Softball Launches 2014 Campaign at LSU

Game Notes | Live Stats

Dates: Feb. 7-8
Tournament Name (Host): Tiger Classic (LSU)
Site: Baton Rouge, La. (Tiger Park)
Live Stats: GoRacers.com
Twitter In Game: @MSURacers @PGriffithMSU
MSU vs. The Field: 0-0
All-Time Series vs. UCA: First Meeting
All-Time Series vs. Minn,: First Meeting
All-Time Series vs. OSU: First Meeting
All-Time Series vs. LSU: First Meeting
MSU Next Tournament: Feb. 15-16, Rafter Memorial hosted by Keenesaw St. (Woodstock, Ga.)
MSU Next Home: Mar. 15-16 vs. UT Martin

The Murray State softball team will kick-off its 2014 season Friday and Saturday when it travels to Baton Rouge, La., for four games at LSU's Tiger Classic. On Friday, the Racers will open with Central Arkansas at 9 a.m., followed by Minnesota at 3 p.m. On Saturday, MSU will take on Oklahoma State at 3 p.m., before closing out tournament play under the lights at 7 p.m. against the host Tigers.

The 2013 campaign kicked off a new era for Racer softball, as Kara Amundson took over the reins of the program, now it just its fifth season. The Racers finished the regular season with a 23-26 overall record and a 14-10 mark in league play to earn a four-seed in the 2013 OVC Tournament.

The Racers won their first two tournament games for the first time in program history, besting rival UT Martin and top-seeded host Eastern Illinois. However, the Racers then dropped their winner's bracket game to eventual champion Jacksonville State and elimination game to UT Martin to finish third for the second consecutive season

Despite the high finish last season and losing only a handful of players, the Racers were picked to finish fourth in the west division of the OVC by the league's head coaches and sports information directors. However, the Racers did garner at least one first-place vote for the second straight season

Murray State will return six starters from last season's squad including All-OVC and Capital One Academic All-America selection Alexa Becker and OVC All-Newcomer honoree Shelbey Miller. Becker led the team with a .311 average, 33 runs, 12 home runs and 32 RBI in 2013, while Miller batted .305 with 12 doubles and 13 RBIs as freshman. Miller is also the only Racer to ever tally five hits in one game, doing so at home against Austin Peay last season.

CheyAnne Gaskey also returns this season, after a breakout sophomore season last year in the circle. She finished the season with team-bests of 13 wins, six saves, a 2.53 ERA and 148 strikeouts. Her six saves last season were not only a program record, but were good enough to finish fifth in the nation.

The biggest change to the Racers this season will not be on the field, but will be the field itself. After a year of construction, MSU softball will open the brand new, on-campus Racer Field March 15 against UT Martin. In their first four years as a program, the Racers played across the street at the City of Murray's Central Park.

Racer Field, nestled between Roy Stewart Stadium and the CFSB Center, is equipped with top-of-the-line playing surfaces, plenty of seating for fans and a brand new scoreboard. With fans getting a preview this fall, it is already clear that with its location and amenities, MSU softball finally has a distinct home-field advantage.

Central Arkansas went 38-20 last season and finished third in the Southland tournament after completing the regular season with a 15-10 mark. UCA lost five seniors off of last year's squad, but has reloaded with freshmen and transfers. Among a core of returners will be pair of sophomores in Sarah Bigej and Sam Forrest. Bigej was an All-Southland selection last season with a .283 average and 15 extra-base hits, while Forrest led the team with a .387 average, 39 RBIs and 16 doubles.

The question mark for the Bears this season will be pitching, after losing senior SLC Pitcher of the Year Kelsie Armstrong. UCA has five pitchers on staff in 2014, but only two played last season for a combined 26 appearances and 12 starts.

Fresh off its first NCAA Regional since 2003, Minnesota appears to be on the right track under fourth-year head coach Jessica Allister. The Gophers went 36-19 last season, 14-6 in Big Ten play and advanced to the conference championship game.

Minnesota lost just four letterwinners off of last year's team and returns 14, including junior infielder Kaitlyn Richardson who was recently named to USA Softball's Player of the Year Top 50 Watch List. Richardson was a two-time All-American last season, finishing with a .430 average, 16 doubles and 34 walks.

Despite a 30-win season in 2013, the Oklahoma State went 6-12 in the Big 12 last year to miss the postseason for the second consecutive season. Even with the two year post-season drought, the Cowgirls are still only three seasons removed from their last WCWS appearance, their first since 1998.

The good news for Oklahoma State is they will seven starters from last year's team and 10 players overall. Helping lead the way for OSU will be senior and 2013 NFCA All-Region selection Tarah Ettinger, who turned in a team-best .327 clip last season with 10 home runs, 42 RBIs and 21 walks.

LSU advanced all the way to the WCWS during Beth Torina's first season in Baton Rouge and followed it up last year in her second season with an NCAA Regional appearance. The Tigers were 42-16 in 2013 and 15-8 in the SEC, before ending the season on a sour note by being upset at home in NCAA play by Louisiana-Lafayette.

LSU was ranked 17th in the USA Today/NFCA Preseason Top 25 poll and with good reason, as they return 14 players and seven starters from a year ago. Amongst the returners are the team's top two hitters from last year A.J. Andrews, also on the USA Softball watch list, and Jacee Blades. Andrews hit .359 with 32 RBIs and 19 stolen bases, while Blades finished at .354 to go along with 22 RBIs and 26 runs.

Live stats will be available for all four game of the tournament, with links posted at the top of this page and at GoRacers.com.

Murray State University Athletics

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