MOREHEAD, Ky. – The Morehead State softball team will play a pair of doubleheaders on Saturday and Sunday as it hosts Kentucky Christian and Pikeville at Rowan County High School. The University Field is unavailable this fall.
The club will face Kentucky Christian on Saturday and then Pikeville on Sunday. Both days the matchups will start at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Unlike last year's fall contests at home, each game will be seven innings.
It is the only scrimmages coach
Megan Griffith has scheduled for her team.
"Practices have been very strong," she said. "The returners worked very hard over the summer and the newcomers are bringing great mindsets and a lot of talent."
It will be the second straight year the Eagles will have met KCU in the fall. Last September, the Blue and Gold swept a home doubleheader 6-2 and 8-1. Morehead State finished the 2022 fall campaign with a 2-2 mark, having also dropped a pair of games at Western Kentucky.
MSU has played Pikeville twice in the regular season, defeating the Tigers at home 4-2 and 8-0 in five innings in 2015.
"Fall scrimmages are for us to get a chance to evaluate everyone against outside competition and put the things together we've been working on," Griffith said.
The Eagles have 21 players on their roster, including nine returnees and 12 newcomers.
Fifth-year outfielder
Trinity Spear, senior infielder
Peyton Jordan, senior catcher
Kaytlyn Cripps, junior utility player
Ilencia Lightbody, junior pitcher
Madi Ogden, sophomore pitcher
Jessie Begley, sophomore catcher/infielder
Nazari "Zee" Jackson, sophomore outfielder
Taikibrea "Red" Campbell and sophomore catcher/infielder
Emily Williams are all back from last year's club which posted an 11-33 overall mark and a 6-18 Ohio Valley Conference record.
Three of the new players are transfers. Fifth-year outfielder
Becca Crawford came from Furman, while junior second baseman/shortstop
Samantha Cervantes' last stop was at Howard College (Texas) and junior outfielder
Darlene Montoya played the past two seasons for Weatherford College.
The final nine players are freshmen: pitcher/third baseman
Cassiti Baroni, pitcher/third baseman
Addie Stem, infielder
Kendra Lewis, catcher/infielder
Tayler Stevens, second baseman/shortstop
Sela Pickford, outfielder
Maddy Christopher, first baseman/infielder
Delaney Overstreet, second baseman/shortstop
Azea Lightbody and catcher/third baseman
Karlie Gibson.
Fall practice will continue through October 2.