MOREHEAD, Ky. – You might as well just pencil in Presbyterian as the site of the Morehead State softball team's opener. It is the third straight year that is the case. This time the event is the Blue Hose Invitational.
MSU will join Dayton, Le Moyne, Western Michigan and host Presbyterian for the three-day competition, although the Eagles will play on just Saturday and Sunday.
Because of adverse weather in Presbyterian's city of Clinton, S.C., the schedule has been altered. The new schedule has every team playing four times. Originally, only MSU had four games.
Competition begins Friday at noon with Dayton and Le Moyne, followed by Western Michigan and Dayton at 2:15 p.m. and Presbyterian and Le Moyne at 4:30 p.m.
Saturday's slate includes Morehead State and Western Michigan at 9:30 a.m., MSU and Le Moyne at 11:45 a.m., Presbyterian and Western Michigan at 2 p.m. and Presbyterian and Dayton at 4:15 p.m. Originally, the Eagles were slated to play Le Moyne at 9 a.m., and Western Michigan at 11:15 a.m.
On Sunday, Le Moyne faces Western Michigan at 10 a.m., with Morehead State and Dayton meeting at 12:15 p.m. and Morehead State and Presbyterian closing the affair at 2:30 p.m.
All games will take place at the PC Softball Complex in Clinton, S.C.
It is the second straight year the Eagles will open on February 7, which ties for the second-earliest start date in school history.
Over the last two seasons, the Blue and Gold are 3-7 at PC's tournament. Two years ago, the Eagles went 3-2 against the (then-named) Pinnacle PC Invitational field with victories over Presbyterian (6-3), Valparaiso (6-2) and Youngstown State (4-2). The club suffered defeats to Valparaiso (13-11) and Presbyterian (9-1 in five innings). Last February, MSU fell to George Washington (9-5 and 7-3), Northern Kentucky (11-0 in five innings) and Presbyterian (6-4 and 9-6).
This time around, MSU head coach
Megan Griffith hopes the third time is the charm.
"We're looking forward to Presbyterian this weekend. We're excited to get on the road and get after it," she said. "Despite the recent snow, we were able to get outside in early January and that has helped us prepare tremendously. I'm excited to see what our team can do."
Morehead State completed the 2025 campaign with an 8-41 overall record, a 6-20 Ohio Valley Conference mark and in 10th place in the league standings. The Eagles began the year 1-25 but found their stride in the middle of the season, finishing 7-16 over the final 23 games.
Ten players return from last year's team, including seven letter winners, six positional starters and all three pitchers. In addition, Coach Griffith infused the roster with 11 newcomers.
Last spring, the Eagles were an offensive force. For the season, the team had more home runs than any year since 2019; more hits than any season since 2016; more runs and RBI, and fewer strikeouts than any campaign since 2013; more walks than any year since 2011 and more doubles than any season since 2009. The Eagles improved their batting average by 52 points and posted their highest mark since 2013. Their eight triples matched the 2023 total but were more than any other year since 2017. They also had 12 games with double-digit hits, the most since 2016.
Overall as a team, MSU hit .274, with 204 runs (4.16 per game), 18 home runs, 24 stolen bases, a 7.296 ERA and a .936 fielding percentage. Eagle opponents registered a .361 batting average, with 401 runs, 47 home runs, 111 stolen bases, a 3.57 ERA and a .947 fielding percentage.
Two all-conference players return for the Eagles, junior outfielder
Maddy Christopher (.368 batting average, 27 runs, 57 hits, three doubles, 11 RBI, 60 total bases, seven walks, seven stolen bases, a .387 slugging percentage and a .395 on-base percentage in 2025) and infielder
Sela Pickford (.331 batting average, 157 at bats, 25 runs, 52 hits, 12 doubles, three triples, four home runs, 28 RBI, 82 total bases, 11 walks, three total sacrifices, a .522 slugging percentage, a .380 on-base percentage and a .966 fielding percentage in 2025).
Christopher was a first-team selection, while Pickford was named to the second team.
