Softball Hosts UK In Home Opener

Date: Mar. 17
Site (Venue): Murray, Ky. (Racer Field)
Audio: Mixlr.com/msuracers
Video: None
Live Stats: GoRacers.com
Twitter In Game: @RacersSoftball
MSU Record (Streak): 13-7 (L1)
UK Record (Streak): 18-5 (W5)
All-Time Series vs. UK (Streak): First Meeting
MSU Next Games: Mar. 21 at Belmont
MSU Next Home: Mar. 22 vs. Tennessee St.

Tuesday's Action
Murray State will host 14^th-ranked Kentucky in a doubleheader that will serve as MSU's 2015 home opener. The games will also mark the first time a ranked opponent has ever made the trip to Murray.

Last Time Out
The Racers had a tough opening weekend in the OVC, falling in two out of three games at SIU Edwardsville. Murray State picked up a big 7-2 win in the second game, but were edged in the first and last games, 5-4 and 6-4, respectively. MSU actually outscored the Cougars, 15-3, and outhit them, 28-19, but walked 19 batters compared to just four by SIUE.

Jessica Twaddle let MSU on the weekend by going 5-for-11 for a .455 average to go along with two runs, three doubles, two RBIs and a walk. CheyAnne Gaskey went 1-1 on the weekend with a 2.71 ERA, allowing four runs on nine hits with 10 strikeouts over 10.1 innings and a .250 opponent's average.

Against UK
Tuesday will be the first ever meeting between he two teams.

Scouting The Wildcats
The Wildcats will enter Tuesday's doubleheader with an overall record of 18-5 and a 1-2 mark in the SEC. UK is coming off a successful bye weekend from SEC play in which it swept a three-game series at home with Ohio.

On Saturday, Kelsey Nunley threw seven hitless relief innings, while Griffin Joiner came up with a key home run in game two to help Kentucky to a pair of wins, 7-2 and 6-4. On Sunday, Maisie Steed with 3-for-4 with a run, a double, a home run and four RBIs to help power UK to a 6-0 win in the finale. Erin Rethlake and Nunley combined for a three-hit shutout with Rethlake striking out four and Nunley fanning three.

As a team, the Wildcats are hitting .297 on the year and have a 2.24 staff ERA. In contrast, opponents are hitting just .227 against them and are allowing 4.86 earned runs per game. Steed leads the Wildcats on the season with a .365 average and is followed closely by Christian Stoke at .351. Joiner currently leads the team in RBIs with 26 and is tied with Stokes for the team lead in home runs with five.

Nunley and Meagan Prince have been a formidable duo in the circle for the Wildcats, with Nunley going 8-.2 with a 1.79 ERA and Prince going 7-3 with a 2.89 ERA. Nunley has struck out 60 batters and is limiting opponents to a .194 average, while Prince has fanned 49 batters and has her opponents hitting .259.

A New Queen
With four hits last weekend at SIUE, Mo Ramsey became the new all-time Murray State hits leader with 182, breaking Megan Glosser's record of 180. Glosser also holds the season record for hits with 72 in 2012, while Ramsey is second with 63 in 2014.

Streaking Is Back In Style
After breaking the school record for a reached base streak earlier this season, a streak that is still alive and well at 37, Jessica Twaddle did it again last weekend. With a her hit in the first game of a doubleheader Sunday at SIUE, Twaddle extended her current hit streak to 18 games, breaking Megan Glosser's previous record of 17. The streak currently stands at 19 as she has hit in every game this season, sans the season opener.

Double Up
Through 20 games in 2015, Murray State has already turned 18 double plays for an average of 0.90 per game and currently lead the nation in that category. The Racers turned just 16 in all of last season and the most they have ever turned is 20 in 2012 with the fewest coming in 2012 at eight. Last season, Utah led the nation in double plays and double plays per game at 46 and 0.84, respectively.

Pulling Rank
The Racers will take a 1-8 all-time record against ranked teams into Tuesday's doubleheader with No. 14 Kentucky. The only win for the Racers over a ranked squad, came in 2012 when MSU pulled out a 3-2 win in the second game of a doubleheader at No. 10 Missouri.

Soft Openings
The Racers have struggled over the past five seasons when it comes home openers winning on just one occasion, against Jacksonville State in 2012. However, it must just be opening day jitters, as MSU has never had a losing season at home and has posted a 57-33 record in the friendly confines.

In The Mix
Select Murray State softball away games, as well as Tuesday's doubleheader with Kentucky, will be broadcast this season on the internet via Mixlr. Fans can listen, free of charge, on any computer at mixlr.com/msuracers or by downloading the Mixlr app, available on Apple and Android devices, and searching msuracers. The games will be broadcast by MSU softball media relations contact, Parker Griffith. The broadcast schedule can be found on the softball schedule page on GoRacers.com.

Next Up
The Racers will continue OVC play with its annual split weekend. On Saturday, MSU will travel to Nashville to play Belmont, then return home to host Tennessee State on Sunday. Saturday doubleheader is scheduled for a Noon start, while Sunday's will begin at 1 p.m.

Next Event

Players Mentioned

CheyAnne Gaskey

Mo Ramsey

Jessica Twaddle

Murray State University Athletics