(Tucson, AZ) Kim Doss
The Tucson Regional features four teams that couldn’t be more different. They come from dramatically different parts of the country, have very different histories and feature some incredibly varied coaching philosophies. The one thing they have in common? The hope that they will be the team that advances to face the winner of the Los Angeles Regional.
North Dakota State vs Mississippi State @ 6 pm MST, Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium
The regional will kick off tomorrow night when the SEC’s Mississippi State Bulldogs (36-21) face off against the North Dakota State Bison (33-17) of the Summit League. North Dakota state comes in riding the wave of a fifth straight conference title, while Mississippi State faced a tough road in the stacked SEC. Like the other 62 teams in the field, though, they both start 0-0 and hope that they can get one step closer to Oklahoma City.
The Bulldogs are seeking their first trip to a super regional, and believe that the program is on the trajectory to take that next step. To do that, freshman star Mia Davidson said that Mississippi State needs to “trust ourselves, and know that we can play to the best of anybody. As long as we trust ourselves and do what we gotta do, we’ll be perfectly fine.”
“We’re just focused on the next opportunity we have on the field, and add that and put it all together,” said senior Holly Ward. “We’re not really focused on the outcome, just playing the game how we know how.”
Stuedeman and her upperclassmen believe that players like Davidson, the SEC’s Freshman of the Year and a finalist for the National Freshman of the Year, are vital to the process of building the Bulldogs’ program. Stuedeman said that the culture has been established, and the upperclassmen are now able to hand leadership to the next class of talented players at the end of each season.
On the field, senior Morgan Bell used words like “humble” and “savvy” to describe Davidson. Bell said that Davidson’s on field success can be attributed to both that savviness and fast hands, which have helped the freshman put up a .371 average while hitting 18 home runs, 13 doubles and two triples.
Hoping to stop that freshman and her teammates will be North Dakota State. The Bison last played in the Tucson regional in 2012, when they went 1-2. They hope to ride their current six-game winning streak to a better result this season.
“I mean, it’s senior year,” said Zoe Stavrou. “This is our last chance. Our last chance to do something special, and, hopefully, make some teams uncomfortable.”
“People expect us to come out here and lose,” pitcher Jacquelyn Sertic added. “So, why not just surprise a couple people? Maybe take a couple games. Maybe take a regional.”
If the Bison are going to accomplish that task, the most important thing is not getting ahead of themselves, head coach Darren Mueller said.
“Obviously, Mississippi State is a very good team. So, I think if we can kind of continue doing what we’ve done when we’ve played our best, which is to just go out there and stay in the moment and really just kind of play our game,” Mueller said. “That’s what I would like to see this team do this weekend.”
St. Francis (PA) vs Arizona @ 8:30 pm MST, Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium
In the nightcap, the region’s top-seeded Wildcats (40-14) will face the St. Francis Red Flash (39-17) in a match-up of teams known for the long ball. The Red Flash come in with a NCAA-leading 83 home runs, while Arizona sits at #4 with 73. Hitting in the dry desert air threatens to turn the game into a home run derby.
The Red Flash have used their power hitting to roll off a 19-game winning streak. SFU has dominated the Northeast Conference, having not lost a conference game since May 5, 2016, when Central Connecticut State edged them out by a score of 4-5. That day, SFU came back to run rule the Blue Devils in the second game of a doubleheader, and have continued that dominance for over two years.
While SFU has an RPI of 97, they have faced some tough competition over the season, including taking on several teams from the SEC. They are also playing in the Tucson Regional for the second straight season, which has helped them prepare for postseason play at Hillenbrand.
“I think each year we’ve gotten a little more comfortable with where we’re at,” senior Madison Cabell said. “I know the first time we came here, it was more of a learning experience rather than trying to get after it. But this year, it’s a lot more of a calm feeling.”
“We know what the fans are like, we know what the field is like,” pitcher Abby Trahan added.
