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MOREHEAD, Ky. – Morehead State softball is set to open Ohio Valley Conference play on Friday at University Field with a doubleheader against Austin Peay.
 
The Eagles (16-6) are scheduled to throw the first pitch on Friday at 1 p.m. ET followed by game two immediately after.
 
This marks the third consecutive season Morehead State has opened OVC play against the Governors. The Eagles have won three of those four against Austin Peay and swept the conference foe the last time they visited University field in 2016. This will be the 86^th and 87^th meeting between the two programs with Morehead State holding the all-time series advantage 48-36-1.
 
The Eagles are led offensively by freshman outfielder Paige Scruggs, who holds team-highs in both batting average (.365), doubles (6), RBI (17) and stolen bases (7). Senior Taylor Wheeler (.357) and juniors Allison Rager (.338) and Aubrey Bennett (.328) have also eclipsed the .300 mark.
 
Senior Chelsea McManaway has been the Eagles' ace in the pitchers' circle during the 2018 campaign. The lefty is 11-2 in her 13 starts this season with an earned run average of 1.70. McManaway, a winner of the OVC Pitcher of the Week Award on February 26, leads the conference in strikeouts with 113.
 
The Govs (15-8) are led offensively by junior Danielle Liermann, whose batting average of .412 ranks fifth in the OVC.
 
In the pitchers' circle, Austin Peay is paced by junior Morgan Rackel and the current co-OVC Pitcher of the Week Kelly Mardones. Rackel is 7-3 overall with an ERA of 1.65 while Mardones boasts a 5-2 mark and a team-best ERA of 1.56.
 
The games will be streamed live on the OVC Digital Network and Eagle fans can follow @msueagleslive on Twitter for updates as the action unfolds at University Field.