With 19 games remaining in the 2026 season for Racers softball, let’s take a look at how they’ve done since midway through March.
March 13-14 vs Valparaiso
The only series win in March came against the Valparaiso Beacons, when the Racers took the series despite a rough first game. A two-run fifth inning for Valparaiso decided the first game. Even though the Racers lost the matchup, both senior outfielder Bailey Broemmer and junior utility Adison Hicks hit a home run and sophomore utility Katy Huels hit a double.
The Racers recovered in their second game that day with a 7-6 win. Sophomore outfielder Kynadee Warner went 3-5 with one RBI; senior infielder Ailey Schyck went 3-4, and senior utility Riley Jestadt went 1-1 with two RBI in a pinch hit at-bat. Murray State had 12 hits while limiting Valparaiso to nine.
Murray State followed up the next day with a shutout to steal the series. Sophomore pitcher Karlye Graber pitched a complete game shutout with two strikeouts, one walk and seven hits given up. Warner went 2-3 with two singles and an RBI.
Although the Racers had fewer hits than Valparaiso, they brought the runners on base around to score when it mattered which ultimately won them the game.
March 20-21 at Evansville
Evansville started the series against the Racers by pitching a shutout for a 3-0 win. Despite the loss, the Racers had six hits in the game, including a two-hit game for senior utility Ava Ozment.
The Racers continued to struggle even after a strong seventh inning for the second game of their doubleheader against Evansville, where they fell short 6-5. Evansville racked up five runs in the first inning, but Murray State tied the game in the seventh inning, only for Evansville to walk it off in the bottom of the inning.The Racers had five doubles in the game from freshman catcher Allie Waldron, sophomore infielder Kenley Minor, Schyck and Broemmer. Waldron and Broemmer both had a two-hit day to assist in their comeback at the end of the game.
With two straight losses to Evansville, they managed to take home a win in their final game of the series. Senior pitcher Bre Haislip pitched a strong 6.1 innings, where she struck out three and allowed only one hit. Waldron was 3-4 with a double, while junior utility Parker Holcombe was 2-2 with two hits, two walks and one RBI.
March 24 at Belmont
Murray State found their offensive footing early in game one of their doubleheader with Belmont. Waldron scored a two-RBI home run, followed by an RBI single from Minor. The Bruins quickly responded at the bottom of the first with a solo home run to bring the deficit to 3-1, but the Racers struck again in the fifth, with Warner advancing home on a Belmont defensive error.
Holcombe hit a single to advance another two runners home, bringing Murray State’s lead to 6-1. Murray State added a final two runs at the top of the sixth, with Waldron scoring a two-RBI double. The Bruins’ offense attempted a comeback, but the Racers held on to take the 8-4 win in game one.
Warner walked twice in the game and scored a run. Haislip took the mound for the majority of the game, striking out three batters and allowing three runs and eight hits in five innings. Graber closed the game, allowing only two hits and one run in two innings.
Murray State struggled to carry this momentum into the second game. Belmont scored five runs in the first two innings. Ozment hit an RBI double to score the Racers’ first run. It would be their last, however, and another two runs in the fourth and sixth allowed the Bruins to take the 7-1 victory to tie the series.
Junior pitcher Raylee Roby started the game before being pulled in the second, allowing four runs on four hits. Graber pitched the remainder of the game, allowing three runs in 4.2 innings pitched.
March 25 vs Austin Peay
The Racers returned to Murray after five straight road games to face former OVC foe Austin Peay. Holcombe got the scoring started first for the Racers with an RBI single to score Waldron after she doubled in the at-bat prior. The Governors offense got going by scoring four runs in the top of the second, three of those coming off a three-run homer.
Austin Peay hit another home run in the top of the fourth inning to extend the lead to four before Schyck hit a solo shot in the bottom half of the inning to bring the score to 5-2.
Austin Peay scored the final two runs in the top of the fifth and shut down the Racers offense for a 7-2 win.
Freshman pitcher Hailey Brereton took the loss after surrendering three runs and walking six batters.
Warner leads the Racers in batting average with a .354 BA and in hits with 35. Waldron trailing behind with a .345 average and 30 hits. Waldron, Broemmer and Schyck all tie the team lead home runs with three. Haislip leads the team in earned runs average with a 3.13 ERA and strikeouts with 46.
The Racers head to Chicago for a three-game series against the UIC Flames with a doubleheader on Friday, April 3 and another game on Saturday, April 4.
