Softball Readies for Salukis

Opponent: Southern Illinois
Dates (Times): Mar. 24 (4 p.m.)
Site (Venue): Murray, Ky. (Racer Field)
Audio: None
Video: None
Live Stats: GoRacers.com
Twitter In Game: @RacersSoftball
MSU Record (Streak): 16-10 (W2)
BEL Record (Streak): 11-10-1 (W6)
All-Time Series vs. SIU (Streak): 0-2 [0-0 in Murray] (L2)
MSU Next Games: Mar. 28 at Eastern Illinois
MSU Next Home: Apr. 3 vs. Morehead State

Tuesday's Game
Murray State will play it third consecutive home game and fifth in seven game on Tuesday when it hosts regional rival Southern Illinois at Racer Field. First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m.

Last Time Out
The Racers won three out of four games last weekend, splitting at Belmont and sweeping Tennessee State in Murray. Murray State pounded out 31 runs on the week and only allowed seven, while picking up all three wins via the eight-run rule.

Jessica Twaddle was .600 for MSU in the games, even going a perfect 3-for-3 in game one against TSU and coming up a triple shy of the cycle. The sophomore finished the weekend with seven runs four RBIs, two doubles, two stolen bases, a home run and a walk. CheyAnne Gaskey went 2-0 over the span and tossed a complete game shutout in the win over Belmont. She allowed just one run on seven hits with three strikeouts, all while limiting opponents to a .179 average.

Series History vs. SIU
Tuesday will be the third all-time meeting between Murray State and Southern Illinois, with the Salukis walking away as winners on both previous occasions. SIU won the first-ever meeting, 4-2, back in 2012, and followed that with a 9-1, five-inning win last season. This year's game will mark the first on the series to be played in Murray.

Scouting The Salukis
Southern Illinois has been on a roll as of late and will enter Tuesday on a six-game win streak with an overall record of 11-10-1. The Salukis have come out of the gates firing on all cylinders in Missouri Valley play, sweeping each of their first two three-game series with Bradley and Wichita State.

Kelsey Gonzalez leads the way for SIU at the plate with a .328 average; meanwhile Sydney Jones has a team-high 18 RBIs while hitting at a .290 clip. In the circle, Katie Bertelsen has served in the role of the ace and is 9-5 with a 4.33 ERA and 42 strikeouts. As a team, SIU is hitting .264, while the pitching staff has a combined ERA of 5.17 with a 4.1 strikeouts per seven innings and an opponent's average of .324.

Have Mercy
So far this season, MSU has won seven games via the eight-run rule, including three thsi past weekend, the most for any Kara Amundson coached team. The school record stands at nine in a season and was set in 2012.

A Perfect Sunday
In last Sunday's doubleheader against TSU, two different Racers went a perfect 3-for-3 in each game of the doubleheader. In game one, it was Jessica Twaddle and in game two it was Taylor Odom. Odom was actually perfect on the day, going 1-for-1 with a walk in the opener.

Double Up
Through 26 games in 2015, Murray State has already turned 20 double plays for an average of 0.77 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.

Next Up
The Racers return to OVC action this weekend at Eastern Illinois. Both Saturday's doubleheader and Sunday's single game are scheduled for a 1 p.m. start.

Next Event

Players Mentioned

CheyAnne Gaskey

Taylor Odom

Jessica Twaddle

Murray State University Athletics