Four Games in Carbondale Await Racers at Coach B Classic

Dates: Feb. 28 (4:45 PM), Feb. 29 (4:45 PM), March 1 (12:15 & 4:45 PM)
Site (Venue): Carbondale, Ill. (Charlotte West Stadium)
Live Video: es.pn/3clWM4f (Sunday game vs. SIU)
Live Audio: https://bit.ly/2T8P1Y1 / mixlr.com/msuracers
Live Stats: https://bit.ly/3ac6WCP
MSU Record (Streak): 9-4 (Lost 1)
Racers All-Time vs. The Field: 6-8 (0-0 vs. NKU, 0-0 vs. Creighton, 2-1 vs. Purdue Fort Wayne, 4-7 vs. SIU)
Northern Kentucky Record (Streak): 4-5 (Lost 2)
Creighton Record (Streak): 7-5 (Lost 1)
Purdue Fort Wayne State Record (Streak): 1-10 (Lost 5)
Southern Illinois Record (Streak): 6-6 (Lost 1)
MSU Next Game: March 6^th at Mizuno Classic (Stillwater, Okla.)
MSU Next Home Game: March 13-15 (Racer Classic)

Murray State softball will head north to Carbondale, Illinois to play four games at the Coach B Classic on the weekend. After a Friday evening contest with Northern Kentucky, the Racers are set to meet Creighton, Purdue Fort Wayne, and the host Salukis of Southern Illinois over the three-day tournament. Select games will be broadcast on siusalukis.com and on mixlr.com/msuracers. Game-by-game coverage links can be found on the schedule page at goracers.com.

Last Time Out:
The Racers split four games during their last outing, going 2-2 at the Stinger Classic in Montgomery, Alabama. Murray State earned victories over Howard and Grambling State, but fell twice to the Lions of North Alabama.

Offensively, the Racers averaged 6.25 runs per game, while outscoring their opponents 25-17 on the weekend. Led by Abby Shoulders (4-10, 3B, 2 R, 3-3 SB) and Lexi Jones (4-13, 2B, HR, 6 RBI, 3 R), the Racers reached base at a .386 clip through the four contests.

In the circle, Murray State posted a team ERA of 3.96 in the tournament, recording 17 strikeouts and issuing just one walk on the weekend. Individually, Jenna Veber worked a team-high 9.1 innings -collecting nine strikeouts without walking a single batter while holding opposing hitters to a .231 average at the dish through two appearances at the Stinger Classic.

Entering the Weekend:
At 9-4 overall, the Racers have had a strong start to 2020, ranking in the top third of programs across the nation in scoring offense as they average 5.31 runs per contest. Offensively, Murray State is reaching base at a .391 clip, thanks in large part to a patient approach at the plate that has translated to 62 walks – good for 15^th in the country in that category. The Racers have also been crafty on the base paths in 2020, averaging 1.62 stolen bases per outing. Individually, the Racers are fueled by Sierra Gilmore (.395, 17 RBI, 9 R) and Logan Braundmeier (.368, 6 RBI, 8 R, 3 SB) who have combined for 11 extra-base hits on the year. Senior Lexi Jones (.333, 13 RBI, 8 R) is also tied with Gilmore for a team-high four home runs in 2020.

In the circle, the Racers carry a 2.36 team ERA, which ranks just outside the top 50, coming in at 56^th nationally entering the weekend. Racer pitchers have rarely issued free passes on the season, posting a 3.22 strikeout-to-walk ratio through 13 games in 2020 - 39^th among NCAA Division-I programs. Individually, Hannah James (4-2, 2.29 ERA, 24 K) has tossed a team-high 33.2 innings, while Jenna Veber has turned in an outstanding 1.83 ERA through 23 innings on the year. Veber (2-2) is also holding opposing hitters to a .184 average, and has recorded 14 strikeouts to just one walk thus far as she ranks 7^th in the nation in strikeout-to-walk ratio. Senior Taylor Makowsky (3-0, 3.55 ERA) is also undefeated through seven appearances on the year.

All-Time Series:
The Racers are set to meet two opponents for the first time at the Coach B Classic this weekend, as Friday and Saturday will mark the first all-time meetings with Northern Kentucky and Creighton respectively. As for Purdue Fort Wayne, the Racers will meet the Mastodons for the fourth time, with the Racers holding the all-time series with a 2-1 record. The most recent meeting came just last season at the Racer Classic in Murray, Kentucky when the Racers earned a 2-0 victory at Racer Field. As for Southern Illinois, Sunday's contest will mark the 12^th game in a series that dates back to 2012. The Salukis hold a 7-4 advantage in the all-time series after the two sides split a pair of contests a season ago.

