Racers Head to Cape Girardeau as Battle for OVC Tournament Berth Intensifies

Saturday, May 1

Cape Girardeau, Mo.

2 P.M.

Murray State

Southeast Missouri

Racers Head to Cape Girardeau as Battle for OVC Tournament Berth Intensifies

4/30/2021 7:21:00 PM | Softball

OVC Standings Live Coverage Links

MSU sits one game back of Jacksonville State for fourth and final OVC Tournament spot with six games left to play

Date: May 1^st (2 PM & 4 PM), May 2^nd (1 PM)
Site (Venue): Cape Girardeau, Mo. (Southeast Softball Complex)
Live Video: ESPN+
Live Stats: goracers.com/coverage
MSU Record (Streak): 19-26, 16-12 OVC (Lost 2)
Southeast Missouri Record (Streak): 21-14, 16-5 OVC (Lost 2)
Racers All-Time vs. Southeast Missouri: 16-10
MSU Next Game: May 8^th-9^th vs. Morehead State
MSU Next Home Game: Same

Murray State softball will conclude its seven-game road trip with a trek to Cape Girardeau for a critical three-game OVC series with Southeast Missouri. The Racers (19-26, 16-12 OVC), who sit one game back of Jacksonville State for the fourth and final spot in this year's OVC Tournament with six games left to play, are set for a Saturday doubleheader followed by a single contest on Sunday. All three games will be streamed live on ESPN+, with live stats available on goracers.com.

All-Time Series:
Murray State and Southeast Missouri have met 26 times prior to the weekend, with the Racers holding a 16-10 advantage in the all-time series. The two sides split a doubleheader in the most recent meeting, with the Racers earning an 8-4 victory in game one before falling to the Redhawks 9-1 in game two. Murray State is also 7-6 when playing on the road in Cape Girardeau.

A Look at the Racers:
The Racers have won their last two conference series after taking two of three from both Belmont and Eastern Illinois in their most recent OVC action. Murray State has been aggressive on the base paths in 2021, stealing 60 bases – the second-most in the league. Sierra Gilmore leads the way offensively, as the senior paces the team in batting average (.319), on-base percentage (.372), slugging percentage (.507), and RBI (34). Additionally, her 14 doubles lead the OVC. Jensen Striegel (.275 BA) has collected a team-high 19 stolen bases to pair with 24 runs scored, while Logan Braundmeier has launched a team-high six home runs while leading the roster with 28 runs scored to accompany 17 stolen bases in as many attempts.

Murray State's 2.59 ERA is the best mark in the OVC, as Jenna Veber (2.42), Hannah James (2.45), and Taylor Makowsky (2.70) each carry a sub-3.00 ERA. James and Veber have seen the bulk of the innings with 125.2 and 121.1 frames respectively, while James' 123 strikeouts ranks second in the OVC behind only SEMO's Rachel Rook.

Scouting Southeast Missouri:
SEMO (21-14, 16-5 OVC) enters the weekend on a tear, posting a 19-6 record since the start of March. The Redhawks are averaging 4.71 runs per contest in 2021, reaching base at conference-best .373 clip, while their .297 average ranks second in the OVC. Southeast Missouri also ranks third in the league in home runs with 36 on the year.

Katie Dreiling leads the way offensively, batting a team-best .393 while scoring 11 runs and driving in 15 more. The Redhawks have also seen productive at-bats from Rachel Anderson, who is batting .382 while pacing the team in on-base percentage (.496) and runs scored (24). Ashley Ellis has supplied the power in the Redhawk lineup thus far as her 13 home runs are the third-most in the OVC.

In the circle, the Redhawks are carrying a 2.81 ERA that is second only to Murray State in the OVC. Rachel Rook's 14 wins are tied for the most in the league, while her 142 strikeouts also lead the conference. She is holding opposing hitters to a .197 average through 117 innings of work. The Racers could also expect to see Paytience Holman (6-6, 3.24 ERA) who has 41 strikeouts over 71.1 innings in 2021.

Notes/Upcoming Milestones

With one stolen base over the weekend series against Eastern Illinois, Jensen Striegel continued to climb the ladder on Murray State's all-time stolen base list with 47 in a Racer uniform. She needs just three more to tie Mo Ramsey's 50 (2012-15) to move into second place in program history.

The Racers are 8-2 when they score a run in the first inning, and 12-5 when they score the first run of the game.

In games where the Racers hit at least one home run, they are 12-2 in 2021. In contrast, Murray State is 7-24 when they do not hit a home run.

Fifth-year senior Lexi Jones needs just one more home run to break into the top five on Murray State's all-time home runs list. Her 24 career round-trippers currently sit one behind Casey Castile's 25 for fifth-most in Racer history. Castile played for MSU from 2012-14.

After driving in five runs in the weekend series against Eastern Illinois, Sierra Gilmore brought her career RBI total to 118. She needs eight more to catch Jocelynn Rodgers' 126 (2014-17) for third on the program's all-time list.

With 123 strikeouts on the year, junior Hannah James owns sole possession of the #4 spot on the program's all-time strikeout list with 293 total in a Racer uniform. Her 24 career wins are also sixth-most in Racer history as she chases Chelsey Sullivan's (2010-12) 27 to move into the top five.

Hannah James' 123 strikeouts on the year are just 25 away from the Murray State single-season strikeout record of 148 set by CheyAnne Gaskey in 2013.

With four saves in 2021, Jenna Veber needs just two more to tie CheyAnne Gaskey's single-season program record of six that she set in 2013.

Sophomore Lily Fischer has been hit by a pitch 12 times this season, which is the fourth-highest season total in program history. Ellyn Troup set the Racer record in 2012 when she was hit by a pitch 21 times.