Racers Travel to SIU for Coach B Classic

Dates: March 4-6, 2022
Site (Venue): Carbondale, Ill. (Sikes Field)
Live Coverage Links: goracers.com/coverage
MSU Record (Streak): 9-5 (W3)
Racers All-Time vs. The Field: 7-11 (3-2 vs. Ball State, 0-1 vs. Northern Kentucky, 4-8 Southern Illinois, First Meeting with Northwestern)
MSU Next Game: Mar. 10-13 at Racer Classic (Murray, Ky.)
MSU Next Home Game: March 10^th vs. Loyola Chicago

Murray State softball travels to Carbondale, Illinois for the Coach B Classic to close out the road tournament schedule. The Racers will face Ball State twice, Northern Kentucky, and Northwestern and host Southern Illinois.

Last Time Out:
The Racers went 3-1 at the Mercer Invitational, splitting with Middle Tennessee and sweeping host Mercer. Murray State now has won eight of their last ten games including four mercy-rule victories and is tied for the second-best start in program history (9-5).

The Racers offense was held quiet during the opening game against Middle Tennessee as a pitchers' duel ensued. The game remained tied at zero until the bottom of the sixth when the Blue Raiders capitalized on a Murray State error and scored two unearned runs to take the game 2-0.

Murray State bounced back in the second game of the game, winning in mercy-rule fashion as Lindsey Carroll, Gracie Osbron and Taylor Jackson all launched two-run home runs as the Racers cruised to the 8-0 win. This was Jackson's first career home run.

The Racers avenged their loss to the Blue Raiders on Saturday, using a six-run sixth-inning to propel them to the 6-3 victory. Osbron delivered the biggest hit of the game, a bases-clearing three-RBI double to make it a 5-2 lead.

The final game of the invitational was a much closer affair but Logan Braundmeier's team-leading third home run of the season gave the Murray State pitching staff enough cushion as they won 3-2 over Mercer.

In the circle, the Murray State pitching staff allowed only seven runs over the four games, with only four being earned. Hannah James led the way with a 0.78 ERA through 9.0 innings pitched with nine strikeouts. James was named OVC Pitcher of the Week for her efforts.

Offensively, Osbron provided the big bat in the Racers' lineup, driving in a team-high five runs and slugging 1.000. All four Osbron's hits went for extra-bases (three doubles, one home run) and she added three runs scored. Braundmeier drove in four runs while scoring three herself.

Lighting Up the OVC
- Braundmeier is top-three in eight offensive categories in the OVC and leads the conference in slugging percentage (.783), doubles (8) and stolen bases (7). Braundmeier leads the team with three home runs and 15 RBIs.
- The Racers pitching staff boasts the lowest ERA (1.23) in the conference, only allowing 16 earned runs through the first three weeks of the season.
- Kamryn Carcich is tied for the league-lead with two triples.

OVC Honors
- For the second straight week a Racer was chosen for a league award. Hannah James was honored with her fourth career OVC Pitcher of the Week after going 1-0 with a 0.78 ERA at the Mercer Invitational. She limited batters to a .200 batting average, only allowing one earned run while striking out nine.
- James started two games this weekend, picking up her third win of the season. She threw four shutout innings in the mercy-rule victory with three strikeouts over Mercer on Friday before going five innings on Saturday against Middle Tennessee. James gave up only two hits against to the Blue Raiders and did not allow a free base while punching out six.

Second-Best Start in Program History
- Through the first 14 games of the season, the Racers are tied for the second-best start in program history with their 9-5 start. Three other times (2012; 2015; 2020) the Racers have started 9-5 in program history.

Best Starts in Program History

2017 – 11-3
2012 – 9-5

2015 – 9-5

2020 – 9-5

2022 – 9-5
2014 – 7-7

Big-Ten Action
- The Racers will face Big-Ten foe Northwestern for the first time in program history.
- The Wildcats will be a tough opponent, having already picked up five wins against top-25 teams, including a walk-off win over No. 3 UCLA and a 1-0 shutout over No. 5 Washington.

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Logan Braundmeier

Kamryn Carcich

Lindsey Carroll

Taylor Jackson

Hannah James

Gracie Osbron

Murray State University Athletics