Murray State University Athletics
Friday, February 16
Starkville, Miss.
12:30 p.m.
Murray State
vs
Drake
Players Mentioned
OF
/ Softball
C/IF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
IF
/ Softball
IF
/ Softball
IF
/ Softball
IF
/ Softball
IF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
P/IF
/ Softball
IF
/ Softball
Racers Continue Young Season In Starkville
2/14/2018 4:12:00 PM | Softball
Dates & Time: Feb. 16-18
Site (Venue): Starkville, Miss. (Nusz Park)
Audio: ---
TV/Web Stream: SEC Network+ (Games vs. MSST)
Live Stats: GoRacers.com
MUR Record (Streak): 1-3 (L3)
Racers vs. The Field: 0-4
DU Record (Streak): 4-1 (L1)
MSST Record (Streak): 4-0 (W4)
USA Record (Streak): 4-1 (W4)
MSU Next Games: Feb. 23-25 at 2018 Troy Classic (Troy, Ala.)
MSU Next Home: Mar. 9-11 vs. Racer Classic
This Week
The Racers will continue the new 2018 season in Starkville, Mississippi where they will participate in the February Freezer. While in cowbell country, the Racers will take on Drake, South Alabama and the host Bulldogs.
2017 Recap
The 2017 Murray State softball season saw several firsts including the Racers earn their first-ever postseason berth in the NISC, the crowning of the first-ever two-time OVC Player in Jessica Twaddle, who also became Murray State's first-ever All-American. The season also saw MSU claim its highest RPI rating of all-time at 67th and got off to the best start in school history at 20-4. In addition to Twaddle earning All-American honors, both Brenna Finck and Mason Robinson were named to the All-Mideast Region team. Murray State finished the season at 36-20 overall and 11-7 in league play which earned the Racers a fifth-seed in the OVC tournament, in which they went 0-2.
Against The Field
The Racers 0-4 against the field with three losses to South Alabama and one to Mississippi State. Murray State has never faced Drake prior to this weekend.
Scouting Drake
Drake is off to a 4-1 start this season after winning its first four games in the UNI-Dome Classic last weekend, before falling in the finale to future Racer opponent UMKC. Mandi Roemmich led the Bulldogs with a .429 average to go along with five runs, a double, two RBIs and three walks. In the circle, Nicole Newman went 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA, 19 strikeouts, just two walks and .107 opponent's average. As a team, Drake is hitting .325 and has a staff ERA of 0.88, while their opponents are hitting just .188.
Scouting Mississippi State
Mississippi State got off to a hot start last weekend in its home tournament where it went 4-0 and outscored its opponents, 31-0. Mia Davidson went 8-for-12 on opening weekend with two doubles, two home runs and five RBIs. In the circle, Holly Ward went 2-0, including a no-hitter against Mississippi Valley, with a 0.00 ERA, 18 strikeouts and .051 opponent's average. The Bulldogs .394 on the weekend with 10 doubles, three triples and five home runs. Meanwhile, opponents hit just a .053 clip against them, mustering just four hits in 75 at bats, while striking out 40 times and walking only five times.
Scouting The Jaguars
South Alabama went 4-1 during the first week of the season with the only loss coming in the form of a 1-0 defeat at the hands of 11th-ranked Alabama. Despite taking the loss to Alabama, Devin Brown leads the Jaguars with a 0.75 ERA, 20 strikeouts and a .217 opponent's average. In addition, Alexis Reid limited opponents to a .107 average to go along with a 2-0 record and 0.86 ERA. As a staff, South Alabama turned in a 0.80 ERA and held opponents to a .168 average, while hitting .265 as a team themselves. Katelyn Gurich had the hot bat for USA last week, hitting .400, while also walking a team-high four times.
In Their Own Words With Maddy Feeney
What are some things you thought went right as a team last weekend?
As a team we hit pretty well and I like the way we battled in every game. We were down in some games but never gave up and we fought back to give us an opportunity to win.
