Softball Travels to Auburn; Rain Alters Schedule

Date: Mar. 3-5
Tournament: 2016 Wilson/DeMarini Classic
Site (Venue): Auburn, Ala. (Jane B. Moore Field)
Audio: None
TV/Web Stream: SEC Network+/WatchESPN.com (Auburn game only)
Live Stats: GoRacers.com
MSU Record (Streak): 4-5 (L3)
AUB Record (Streak): 15-1 (W7)
BRY Record (Streak): 0-5 (L5)
IU Record (Streak): 8-6 (W1)
All-Time Series vs. AUB (Streak): Auburn leads 3-0 (L3)
MSU Next Games: Mar. 12-13 vs. Ball St./at Jacksonville
MSU Next Home: Mar. 16 vs. Evansville

This Week
Murray State will look to end its three-game skid at the 2016 Wilson/DeMarini Classic in Auburn, Alabama. After a forcecast that featured heavy rain for Thursday, Thursday's scheduled game against Auburn has been canceled and the schedule for the weekend was altered late Wednesday evening. The Racers will now take on Bryant twice Friday, Indiana and third-ranked Auburn Saturday and Indiana again on Sunday.

Previously On Racer Softball
The Racers scored just two runs over a three-game span at Northwestern State, losing all three to the Lady Demons. Murray State jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first game Saturday, but NSU rallied for a 6-2 win, followed by a 5-0 loss in the second game of a doubleheader.

In the series finale Sunday, the Lady Demons scored just one run but it was all they would need to hold on for the 1-0 win. Mallory Young led MSU on the weekend with a .444 average with three doubles that included a 2-for-3, two double performance on Sunday. Jessica Twaddle followed by going for 4-for-10 with three doubles, a RBI and a walk.

All-Time vs. The Field
While this weekend will be the first meeting between MSU and Bryant and Indiana, the Racers have had three previous run-ins with Auburn. The Tigers are 3-0 all-time against Murray State with all three meetings having taken place at Jane B. Moore Field. In the last meeting between the two teams, the back end of a doubleheader, Murray State had then 21st-ranked Auburn on the ropes, thanks to home runs from Maggie Glass, Shelbey Miller and two from Casey Castile. After Castile's last home run in the fifth, MSU led Auburn, 7-4, but couldn't hold on and fell, 11-7.

Scouting Auburn
The third-ranked Tigers will enter the weekend at 15-1 and currently boasts the highest-powered offense in the nation. Auburn currently leads the nation with 12.1 runs per game and a .702 slugging percentage and the second-highest team batting average at .407.

Senior Tiffany Howard currently leads the team and has the sixth-highest batting average in the nation at .592, while junior Kasey Cooper follows Howard at .462. Thanks to seven doubles, a triple and six home runs Howard currently has the ninth-best slugging percentage in the country and also ranks third in total RBIs with 26.

Pitching-wise, three pitchers have won at least four games this year for Auburn, and as a staff they have combined for a 1.04 ERA, the fourth-lowest in all of Division 1. Freshman Makayla Martin and senior Marcy Harper currently have 20 strikeouts each with a 0.64 and 0.99 ERA, respectively, while sophomore Kaylee Carlson follows with a 1.47 ERA and 16 strikeouts.

Scouting Bryant
The Bulldogs opened their 2016 season last weekend at the Diamond 9 Citrus Classic II in Orlando, Florida, where they went 0-5. While Bryant was shutout twice, three of its five losses came by just one run each.

Junior Taylor Burger leads the way for the Bulldogs offensively with a .273 average, while senior Elle Madsen and freshman Kaleigh Goulart follow at .250 each. In the circle, freshman Colby Norris sports the lowest ERA on the team at 2.31 with 10 strikeouts in three appearances.

Scouting Indiana
The Hoosiers will enter the weekend at 8-6 overall after a 3-2 showing at the Texas A&M Invitational, with the only two losses coming at the hands of the 16th-ranked host Aggies. Sophomore Aimilia McDonough currently leads the Hoosiers with a .476 average, while sophomore Rebecca Blitz follows at .384 thanks to a team-high 17 hits, to go along with seven stolen bases. Junior Erin Lehman has also been an offensive threat and currently boasts team-highs in doubles, home runs and RBIs at three, two and 10, respectively.

Freshmen Tara Trainer and Josie Wood have shared the bulk of the pitching duties for IU this season and acre currently 4-4 and 4-2, respectively. Despite having more losses, Trainer leads the way in ERA at 2.49, strikeouts at 53 and opponent's average at .184, with Wood following at 2.88, 43 and .237.

Weather Forecast
Temperatures in Auburn over the weekend are expected to be in the low-to-mid 60s, with rain only expected on Thursday. The wind should also be light on the weekend at just 5-9 m.p.h.

Turn, Turn, Turn
The Racers came up with two double plays against Northwestern State to hold onto their lead in the category in the latest NCAA statistical rankings. MSU currently averages 0.89 double plays per game (eight in nine games) and sit nine one-hundredths in from of second-place Yale at 0.80.

Defense Wins Championships
Thanks in part to a nation-leading double 0.89 double plays per game, the Racers defense currently ranks ninth in the nation at 0.982, just six one-thousandths off the leader, 0.988. Through nine game, Murray State has committed just five errors in 280 chances.

Ten Most Wanted
After stealing just eight bases in her first two seasons, junior Jessica Twaddle is a perfect 8-for-8 on the base paths this season. Her 0.89 stolen base per game currently leads the OVC and is the 10th highest average in the nation.

Double Up
Junior Jessica Twaddle is currently third in the nation in doubles per game at 0.67, while senior Mallory Young is 47th at 0.44.

Can't Find My Zone
Junior Cayla Levins is currently one of just 75 players nationally who has yet to be struck out this season among players who average at least 2.0 at bats per game and played in at least 75 percent of their team's games.

Worldwide Audience
Saturday's game against Auburn will be broadcast on SEC Network +. SEC Network + is available through select cable providers and can be found on WatchESPN.com and the WatchESPN app.

Up Next
Next weekend, the Racers will head south for three games in Jacksonville, Florida. MSU will play two games Saturday against Ball State and Jacksonville, followed by a single-game Sunday against Jacksonville.

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Maggie Glass

Cayla Levins

Shelbey Miller

Jessica Twaddle

Mallory Young

Murray State University Athletics