That calmness and familiarity may help the Red Flash deal with playing the Wildcats in front of the Arizona fans, but they are depending on their home run prowess to win the game. The reliance on the power game is by design, according to head coach Jennifer Patrick-Swift.
“The secret is swing for it, no matter what the count, what the score,” Patrick-Swift said. “That’s what we do. We talk about it every day. That’s what we live and die by.”
It will be up to junior pitcher Taylor McQuillin to keep the Red Flash from living off the long ball. Over the season, McQuillin has given up 19 home runs in 211.1 innings pitched and 39 appearances, while SFU averages 1.48 per game.
As much as physical skill and talent, Arizona needs to be mentally sharp on a consistent basis if they hope to advance. That has been a recurring theme throughout the season, so the Wildcats are trying to utilize the lessons of an up-and-down regular season to find success in the postseason.
“We’re going to have to keep our head in the game the entire time and keep our composure and stay focused, but I think that should go with any game,” McQuillin said. “I know this year we’ve had our struggles, but our mentality has been always play every game like it’s a championship game.”
Without the eight seniors who led Arizona to the #2 overall seed last year, it’s up to the young team to lead as a group if they are going to get where they want to go, according to sophomore shortstop Jessie Harper.
“We just have to learn maturity, and lead together as a team,” Harper said.
Some of the issues with youth will be addressed by the return of senior center fielder Ashleigh Hughes, who has only seen limited pinch running duties since breaking her hand against ASU last month. Arizona head coach Mike Candrea said that Hughes is ready to return this weekend, although they are still evaluating how to construct the line-up to provide the best offense and defense for the Wildcats.
Whether they are seniors playing in their final games at Hillenbrand or underclassmen who will play in the refurbished stadium next season, Arizona’s players have something to prove.
“Definitely, this year is a little bit different with a new look for us, but I’m confident in our team,” Harper said. “Definitely not happy with a 14 seed. I would have liked to have been ranked a little bit higher, but I’m excited to prove people wrong.”
Odds and Ends
- MSU Head Coach Vann Stuedeman on Mia Davidson: “If she was a dude, she wouldn’t be playing [in college]. She would have signed with a signing bonus, and she’d be in somebody’s farm league right now.”
- SFU Head Coach Jennifer Patrick-Swift on her team’s feelings about playing in the Tucson Regional again: “They were excited and already comfortable when it popped up on the screen that we were coming back to Tucson.”
- UA Head Coach Mike Candrea on conference softball tournaments and the possibility of the PAC-12 adding one: “For all these years, the PAC-12–PAC-10 back in the day–just never felt like we needed it, because we played each other three times and played an even schedule, so we played everyone. We felt like it was probably not in our best interest to have to do that again, but I think today’s a different era. It depends on the reason why you’re going to do it. If TV’s going to get behind it, and it’s going to be a big event, and I’m sure that the PAC-12 may be looking into doing something like that. I know that after this year myself, the way the schedule was and how we finished, we could probably have benefited from having a tournament.”
- SFU Head Coach Patrick-Swift on their hitting philosophy and its focus on home runs: “We made the decision and the switch to change our swing style about three years ago. And, so, we’ve completely revamped how we hit, the style of hitting, and the focus, and our drills. That produces the long ball….It’s helped recruiting….It never hurts to be mentioned when you’re leading the country in something like home runs….To me, the best hitters in the country play Major League Baseball, and that’s how they swing.”
- MSU Head Coach Stuedeman on the present and future of college softball: “The future for college softball is bright. It’s the golden era of college softball right now.”
- MSU Head Coach Stuedeman on what it feels like to be at Hillenbrand: “History…Now, when you talk to me, there was no TV. There was no games on TV. The one game on TV was UCLA-Arizona in the championship game. That was the only game on TV. And I can remember being in college…watching UCLA-Arizona play with my chin dropped to the floor, like this is what I’m going to do one day….So, Arizona is part of my softball history….They paved the way.”
