Murray State University Athletics
Inaugural Racer Softball Season Set to Begin Feb. 20, 2010
9/15/2009 7:15:00 PM | Softball
The Murray State softball team will play its first official games Feb. 20-21 at the University of North Carolina Tournament and the first pitch will fly at Racer Softball Field at Murray-Calloway County Park in Murray, March 3. Fans will also have their first chance to see the Racers in action on three occasions in Murray, during their Fall schedule.
The schedule includes three teams that advanced to the NCAA Regionals and several tough regional opponents.
“I am pleased that our schedule for the most part is very regional,” said head coach Jay Pyron. “Our fans, parents, and recruits will have the opportunity to see us play as often as possible.”
MSU will host Shawnee CC, Sunday, Sep. 20 at Racer Softball Field for a double-header starting at 1 p.m. The Racers will also be at home Sunday, Oct. 11 against Lambuth (3 p.m.) and Saturday, Oct. 17 when Mid-Continent comes to town for a double-header starting at 1 p.m. The lone away date during the Fall season is Sep. 26 at the Louisville Tournament.
MSU will officially play its inaugural games, Feb. 20-21, 2010 at the North Carolina Tournament in Chapel Hill, N.C. The Racers will face tough competition not only from the host Tar Heels, but also from UNC-Greensboro, Delaware and Saint Joseph.
“We open our first season at UNC,” said Pyron. “This will be a good first test for us. We will get the opportunity to play nationally ranked UNC, who is returning an All-American pitcher, Dani Spaulding, who led the nation is strike outs last year. We will also get to play teams from the SoCon, Colonial, and the A-10."
The tough opening schedule continues in the second weekend of action, when MSU travels to play in the Ole Miss Tournament, Feb. 26-28. The Racers will compete against Sam Houston State, Troy, Centenary and SIU Edwardsville.
“Our trip to Oxford, Miss., will be another early challenge,” Pyron added. “Not only will we get our first matchup with an SEC team, but we also will be matched up with teams from the Summit League, Southland, and Sun Belt.”
After competing for the first two weeks of the 2010 campaign on the road, MSU will hosts open its home schedule, March 3 against Evansville. The Racers then return to the road for the third tournament of the season, but this time will be much closer to home as they travel to Nashville, Tenn., to participate in the Lipscomb Tournament, March 6-7.
The final tournament of the season will see Belmont and Alcorn State joining MSU at Racer Softball Field, March 13-14.
“One of the primary goals for any team is to win their own conference and advance to the NCAA tournament,” Pyron said. “To do that we felt like we needed to prepare in the early part of the season by playing tough competition that would be challenging and help us continue to shape our team and improve every day.”
The rest of the non-conference portion of the schedule includes games against SIU Edwardsville, Alabama State, Samford, Bethel and Western Kentucky.
“I am really excited that we were able to get WKU on our schedule,” commented Pyron. “Tyra Perry has done a nice job there and it will be a good opportunity to develop an in state rivalry.”
The first Ohio Valley Conference match-up is scheduled for March 20-21 in Nashville, Tenn., against Tennessee State, while the first home OVC games will be against defending OVC regular-season champions and NCAA Super Regional participants Jacksonville State, March 27-28. Two days later, March 30, the Racers will battle with UT Martin, the OVC Tournament Champions and NCAA Regional participants in Martin, Tenn.
The Racers play regular-season games through May 9, with this season's OVC Championship scheduled for May 13-15. The OVC softball championship will be hosted by the team that claims the regular-season title.