Scouting Northern Kentucky:
The Norse enter the weekend at 4-5 on the year after going 1-4 last weekend at the Gardner-Webb Invitational in Shelby, North Carolina. NKU is averaging 3.78 runs per game while batting .257 as a team in 2020. Junior Hailey Whitmer (.385, 2 RBI, 3 R) and senior Taylor Hoover (.333, 4 RBI, 3 R) have led Northern Kentucky offensively as they enter the Coach B Classic.

In the circle, a 3.56 team ERA is accompanied by a .265 opponent batting average for the NKU pitching staff in 2020. The Racers could expect to see Taylor Ginther (2-2, 2.43 ERA, 13 K) who has logged a team-high 23 innings on the season. The senior was a 2019 All-Horizon League Second Team selection and was also chosen to the Horizon League All-Tournament Team a year ago. The Norse were tabbed to finish third in this year's Horizon League preseason poll.

Scouting Creighton:
Selected to finish fourth in this year's Big East preseason poll, the Bluejays carry a 7-5 record into the Coach B Classic this weekend after going 2-1 at the Tiger Classic in Nashville, Tennessee in their last time out. Batting .308 and averaging 5.75 runs per contest, Creighton ranks 50^th and 56^th in the nation in those categories respectively. Led by 2019 All-Big East selections Ashley Cantu (.500, 4 RBI, 6 R) and Kiara Mills (.382, 7 RBI, 9 R), the Bluejay offense has seen a good amount of success at the plate to begin 2020.

In the circle, Creighton brings a 2.67 team ERA into the weekend, and have held opposing hitters to a .259 average thus far. Kiele Miller (3-3, 1.83 ERA, 56 K) has tossed a team-high 42 innings in 2020, and has teamed with Mikayla Santa Cruz (3-2, 3.86 ERA, 22 K) to pitch 71 of 81.1 possible innings for the Bluejays on the year.

Scouting Purdue Fort Wayne:
The Mastodons have struggled through their first 11 competitions in 2020, entering the weekend with a 1-10 record and losers of five-straight contests after they dropped four games at the Huddle House Classic in Martin, Tennessee in their most recent outing. Batting .226 and averaging 3.64 runs per contest, Purdue Fort Wayne has had a slow start at the dish to open the year. They have seen impressive numbers from freshman Madeline Swart (.351, 4 RBI, 9 R), however, who is enjoying a terrific start to her collegiate career.

In the circle, the Mastodons carry a hefty 6.90 ERA into the weekend, while opposing hitters are hitting .347 at the plate to begin the year. The Racers could expect to see Lauren McConnell (0-5, 4.94 ERA, 15 K) as she leads the team with 28.1 innings of work in 2020. The Mastodons are coming off a 2019 season that saw a 10-39 record that included a 3-15 mark against Summit League opponents.

Scouting Southern Illinois:
The host Salukis have posted an even .500 record at 6-6 through 12 contests in 2020 entering the weekend. Southern Illinois is coming off a 2019 season that saw them go 34-15 with a 17-6 record against Missouri Valley opponents while earning a trip to the NCAA Tournament a year ago. The Salukis took three of four last weekend at the FGCU Spring Break Classic in Fort Meyers, Florida in their last time out. Batting just .196 and averaging 3.42 runs per game, the SIU offense has had a slow start to the 2020 campaign. Susie Baranksi has been an exception to that trend, however, as the senior has posted a .419 average with three RBI and six runs scored thus far.

In the circle, the Salukis carry a 4.15 ERA while opposing hitters are enjoying a .320 average against them through 12 games thus far. The SIU pitching staff does not issue many walks, though, as their 2.89 strikeout-to-walk-ratio ranks 48^th in the nation. Sarah Harness (4-4, 3.07 ERA, 43 K) has logged a team-high 45.2 innings to lead the Salukis during her freshman season.

Weather Forecast:
Friday's forecast is calling for a mostly-cloudy high of 46 degrees with winds gusting up to 11 miles per hour to the west/northwest. Chance of precipitation: 20%. Saturday will be a bit warmer with sunny skies and a high in the low 50s. The wind will stick around, however, as gusts around 10 miles per hour to the southwest are expected. Chance of precipitation: 10%. Finally, Sunday should be the warmest day of the trio, with high temperatures in the upper 50s to accompany mostly-cloudy skies on the afternoon. Fans will need to hold onto their hats on Sunday though, as strong wind at approximately 18 miles per hour is expected to the south/southwest. Chance of precipitation: 20%.

Four Games in Carbondale Await Racers at Coach B Classic

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Logan Braundmeier

Sierra Gilmore

Hannah James

Lexi Jones

Taylor Makowsky

Abby Shoulders

Jenna Veber

Murray State University Athletics