Who are some teammates that are really stepping lately, whether it's on the field or off?
We are a very young team this year that will certainly get better as the season progresses. With saying that, I believe freshman pitcher, Olivia Suski stepped up this past weekend. She did her job in the circle when we needed her.
What is something that you personally are working on this week to make this team better?
My job as a senior leader is to make sure we stay focused as a team, learn from our mistakes and get better each week so that we are playing our best softball once we start conference play.
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What is the best part of a softball road trip and how does that help make you guys a better team?
We like to have fun on the bus rides. We have a lot of long bus rides where we play games, laugh, joke, and make fun of each other, which helps keeps us loose and bond as a team.
Weather Forecast
Temps will range from low-50s on Saturday to the high-60s on Friday. Rain is probable all three days of the tournament, especially Friday and Saturday when the chance of precipitation is 61-percent.
Welcome To The Club
Lexi Jones became just the 12th player in school history to hit a grand slam when she did so in the first inning Friday against ETSU. Jones would not get another hit in the game, but did drive in one more run to finish with a career-high five RBIs.
A Double Triple
Brenna Finck belted out three doubles in the season-opener against ETSU, tying the school record. Finck now joins Casey Castile from 2013 and Maggie Glass from 2016 as Racers who have accomplished the rare feat.
Finding A Way
Lillie Goetz tallied hits in three of MSU's four games last weekend, but reached base in all four. Goetz is currently hitting .400 on the year, but her on-base percentage is higher thanks to three walks at .571.
Power Supply
Madison Culver is currently slugging 1.000 on the year thanks to a single, a triple, and two home runs last weekend. Culver finished her first weekend at the plate by going 4-for-12.
Filling The Gap
The Racer class of 2017 left a large hole to fill for 2018 when it came to offensive production. However, the Racer newcomers answered the call on opening weekend with Sierra Gilmore, Dani Walls, Lillie Goetz and Jensen Striegel combined for over half of MSU's in the four-game stretch with 17 of 30 hits. Gilmore led MSU on the weekend by going 6-for-12 for a .500 average.
Ok, What's Next?
The Racers will travel to the Trojan Classic in Troy, Alabama. While in Troy, the Racers will take on Troy, UAB and Tennessee Tech.
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Site (Venue): Starkville, Miss. (Nusz Park)
Audio: ---
TV/Web Stream: SEC Network+ (Games vs. MSST)
Live Stats: GoRacers.com
MUR Record (Streak): 1-3 (L3)
Racers vs. The Field: 0-4
DU Record (Streak): 4-1 (L1)
MSST Record (Streak): 4-0 (W4)
USA Record (Streak): 4-1 (W4)
MSU Next Games: Feb. 23-25 at 2018 Troy Classic (Troy, Ala.)
MSU Next Home: Mar. 9-11 vs. Racer Classic
This Week
The Racers will continue the new 2018 season in Starkville, Mississippi where they will participate in the February Freezer. While in cowbell country, the Racers will take on Drake, South Alabama and the host Bulldogs.
2017 Recap
The 2017 Murray State softball season saw several firsts including the Racers earn their first-ever postseason berth in the NISC, the crowning of the first-ever two-time OVC Player in Jessica Twaddle, who also became Murray State's first-ever All-American. The season also saw MSU claim its highest RPI rating of all-time at 67th and got off to the best start in school history at 20-4. In addition to Twaddle earning All-American honors, both Brenna Finck and Mason Robinson were named to the All-Mideast Region team. Murray State finished the season at 36-20 overall and 11-7 in league play which earned the Racers a fifth-seed in the OVC tournament, in which they went 0-2.
Against The Field
The Racers 0-4 against the field with three losses to South Alabama and one to Mississippi State. Murray State has never faced Drake prior to this weekend.
