Murray State University Athletics
Photo by: Dan Hasko
Racer Softball Voted Fourth, Gilmore named Player to Watch in OVC Preseason Poll
2/4/2021 9:53:00 AM | Softball
Racers Picked Fourth for Second-Straight Season
For the second-straight season, Murray State softball was voted to finish fourth in the Ohio Valley Conference preseason poll, as released by the OVC on Thursday. The poll, which is voted on by the league's head coaches and sports information directors, saw the Racers receive 167 ranking points, placing them behind 2019 OVC Tournament champions Southeast Missouri (228), Eastern Kentucky (224), and 2019 OVC regular season co-champions Jacksonville State (211).
While no conference action took place in 2020 due to the pandemic-shortened campaign, the Racers return nearly their entire starting lineup and top three pitchers from the team that finished 12-10 in nonconference competition a year ago.
Additionally, senior Sierra Gilmore has been named to the OVC's preseason Players to Watch List for 2021. The Williamsburg, Indiana native led the Racers in batting average (.369), slugging percentage (.769), RBI (26), and runs scored (16) through 22 games in 2020. Her 26 RBI were the most in the Ohio Valley Conference.
The Racers are set to open the 2021 season on February 12th against Southern Illinois as part of a four-game weekend at the Southern Mississippi Tournament in Hattiesburg, Mississippi.
2021 OVC Softball Predicted Order of Finish
2021 OVC Softball Players to Watch
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Lexi Osowski, IF, Jr. - Austin Peay
Alice Veltri, P, Sr. - Belmont
Haley Mitchell, UTIL/DP, R-Sr. - Eastern Illinois
Ariyana Miranda, IF, R-Fr. - Eastern Kentucky
Karsen Mosley, 3B, So. - Jacksonville State
Payton Slater, C/INF, Jr. - Morehead State
Sierra Gilmore, INF, Sr. - Murray State
Rachel Anderson, OF, Sr. - Southeast Missouri
Zoe Schafer, IF, R-Sr. - SIUE
Lauren Powell, P, R-Sr. -Tennessee State
Beth McCulley, OF, R-Sr - Tennessee Tech
Paige Clark, OF, Jr. - UT Martin
While no conference action took place in 2020 due to the pandemic-shortened campaign, the Racers return nearly their entire starting lineup and top three pitchers from the team that finished 12-10 in nonconference competition a year ago.
Additionally, senior Sierra Gilmore has been named to the OVC's preseason Players to Watch List for 2021. The Williamsburg, Indiana native led the Racers in batting average (.369), slugging percentage (.769), RBI (26), and runs scored (16) through 22 games in 2020. Her 26 RBI were the most in the Ohio Valley Conference.
The Racers are set to open the 2021 season on February 12th against Southern Illinois as part of a four-game weekend at the Southern Mississippi Tournament in Hattiesburg, Mississippi.
2021 OVC Softball Predicted Order of Finish
- Southeast Missouri (13) – 228
- Eastern Kentucky (9) – 224
- Jacksonville State (2) – 211
- Murray State – 167
- SIUE – 151
- Austin Peay – 143
- UT Martin – 109
- Tennessee Tech – 97
- Eastern Illinois – 92
- Belmont – 88
- Tennessee State – 34
- Morehead State – 32
2021 OVC Softball Players to Watch
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Lexi Osowski, IF, Jr. - Austin Peay
Alice Veltri, P, Sr. - Belmont
Haley Mitchell, UTIL/DP, R-Sr. - Eastern Illinois
Ariyana Miranda, IF, R-Fr. - Eastern Kentucky
Karsen Mosley, 3B, So. - Jacksonville State
Payton Slater, C/INF, Jr. - Morehead State
Sierra Gilmore, INF, Sr. - Murray State
Rachel Anderson, OF, Sr. - Southeast Missouri
Zoe Schafer, IF, R-Sr. - SIUE
Lauren Powell, P, R-Sr. -Tennessee State
Beth McCulley, OF, R-Sr - Tennessee Tech
Paige Clark, OF, Jr. - UT Martin
Players Mentioned
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