Murray State University Athletics
Friday, February 17
Mobile, Ala.
2:30 p.m.
Murray State
vs
Butler
Players Mentioned
IF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
C
/ Softball
IF
/ Softball
Photo by: Patti Twaddle
Racers Look To Continue Hot Start In Mobile
2/16/2017 10:25:00 PM | Softball
Date: Feb. 17-19
Tournament: 2017 Mardi Gras Invitational
Site (Venue): Mobile, Ala. (Jaguar Field)
Audio: None
TV/Web Stream: JagNationTV.com (USA Game Only)
Live Stats: GoRacers.com
MSU Record (Streak): 4-1 (Won 1)
MSU vs. The Field: 0-2
All-Time Series vs. BUT (Streak): First Meeting (---)
All-Time Series vs. JSU (Streak): First Meeting (---)
All-Time Series vs. USA (Streak): USA leads 2-0 (Lost 2)
All-Time Series vs. MCN (Streak): First Meeting (---)
MSU Next Games: Feb. 24-26 at 2017 Samford/UAB Classic (Birmingham, Ala.)
MSU Next Home: Mar. 10-12 vs. Racer Classic
This Week
The Murray State softball team will look to carry over momentum from its 4-1 opening weekend to the 2017 Mardi Gras Invitation in Mobile, Alabama hosted by South Alabama. On tap for the Racers in Mobile is games with Butler, Jackson State, the host Jaguars and McNeese State.
Last Time Out
The Racers won four out of five games to open the 2017 season at the Mercer Invitational in Macon. On the weekend, MSU picked up wins over Dayton, Mercer and Portland State and split with Kent State. Jessica Twaddle and Jocelynn Rodgers hit two home runs each in the opening win against Mercer and the hits kept on coming all weekend. The Racers finished the weekend with nine doubles and seven home runs for a team slugging percentage of .405. Brenna Finck leads MSU offensively after the first weekend with a .438 average, while Mason Robinson went 3-0 in the circle and finished with a 1.84 ERA.
Against The Field
MSU has faced off with just one of the four teams it will face this weekend on a previous occasion, host South Alabama. The Jaguars hold a 2-0 all-time advantage over the Racers after taking both meetings from MSU at UAB's Magic City Classic in 2013.
Scouting Butler
Butler went 3-2 last weekend at the Total Control Sports Invitational in Rosemont, Illinois. The Bulldogs picked up wins against Miami (OH), Detroit and Green Bay, while dropping games against Western Illinois and Illinois-Chicago, both of whom the Racers play this season. Sarah Dixon went 9-for-18 with six runs, three doubles and six RBIs en route to earning BIG EAST Player of the Week Honors. As a team, Butler hit .403 over the first five games, while its opponents hit .346. In the circle, the Bulldog staff posted a 6.28 ERA with Kacey Starwalt leading the way at 3.28 and a 1-1 record, while Gabbi Schnaiter went 2-1 with a 4.45 ERA and 17 strikeouts.
Scouting Jackson State
JSU got their season off to a slow start this past weekend by going 1-3 at their own JSU Tournament. The three losses for the Tigers came against OVC members Tennessee State and Southeast Missouri, while the win came against NAIA-member Jarvis Christian. JSU hit .343 over four games, while its opponents hit s.284 against them. Pitching wise, the Tigers allowed 7.27 earned runs per game, while opposing staffs limited the Tigers to 4.76 earned runs per game. Victoria Nelson currently leads JSU at the plate by hitting .462 on the year so far, while Symone Williams leads the way in the circle with a 6.00 ERA.
Scouting South Alabama
The Jags are off to a 5-1 start, after dropping their first loss of the year Wednesday at home to No. 5 Alabama, 3-1. Last weekend, USA opened the season at 5-0 after going undefeated at its own Sand Dollar Classic. The Jaguars, who are receiving votes in the latest NFCA/USA Today Poll, are currently led offensively by Kayleigh Todd and her .471 average and team-high five stolen bases. In the circle, both Destiny Vicknair and Devin Brown have sub-1.00 ERAs with Vicknair at 0.40 and Brown at 0.97. Vicknair is currently 3-0, while Brown is 2-1 with 29 strikeouts.
Scouting Kent State
McNeese State sits at 3-4 on the season, which includes a 2-3 appearance at LSU's Tiger Classic. While in Baton Rouge, the Cowgirls beat Penn State twice, but fell twice to Oklahoma State and dropped a one-run decision to then fifth-ranked LSU. 2017 USA Softball Player of the Year candidate Erika Piancastelli is currently one of three Cowgirls leading the McNeese offense with a .333 average. Alexsandra Flores currently leads all Cowgirl pitchers with a 1.91 ERA to go along with five strikeouts.
Weather Forecast
The weather in Mobile should be nice all weekend with temps in the high-60's to mid-70s. There is a chance for thunderstorms Saturday, at about 40 percent, but the other two days currently look clear.
Hot Start
With a 4-1 record, MSU has tied its best five-game start in school history. It will need three wins this weekend to tie and four to surpass the best 10-game start in history, which is currently 7-3 and set during the 2014 season.
Making The Most
Despite being outhit over the first five games by its opponents, 39-38, MSU did more with less by driving in 30 runs, compared to just 18 by its opponents.
The Long Ball
The seven home runs hit by Murray State through the first five games is a new program record. In addition, the four hit against Mercer is the second-most in a single game by a Racer team.
OK, What's Next?
Next weekend, Murray State will participate in the Samford/UAB Classic in Birmingham, Alabama. The Racers will play Friday and Sunday at Samford and Saturday at UAB with games against the two hosts, Iowa State and Indiana.
