSVSWKYXE.20150914151233.jpg Bats - R, Throws - R (Pitcher)

#7 Reggie Harrison (JR)
ZBYDDJJXDIVMOEL.20150914150525.jpg Bats - R, Throws - R (Infield)

#8 Alexis Silkwood (JR)
GNPQTEKUMNNFOWT.20150914152527.jpg Bats - L, Throws - R (Pitcher)


To be continued...

[BulldogBear]

#9 Kayla Winkfield (SR)
OUDRSVAQFWFBIMS.20150914153137.jpg Bats - L, Throws - R (Infield)

#10 Loryn Nichols (SR)
PZWJTOSGPXXFXDQ.20150914151458.jpg Bats - L, Throws - R (Outfield)

#11 Emily Heimberger (FR)
IWWHQVVPMPUIWUD.20150914150648.jpg Bats - L, Throws - R (Infield)

#12 Olivia Golden (rSO)
AGPFCGVXKLBROKX.20150914150048.jpg Bats - R, Throws - R (Infield)

#13 Mackenzie Toler (JR)
HNSZRCYJZFFLOXN.20150914152625.jpg Bats - L, Throws - L (Utility)

[BulldogBear]

#14 Holly Ward (SO)
UUFRVZEEJZJINDM.20150914152927.jpg Bats - R, Throws - R (Pitcher)

#15 Caroline Seitz (JR)
QFBNITAGMNMNRTT.20150914152008.jpg Bats - R, Throws - R (Infield)

#18 Cori Cooper (FR)
HSCBAYUWODVLPQP.20150914145539.jpg Bats - R, Throws - R (Pitcher)

#19 Morgan Bell (SO)
WPTXKXFIFKFLZHJ.20150914145050.jpg Bats - R, Throws - R (Utility)

#21 Sarai Niu (FR)
CCYTTHUZPHCJROM.20150914151738.jpg Bats - R, Throws - R (Infield)

[BulldogBear]

#23 Taylor Kelly (FR)
ZXHKSYWDCMSAUMH.20150914151107.jpg Bats - R, Throws - R (Infield)

#24 Calyn Adams (SO)
DOHOGYDNCNOFPXU.20150914144654.jpg Bats - L, Throws - R (Catcher/Infield)

#25 Amanda Ivy (JR)
PSDTAVDOEBPTVGO.20150914150921.jpg Bats - R, Throws - R (Utility)

#31 Carmen Carter (SO)
VQIWYVDVRJMCYUX.20150914145244.jpg Bats - R, Throws - R (Utility)

#33 Regan Green (FR)
NOPERUDQQCZIXGJ.20150914150301.jpg Bats - R, Throws - R (Pitcher)

[BulldogBear]

#34 Sabrina Turner (FR)
UVEDWCKLNLZZBGM.20150914152754.jpg Bats - R, Throws - R (Utility)

#44 Madison Cousineau (FR)
AEQNADRTDSXZBUW.20150914145636.jpg Bats - R, Throws - R (Catcher)


Bailey has been a great catcher but will be used in other roles as well, so she really should be considered a utility player. Of 22 players, 8 are Freshman. Only two of our returning Letterman and/or Starters are Seniors, Nichols and Winkfield. Yet, there are a bunch of veterans. This team is young and hungry, and I am glad to see more help on the mound coming in. Silkwood is our main gal, but Ward has experience and Toler can be plugged in as well. I hope our pitching is deeper. That lack of depth got to us late in the year in 2015. I am excited about this year!! Opening pitch is tonight at 5:30pm, with a ceremony to dedicate the new park at 5:00pm. Too bad I can't be there. It's supposed to be on SEC Network plus. I don't know if it'll be on an alternate channel or if we'll have to watch on our ESPN apps if we got 'em. I'll be on my phone rather than a computer so I can't do the batter by batter thread I like to do. Inning by inning will have to suffice for those that follow the game on the thread. Here we go and HAIL STATE!

[Taog Redloh]

Bout time for these girls to get to OKC and make a run. Got a new stadium, been to regionals for 4 years now. Get it done Vann, you have building towards this year for a while now. No pressure though

[rolodawg]

Do we have any good bunters on the squad?*

[Really Clark?]

Do we have any good bunters on the squad?*

Lol. It's softball. They better be some great bunters and slappers.

[Dawgbite]

I'm not watching until we start recruiting girls with short hair. You can't expect to win when we are so one dimensional.

[CadaverDawg]

Are we hitting the L-Screen in practice?*

I hope they start strong.

[Dubuck Finner]

Looking forward to it, I have a different outlook on softball after my daughter started playing at a competitive level

[BrunswickDawg]

I'm not watching until we start recruiting girls with short hair. You can't expect to win when we are so one dimensional.

LOL - However, being married to a softball player and raising one, I have hardly ever heard more bitching about hair than the year my daughter cut her hair short before softball season.

[Really Clark?]

Here is a piece of advice. If your daughter is a pitcher and starts throwing drop balls over 50 mph, buy shin guards. Rise balls, face mask. That short of a distance and the ball is coming pretty quick with sharp breaks.

[Dawgbite]

LOL - However, being married to a softball player and raising one, I have hardly ever heard more bitching about hair than the year my daughter cut her hair short before softball season.

Is a ponytail a prerequisite or something?

[Sacrifice]

Here is a piece of advice. If your daughter is a pitcher and starts throwing drop balls over 50 mph, buy shin guards. Rise balls, face mask. That short of a distance and the ball is coming pretty quick with sharp breaks.

Brother you ain't never lied. I spent many hours on a bucket, if you get pegged in the shins a couple of times, you'll be finding some shin guards real quick.

