Softball Steps Away From OVC For DH With Bethel

Wednesday, April 10

Central Park

3 p.m.

Murray State

Bethel (TN)

Photo by: Tab Brockman

4/9/2013 4:27:00 PM | Softball

Game Notes

MSU 2013 Record: 13-21 (5-6 OVC)

Wednesday's Opponent:
Bethel (Tenn.): 9-14 (4-6 TSC) | Live Stats G1 | Live Stats G2
All-Time vs. BU: 4-0

On Wednesday, the Murray State softball team will host regional foe Bethel (Tenn.) in non-conference doubleheader at Central Park.

The Racers went 1-3 last week at home last weekend, but snapped a six-game skid when they topped Morehead State on Sunday. On Saturday, Murray State lost to Eastern Kentucky in a 5-4 heartbreaker in game one of a doubleheader and allowed five home runs in the final two innings of game two to fall, 12-8 in eight innings.

On Sunday, Morehead State got the best of the Racers in game one, 9-2. However, MSU bounced back in game two with some much needed offense to stop the losing streak at six with a 9-4 victory.

While MSU may have lost three of four on the weekend, it appears as its offense may have turned a corner. Of the nine offensive starters on the weekend, seven raised their batting averages over the four-game span, including three that saw their average increase by four-tenths of a point or more.

Ellyn Troup and Sarah Anderson led the MSU barrage on the weekend with matching .538 batting averages. Anderson also had three double, five RBIs and three runs, while Troup had two doubles, one RBI and four runs. Alexa Becker also had a good weekend as she led the offense for power with two home runs and .909 slugging percentage over the four-game stretch.

Wednesday will be the fifth meeting all-time between Bethel and Murray State, with the Racers having won all four previous contests. The two teams met in 2010 and in 2012 and each series took place in Murray. Over the four-game series, the Racers have outscored the Lady Wildcats 28-5 with each victory coming to MSU by at least four runs.

The Lady Wildcats are currently 9-14 on the year and 4-6 in the TranSouth Conference. On Monday, Bethel split a pair of TranSouth games with Mid-Continent, 10-5 (8) and 12-4 (5).

After forcing the game to extra innings with a run in the sixth, the Lady Wildcats gave up five unearned runs in the eighth to fall in the doubleheader opener. In game two, Bethel pounded out 15 hits and were led Shelby Evans in the contest who went 2-for-4 with one run, a home runs and five RBIs.

Brooklyn Jenkins currently leads her team offensively with a .429 average, six home runs and 22 RBIs, while Summer Winters follows with a .405 average, nine doubles and 12 RBIs. In the circle, Elizabeth Brooks leads the Lady Wildcat staff with a 5-4 record, 57 strikeouts and a 4.06 ERA.

First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m. and live stat links for both games can be found at GoRacers.com