Â
Tournament: 2017 Mardi Gras Invitational
Site (Venue): Mobile, Ala. (Jaguar Field)
Audio: None
TV/Web Stream: JagNationTV.com (USA Game Only)
Live Stats: GoRacers.com
MSU Record (Streak): 4-1 (Won 1)
MSU vs. The Field: 0-2
All-Time Series vs. BUT (Streak): First Meeting (---)
All-Time Series vs. JSU (Streak): First Meeting (---)
All-Time Series vs. USA (Streak): USA leads 2-0 (Lost 2)
All-Time Series vs. MCN (Streak): First Meeting (---)
MSU Next Games: Feb. 24-26 at 2017 Samford/UAB Classic (Birmingham, Ala.)
MSU Next Home: Mar. 10-12 vs. Racer Classic
This Week
The Murray State softball team will look to carry over momentum from its 4-1 opening weekend to the 2017 Mardi Gras Invitation in Mobile, Alabama hosted by South Alabama. On tap for the Racers in Mobile is games with Butler, Jackson State, the host Jaguars and McNeese State.
Last Time Out
The Racers won four out of five games to open the 2017 season at the Mercer Invitational in Macon. On the weekend, MSU picked up wins over Dayton, Mercer and Portland State and split with Kent State. Jessica Twaddle and Jocelynn Rodgers hit two home runs each in the opening win against Mercer and the hits kept on coming all weekend. The Racers finished the weekend with nine doubles and seven home runs for a team slugging percentage of .405. Brenna Finck leads MSU offensively after the first weekend with a .438 average, while Mason Robinson went 3-0 in the circle and finished with a 1.84 ERA.
Against The Field
MSU has faced off with just one of the four teams it will face this weekend on a previous occasion, host South Alabama. The Jaguars hold a 2-0 all-time advantage over the Racers after taking both meetings from MSU at UAB's Magic City Classic in 2013.
Scouting Butler
Butler went 3-2 last weekend at the Total Control Sports Invitational in Rosemont, Illinois. The Bulldogs picked up wins against Miami (OH), Detroit and Green Bay, while dropping games against Western Illinois and Illinois-Chicago, both of whom the Racers play this season. Sarah Dixon went 9-for-18 with six runs, three doubles and six RBIs en route to earning BIG EAST Player of the Week Honors. As a team, Butler hit .403 over the first five games, while its opponents hit .346. In the circle, the Bulldog staff posted a 6.28 ERA with Kacey Starwalt leading the way at 3.28 and a 1-1 record, while Gabbi Schnaiter went 2-1 with a 4.45 ERA and 17 strikeouts.
Scouting Jackson State
JSU got their season off to a slow start this past weekend by going 1-3 at their own JSU Tournament. The three losses for the Tigers came against OVC members Tennessee State and Southeast Missouri, while the win came against NAIA-member Jarvis Christian. JSU hit .343 over four games, while its opponents hit s.284 against them. Pitching wise, the Tigers allowed 7.27 earned runs per game, while opposing staffs limited the Tigers to 4.76 earned runs per game. Victoria Nelson currently leads JSU at the plate by hitting .462 on the year so far, while Symone Williams leads the way in the circle with a 6.00 ERA.
Scouting South Alabama
The Jags are off to a 5-1 start, after dropping their first loss of the year Wednesday at home to No. 5 Alabama, 3-1. Last weekend, USA opened the season at 5-0 after going undefeated at its own Sand Dollar Classic. The Jaguars, who are receiving votes in the latest NFCA/USA Today Poll, are currently led offensively by Kayleigh Todd and her .471 average and team-high five stolen bases. In the circle, both Destiny Vicknair and Devin Brown have sub-1.00 ERAs with Vicknair at 0.40 and Brown at 0.97. Vicknair is currently 3-0, while Brown is 2-1 with 29 strikeouts.
Scouting Kent State
McNeese State sits at 3-4 on the season, which includes a 2-3 appearance at LSU's Tiger Classic. While in Baton Rouge, the Cowgirls beat Penn State twice, but fell twice to Oklahoma State and dropped a one-run decision to then fifth-ranked LSU. 2017 USA Softball Player of the Year candidate Erika Piancastelli is currently one of three Cowgirls leading the McNeese offense with a .333 average. Alexsandra Flores currently leads all Cowgirl pitchers with a 1.91 ERA to go along with five strikeouts.
Weather Forecast
The weather in Mobile should be nice all weekend with temps in the high-60's to mid-70s. There is a chance for thunderstorms Saturday, at about 40 percent, but the other two days currently look clear.
Hot Start
With a 4-1 record, MSU has tied its best five-game start in school history. It will need three wins this weekend to tie and four to surpass the best 10-game start in history, which is currently 7-3 and set during the 2014 season.
Making The Most
Despite being outhit over the first five games by its opponents, 39-38, MSU did more with less by driving in 30 runs, compared to just 18 by its opponents.
The Long Ball
The seven home runs hit by Murray State through the first five games is a new program record. In addition, the four hit against Mercer is the second-most in a single game by a Racer team.
OK, What's Next?
Next weekend, Murray State will participate in the Samford/UAB Classic in Birmingham, Alabama. The Racers will play Friday and Sunday at Samford and Saturday at UAB with games against the two hosts, Iowa State and Indiana.
Â
Head Coach Jody Wright | Racer Football | 2/4/26 Press Conference
Wednesday, February 04
Fred Kind & Javon Jackson | Racer Basketball | 2/3/26 Post Game Press Conference
Wednesday, February 04
Head Coach Ryan Miller | Racer Basketball | 2/3/26 Post Game Press Conference
Wednesday, February 04
UIC VS Murray State | Men's Basketball | Game Highlights
Wednesday, February 04