[BrunswickDawg]

Is a ponytail a prerequisite or something?

Apparently - I learned a long time ago to just nod my head and say "it looks nice".

[ScoobaDawg]

No I'm not doing game threads for every softball game.. But wanted to throw together something for the start of the season, which hopefully will be a pretty good one.


MSU is set to begin its 25th season of softball with State also set to open its new $6.4 Million facility, Nusz Park, which carries the name of alumni couple Tommy and Terri Nusz of Houston, Texas.
The Bulldogs open their season and park on Thursday, Feb. 11 against Georgia Southern as part of the Bulldog Kickoff Classic. First pitch is set for 5:35 p.m. CT and the game can be seen on SEC Network+.
All 28 of MSU's home games will be televised in 2016.
MSU will host the 2016 SEC Tournament.
All regular season games at Nusz Park are FREE!!

LIVE STATS

Tonights Game can be Seen HERE on the SEC Network+

Tonight FREE Tshirt and Commemorative Game tickets to the first 150



Check out the New Nusz Park on a tour by Coach Vann


State is coming off of a 2015 season that saw numerous offensive records fall in the midst of making a fourth consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance.
The Thursday opener will begin the four-day event which will include a total of 12 games between five teams (Alabama A&M, Georgia Southern, Houston, Tennessee Tech and host MSU).

In the previous 19 seasons, MSU has advanced to the NCAA Tournament 12 times, including seven of the last
nine and four consecutive postseason events. The Bulldogs have won one postseason contest in each of the
last three years, defeating Mississippi Valley State in 2013, Texas Southern in 2014 and Weber State in 2015.

During the 2015 campaign, first year assistant coach Samantha Ricketts helped the offense set MSU
single-season records for batting average, home runs, runs batted in, slugging percentage and on-base
percentage.

In 2013, MSU was selected as an Easton Team of the Year, joining Women?s College World Series participants
Florida and Texas, and had consecutive 30-win seasons for the first time since 1998-2008.


STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE
State will play 31 games versus teams that appeared in the 2015 NCAA Tournament. Along with being scheduled to play six 2015 Women?s College World Series teams (Alabama, Auburn, Florida, LSU, Tennessee and UCLA), the Bulldogs will play another two teams that reached the Super Regionals (Kentucky and Missouri). Overall, MSU will play 15 teams that are coming off of an NCAA Tournament appearance (Baylor, Central Arkansas, Chattanooga, Longwood, South Alabama, Tennessee Tech and Western Kentucky).

TEAM & PLAYER NOTES
? The Bulldogs are coming off a 2015 campaign that saw new program records set for batting average (.312), home runs (54), RBI (294), slugging percentage (.495) and on-base percentage (.411) in year one of assistant coach Samantha Ricketts.
? MSU has made four-straight NCAA Tournament appearances for just the second time in program history (2002-05); five straight has never been done.
? State had 15 come-from-behind wins in 2015 and have 50 in four seasons under Stuedeman.
? MSU added former Oklahoma All-American and USSA Pride player Keilani Ricketts as a Volunteer Assistant to work alongside her sister, MSU hitting coach, Samantha.
? Junior Alexis Silkwood was a workhorse for the Bulldogs last season as she made 47 appearances and 35 starts in the circle and posted a 26-16 record en route to a spot on the NFCA All-South Region third team and two SEC Pitcher of the Week honors. Among the SEC?s best, Silkwood ranked first in appearances, second in the SEC in innings pitched, batters struck out and tied for second in wins.
? Junior Caroline Seitz has started all 117 games at third base in which she has been a member of the Bulldogs over the past two seasons. In 2015, Seitz led the Bulldogs in doubles (16), home runs (15), RBI (54), total bases (123) and slugging percentage (.631). Also put up a .318 batting average with a team-high 62 at bats in a team-high 195 at bats
? Kayla Winkfield made her junior season count as she recorded 13 extra-base hits in 2015 through 172 at bats after having recorded only one through her first two seasons at MSU in 173 at bats.

STATE VS. THE FIELD
MSU is 17-4 all-time against the Bulldog Kickoff Classic field and hold winning records over every opponent except Houston. State is a combined 17-2 vs. Alabama A&M, Georgia Southern and Tennessee Tech, but 0-2 against Houston. The Bulldogs are joined by Tennessee Tech as the only two programs in the event coming off of NCAA Tournament appearances in 2015.

Thurs.-Sun. 11-14 BULLDOG KICKOFF (Starkville, Miss.)
Thurs. 11 GEORGIA SOUTHERN 5:30 PM
Fri. 12 HOUSTON 5:30 PM
Sat. 13 TENNESSEE TECH 2 PM
Sat. 13 ALABAMA A&M 4:30 PM
Sun. 14 HOUSTON 11 AM

ON DECK FOR MSU
The Bulldogs will play their next nine games away from Nusz Park, starting with four in Mobile, Alabama (Feb. 19-21) as part of the Mardi Gras Invitational hosted by South Alabama.

MSU was picked to finish 10th in the SEC Pre-Season Poll which is where they finished last season.

[BulldogBear]

Apparently - I learned a long time ago to just nod my head and say "it looks nice".

Smart Dad! Mine kept a cute little shoulder length Bob so that was never really an issue. She just played with it down, wearing a headband if she felt like she needed one.

[BulldogBear]

Bump. You know I love doing game threads of course but this is good stuff. Th3 season kind of got up on me quick and there was no way I was gonna come up with a preview as good as this one! Not long now.

[ScoobaDawg]

Live on Periscope now... @HailStateSB
https://www.periscope.tv/w/1MYxNvbdrDbxw