Scouting Drake
Drake is off to a 4-1 start this season after winning its first four games in the UNI-Dome Classic last weekend, before falling in the finale to future Racer opponent UMKC. Mandi Roemmich led the Bulldogs with a .429 average to go along with five runs, a double, two RBIs and three walks. In the circle, Nicole Newman went 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA, 19 strikeouts, just two walks and .107 opponent's average. As a team, Drake is hitting .325 and has a staff ERA of 0.88, while their opponents are hitting just .188.
Scouting Mississippi State
Mississippi State got off to a hot start last weekend in its home tournament where it went 4-0 and outscored its opponents, 31-0. Mia Davidson went 8-for-12 on opening weekend with two doubles, two home runs and five RBIs. In the circle, Holly Ward went 2-0, including a no-hitter against Mississippi Valley, with a 0.00 ERA, 18 strikeouts and .051 opponent's average. The Bulldogs .394 on the weekend with 10 doubles, three triples and five home runs. Meanwhile, opponents hit just a .053 clip against them, mustering just four hits in 75 at bats, while striking out 40 times and walking only five times.
Scouting The Jaguars
South Alabama went 4-1 during the first week of the season with the only loss coming in the form of a 1-0 defeat at the hands of 11th-ranked Alabama. Despite taking the loss to Alabama, Devin Brown leads the Jaguars with a 0.75 ERA, 20 strikeouts and a .217 opponent's average. In addition, Alexis Reid limited opponents to a .107 average to go along with a 2-0 record and 0.86 ERA. As a staff, South Alabama turned in a 0.80 ERA and held opponents to a .168 average, while hitting .265 as a team themselves. Katelyn Gurich had the hot bat for USA last week, hitting .400, while also walking a team-high four times.
In Their Own Words With Maddy Feeney
What are some things you thought went right as a team last weekend?
As a team we hit pretty well and I like the way we battled in every game. We were down in some games but never gave up and we fought back to give us an opportunity to win.
Who are some teammates that are really stepping lately, whether it's on the field or off?
We are a very young team this year that will certainly get better as the season progresses. With saying that, I believe freshman pitcher, Olivia Suski stepped up this past weekend. She did her job in the circle when we needed her.
What is something that you personally are working on this week to make this team better?
My job as a senior leader is to make sure we stay focused as a team, learn from our mistakes and get better each week so that we are playing our best softball once we start conference play.
Â
What is the best part of a softball road trip and how does that help make you guys a better team?
We like to have fun on the bus rides. We have a lot of long bus rides where we play games, laugh, joke, and make fun of each other, which helps keeps us loose and bond as a team.
Weather Forecast
Temps will range from low-50s on Saturday to the high-60s on Friday. Rain is probable all three days of the tournament, especially Friday and Saturday when the chance of precipitation is 61-percent.
Welcome To The Club
Lexi Jones became just the 12th player in school history to hit a grand slam when she did so in the first inning Friday against ETSU. Jones would not get another hit in the game, but did drive in one more run to finish with a career-high five RBIs.
A Double Triple
Brenna Finck belted out three doubles in the season-opener against ETSU, tying the school record. Finck now joins Casey Castile from 2013 and Maggie Glass from 2016 as Racers who have accomplished the rare feat.
Finding A Way
Lillie Goetz tallied hits in three of MSU's four games last weekend, but reached base in all four. Goetz is currently hitting .400 on the year, but her on-base percentage is higher thanks to three walks at .571.
Power Supply
Madison Culver is currently slugging 1.000 on the year thanks to a single, a triple, and two home runs last weekend. Culver finished her first weekend at the plate by going 4-for-12.
Filling The Gap
The Racer class of 2017 left a large hole to fill for 2018 when it came to offensive production. However, the Racer newcomers answered the call on opening weekend with Sierra Gilmore, Dani Walls, Lillie Goetz and Jensen Striegel combined for over half of MSU's in the four-game stretch with 17 of 30 hits. Gilmore led MSU on the weekend by going 6-for-12 for a .500 average.
Ok, What's Next?
The Racers will travel to the Trojan Classic in Troy, Alabama. While in Troy, the Racers will take on Troy, UAB and Tennessee Tech.
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