In addition, senior pitcher
Rylie Burney (5-21 record, a 6.54 ERA, with 48 strikeouts and 85 walks, while pitching 153.0 innings, including 28 starts and 10 complete games in 2025) and junior catcher/third baseman
Sydney Farmer (.434 with 79 hits, 55 runs, 23 doubles, 14 home runs, 81 RBI, 148 total bases, 21 walks, seven stolen bases, an .813 slugging percentage and a .498 on-base percentage in 2025 at Tyler Junior College) were named "Players to Watch".
Christopher had a 14-game hitting streak Christopher's batting average was the 10th-best in MSU history. She also tied for seventh in single season hits and tied for second with 55 singles. In the OVC, she ranked seventh in batting average, fifth in hits and seventh in at-bats. She led the team in batting average, hits, sacrifice bunts and stolen bases.
Pickford had a 15-game hitting streak and started every game she played (49). She also opened the year with a nine-game hitting streak. She was seventh in hits, 10th in doubles, tied for fourth in triples, seventh in total bases, third in assists and tied for eighth in fielding double plays in the Ohio Valley Conference. She led the team in doubles, triples and at-bats.
Burney was counted upon as a workhorse for the Eagles last year, tying for 39th in Division I in games started, tying for 43rd in appearances (with 40) and tying for 87th in innings pitched. In the OVC, she was second in total appearances, tied for second in games started, fourth in innings pitched and fifth in complete games.
Besides Christopher, Pickford and Burney, sophomore infielder
Victoria Spencer, senior utility player
Jordan Donato, senior outfielder
Taikibrea Campbell, sophomore outfielder
Sophie Collins, senior pitcher/utility player
Alivia Parks, sophomore utility player
Nyla Doiron and senior pitcher
Emma Solis all return.
The newcomers include Farmer, junior first baseman
Mia Mascarenas, freshman utility
Kylie Mann, redshirt freshman
Kendall Donato, junior utility player
Noemye Letendre, freshman third baseman/shortstop
Cheyenne Christman, sophomore utility player
Kyleigh Reiter, junior shortstop
Sage VanDemark, junior pitcher/first baseman
Ainsley Stubbs, freshman pitcher/first baseman
Allicen Harris and redshirt sophomore infielder
Marie Perdew.
Western Michigan finished 16-36 overall, 10-17 and tied for 8th place in the Mid-American Conference in 2025. It returns 14 of 24 players and welcomes eight newcomers. Last season, the Broncos finished 10-28 away from home. WMU was picked to finish eighth in its league this year.
In last year's team statistics, Western Michigan hit .277, averaged 3.87 rpg, hit 41 homers, stole 46 bases, posted a 6.22 ERA and had a.948 fielding percentage. Its opponents batted .328, averaged 6.71 rpg, with 51 homers, 92 stolen bases, a 3.57 ERA and a .970 fielding percentage.
Senior catcher/utility player Tristen Head returns after earning first-team all-conference honors last spring. She finished with a .352 batting average, 22 RBI, eight doubles, seven home runs and 21 runs scored. She played the 2023 and 2024 seasons at Tennessee Tech, where she hit .204 in both years. Senior catcher/infielder Jordan Smith boasted a .277 batting average, with eight doubles, 11 home runs, 29 RBI, a .631 slugging percentage and a .351 on-base percentage. Junior infielder Caitlin Tighe had a .277 batting average, along with eight doubles, 12 RBI, six stolen bases, 14 walks and a .348 on-base percentage.
In the circle, sophomore Kaylee Salyer tallied a 3-12 record, a 6.04 ERA, with two saves, 39 strikeouts and 51 walks in 92.2 innings. Junior Casey Fazzini returns after going 3-7, with a 4.68 ERA, one save, 20 strikeouts and 46 walks in 85.1 innings pitched.
Coach Marlee Wilson is in her third year and has a 44-58 record.
Western Michigan owns a 1-0 series advantage over the Eagles, courtesy of a 6-1 neutral-site win in Louisville in 2021.
Le Moyne was 16-28 overall and 7-11 in the Northeast Conference and in sixth place last spring. It returns 15 players, lost five and gain six newcomers. Away from home it was 12-24 last year.
