The new era of Mississippi State softball begins with a fresh mindset under new head coach Vann Stuedeman. While this is her first season as a head coach on the Division I level, Stuedeman brings a wealth of pitching knowledge to the diamond. Over her last 11 seasons as an assistant at the University of Alabama, Stuedeman mentored a pitching staff that led the Crimson Tide to six Women’s College World Series and three Southeastern Conference championships. Individually, six pitchers who played under Stuedeman earned a combine 11 All-America honors, while combining to pitch 221 shutouts.
The Bulldogs finished the 2011 season with a 24-32 record, including a
10-18 mark in league play. Offensively, the Maroon and White set a school record with 0.71 home runs per game and 3.25 walks per contest.
On the defensive side, MSU had a .954 fielding percentage on the year with 17 double plays. The pitching staff finished the season with a 4.90 earned run average and had 12 complete games to go along with 242 strikeouts.
As they enter the 2012 season, the offense will return most of its firepower with stars such as senior first baseman Ka’ili Smith and sophomore catcher Sam Lenahan. Smith returns as the leading hitter from last year’s campaign (career high .348), in which she placed in the top five in many of the offensive statistical categories, including runs scored, runs-batted-in and on-base percentage. Lenahan also returns after earning All-SEC Freshman honors following eight home runs and 41 runs batted in. The Georgia native not only made her mark at the plate, but she also excelled behind it on defense, throwing out a Southeastern Conference-best 21 runners. She topped the conference by throwing out 14 would-be base stealers in league games.
Inside the circle, Stuedeman will coach to her strengths thanks to the return of all five pitchers from last season. The Bulldogs look to rely heavily on the left-handed junior duo of Stephanie Becker and Kylie Vry, while also receiving help from seniors Misty Flesher and Lindsey Dunlap.
Sophomore Shana Sherrod will also tote the rubber this spring.