Murray State University Athletics
Players Mentioned
James, Amundson Lead Record OVC Postseason Haul
5/10/2022 2:30:00 PM | Softball
MSU wins Pitcher, Coach of the Year; seven named All-OVC
Fresh off earning its first regular-season championship Sunday, the Murray State softball team was well represented Tuesday when the Ohio Valley Conference announced its annual postseason softball awards. In addition to garnering a program-best seven All-OVC honors, for the first time in Murray State softball history the OVC Pitcher and Coach of the Year were also Racers.
Hannah James was named as OVC Pitcher of the Year, while Kara Amundson was named OVC Coach of the Year. In addition, Logan Braundmeier (OF), James and Gracie Osbron (UT) were named to the All-OVC first team, while Lily Fischer (IF), Sierra Gilmore (IF), Taylor Jackson (C) and Jenna Veber (P) earned second team honors. To round out MSU's haul on Tuesday, Osbron was also named to the All-Newcomer team.
James was not only the best pitcher in the OVC this season, but she was also among the best nationally. She is currently ranked 14th out of all Division I pitchers in ERA at 1.31, fifth in strikeout-to-walk ratio at 9.52, sixth in shutouts at nine and 14th in walks allowed per seven innings at 0.91. Over the course of the season, James tied Murray State's single-game strikeout record with 14, broke her own single-season strikeout with 206 and became the first Racer pitcher to reach 500 strikeouts, currently sitting at 534. The OVC nod for James was the second of her career after being named to the All-OVC second team in 2019
In her 10th season at the helm of the Racers, Amundson guided MSU to its first-ever OVC regular-season championship. The 2022Â edition of MSU softball won the most regular-season games in program history with 37, the most OVC games with 21 and the most home games with 18. During her tenure as the Racers' skipper, Amundson has now coached two OVC Players of the Year, an OVC Pitcher of the Year, 31 total All-OVC selections including 12 first team honorees and 15 players named to the All-Newcomer team.
Braundmeier had a monster offensive season for Murray State that saw her lead the team in batting average at .393. She broke the Racers' single-season doubles record of 19 and now has a nation leading 24 two-baggers. Braundmeier currently boasts the 20th most hits in the country this season with 67 and is 21st in total bases with 120. The senior also tallied 50 runs, 38 RBIs, nine home runs and nine stolen bases, all of which were team bests.
Osbron was beyond impressive in her first year in blue and gold, as she ended the season with a .371 batting average. She tied Braundmeier for the team-high in RBIs with 38 and committed just five errors at third base. Other highlights from year one in Murray for Osbron include 35 runs, 56 hits, 16 doubles, two triples, eight home runs and 20 walks.
Lily Fischer played a key role in MSU's success this season with her play at first base. However, she was pretty handy with a bat as well, posting the team's third-best batting average at .321. Fischer had 15 extra base hits on the season, including four home runs, and propelled her on-base percentage to near .500 with a school-record tying 21 times she was hit by a pitch. Her 21 HBPs on the season currently rank her fourth in the nation in hit by pitch per game at 0.40.
Gilmore picked up the second All-OVC accolade of her career this season by doing what she does best, hitting the ball. The senior tallied 47 hits, 35 runs, 35 RBIs and a batting average of .303 on the season. She also led the team in walks on the season with 21, while her 159 career RBIs is currently the most in Racer history. Gilmore is also the Murray State version of Cal Ripkin, as she played and started in all 231 games of her career.
Jackson came into her own in her second season as the Racers' catcher. Behind the plate, she was impressive, allowing just six passed balls and three errors, while also throwing out 10 would-be base stealers. At the plate, Jackson was equally as skilled, tallying six doubles, four home runs, 15 walks and 24 RBIs, to go along with a .260 batting average.
Veber helped the Racers create one of the best 1-2 punches in the nation from inside the circle this season. While she has been effective for the Racers with 15 wins and the nation's 24th-best Era at 1.48, she has also been one of the most accurate pitchers in the country as well. She currently leads the nation in hit batters with just one and is fourth in the country at walks allowed per seven innings at just 0.63. With 73 strikeouts to her credit, Veber also has the 24th best strikeout-to-walk ratio in Division I currently at 6.08.
On Thursday, the Racers begin their quest to qualify for the first NCAA regional in school history by virtue of winning the 2022 OVC Softball Championship at Choccolocoo Park in Oxford, Alabama.
