Racers & Gamecocks Tangle In Jacksonville Saturday

Date & Time: April 1 – 1 p.m. (DH)
Site (Venue): Jacksonville, Ala. (University Field)
Audio: None
TV/Web Stream: OVCDigitalNetwork.com
Live Stats: GoRacers.com
MSU Record (Streak): 24-10 (Lost 1)
JSU Record (Streak): 23-9 (Won 4)
All-Time Series vs. JSU (Streak): Series tied 11-11 (Lost 3)
MSU Next Game: Apr. 8 at UT Martin, 1 p.m. (DH)
MSU Next Home Games: Apr. 14 vs. Tennessee Tech, 1 p.m. (DH)

Saturday's Games
The Murray State softball team travels to Jacksonville, Alabama Saturday for a OVC doubleheader with Jacksonville State at 1 p.m.

Last Time Out
The Racers dropped a 1-0 decision to Western Kentucky Wednesday in Bowling Green. The Hilltoppers scored the only run of the game on a RBI-single from Taylor Proctor that plated Brittany Vaughn in the fourth. After Kaylee Ranburger led off the six with a single for MSU, it appeared as if the Racers had tied the game, however the freshman was called out at the play. Western Kentucky limited the Racers to just two hits in the contest, while scratching out four themselves.

The Western Kentucky Series
The series with Jacksonville State has been one of the most hotly contested in the history of MSU softball. After 22 total meeting, heading into Saturday, the two teams have won 11 games each. The Gamecocks pulled even in the series last season by winning both regular-season contests and the opening round game at the OVC tournament. The Racers do hold the advantage of Jax State in Jacksonville at five games to three.

Scouting The Gamecocks
Jacksonville State will enter the weekend riding high after upsetting 24th-ranked Ole Miss, 5-4, in 11 innings, Wednesday in Jacksonville. The win moved JSU to 23-9 on the year and they are currently 3-1 in the OVC. The Gamecocks are currently led by a trio that are each batting over .350 with Anna Chisolm at .396, Hayley Sims at .379 and Jamie McGuire at .374.

As a team, JSU is hitting .311, while its pitchers limit opponents to a .206 clip and 1.80 earned runs per game. In the circle, the tandem of Whitney Gillespie and Taylor West have led the way at 11-3 and 10-4, respectively. Gillespie currently leads JSU with a 1.18 ERA and 93 strikeouts, while West follows at 2.09 and 84.

Weather Forecast
Sunny with little no chance for rain is the forecast for Saturday at University Field. The high should reach 78 at some point during the doubleheader with low winds out of the north at 6 mph.

Changing It Up
Racers fans may have noticed that the OVC schedule is different this season than in years past, thanks to changes made by the coaches in the offseason. Gone is the previous format of playing three games against "division" teams and two against "non-division" and in its place is a schedule where teams play every other school in the league in one doubleheader.

Missed It By That Much
Wednesday's loss at WKU was the first one-run loss for Murray State this season. Prior to Wednesday, the Racers were 6-0 in one-run ballgames this year.

Striking First & Applying Pressure
Two situations in which the Racers have been near perfect this are scoring first and hitting often. MSU is 17-2 this year when it is the first team on the scoreboard and is 19-1 when it outhits its opponents.

A Model Of Consistency
Through the first 35 games this season, Brenna Finck has recorded at least one hit in 29 of those contests. In those six games in which Finck did not tally a hit, she walked in two of those, leaving only four games all season in which she has not reached base.

Free For All
Currently, both games Saturday are scheduled to be broadcast on OVCDigitalNetwork.com. As always, all games broadcast on the OVCDN are free of charge. Please note that coverage is subject to change without notice due to weather conditions.

OK, What's Next?
Murray State will close out a seven-game road swing next weekend when it travels to UT Martin Saturday and Southeast Missouri Sunday for a pair of OVC doubleheaders.

Murray State University Athletics

Players Mentioned

Brenna Finck

Kaylee Ranburger

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