The Dolphins were tabbed to finish fifth in the NEC this spring. As a team in 2025, they hit .262, averaged 4.55 rpg, hit 23 home runs, stole 53 bases, and posted a 5.30 ERA and a .935 fielding percentage. Its opponents hit .322 BA, scoring 6.05 rpg, with 34 homers, 58 stolen bases, a 3.71 ERA and a .951 fielding percentage.
Le Moyne's top returning players are 2025 first-team all-conference sophomore infielder Cianna Benamati, who hit .342, with a .623 slugging percentage, 27 RBI, eight home runs, eight doubles, 23 runs, 18 walks and a .432 on-base percentage. Senior infielder Audry Benderski had a .263 batting average, eight home runs, six doubles, 26 RBI, a .517 slugging percentage and a .346 on-base percentage. Junior utility player Shannon Gavigan hit .281, with a.387 on-base percentage; while junior utility player Gabriella Zarcone batted.233, with a .349 slugging percentage and a .340 on-base percentage. She also scored 11 times, had eight RBI and hit one home run.
A pair of sophomore pitchers are also back. Isabella Kwashek went 5-11, with a 5.85 ERA, 42 strikeouts and 33 walks through 91.0 innings last season. Danni Simpson had a 0-0 record, with a 5.48 ERA, three strikeouts and 12 walks in 7.2 innings.
Head coach Tracey Roman is in her seventh year with a 95-134 record.
Morehead State has never met LeMoyne, which is in its third year as a Division I member.
Dayton is the lone team in the field which had a winning record last season. It finished 30-18 overall and 17-5 in the Atlantic-10, winning the league's regular season. It also sported an RPI of 118. It brings back 13 players, while adding seven newcomers. The team lost four players from last spring. The Flyers finished 21-16 away from home in 2025.
UD is predicted to finish second in the A-10 this season. Last year, it hit .287, averaged 5.02 rpg, hit 20 home runs, stole 74 bases, owned a 3.15 ERA and had a .972 fielding percentage as a team. Its opponents finished with a .254 batting average, 3.65 rpg, 27 home runs, 22 stolen bases, a 4.15 ERA and a .958 fielding percentage.
The Flyers had five first-team all-conference players last year. Two of them return including junior infielder Kirnan Bailey (.325 BA, seven doubles, 29 runs, 27 RBI, 19 stolen bases, 12 sacrifices and a .355 on-base percentage). Junior catcher/first baseman Deirdre Flaherty finished with a .297 batting average, seven doubles, four homers, 29 RBI, a .435 slugging percentage and a .364 on-base percentage. Sophomore catcher/first baseman Katelin Goodwin had a .231 batting average, five doubles, nine walks and a .307 on-base percentage.
Senior pitcher Izzy Kemp is the other returning first-team All-Atlantic 10 member. A two-time all-region performer, she went 14-5 last year with a 2.09 ERA, four saves, 193 strikeouts and 50 walks in 144.1 innings. Sophomore pitcher/utility Camrynn Linneman is also back with her 3-4 record, 5.03 ERA, two saves, 27 strikeouts and 42 walks in 48.2 innings.
Head coach Cara Clark is in her 19th year and owns a 446-444-2 record
MSU holds a slight 27-25-1 edge over the Flyers. Morehead State and UD last met in 2023, with the host Flyers capturing a pair of 1-run decisions (3-2 and 5-4).
Presbyterian was 21-29 last year, with a 4-14 mark in the Big South, which placed it seventh. Out of its 13 returnees, seven were starters. They lost seven players but added nine. PC opens the year with 10 straight games on its own field. Last spring, the Blue Hose posted a 12-15 record at home.
This year's team is again predicted to finish seventh. Last season's squad had a .267 team batting average, while averaging 3.84 rpg, with 24 home runs, 51 stolen bases, a 4.15 ERA and a .944 fielding percentage. Its opponents batted .281 BA, averaging 5.04 rpg, with 23 homers, 55 stolen bases, a 3.00 ERA and a .954 fielding percentage.
Senior utility player Morgan Farthing is the top returning hitter. Last spring, she averaged .283 at the plate, with a .324 on-base percentage and eight stolen bases. Sophomore infielder Baxleigh Arnett hit .269, with 33 runs, 22 walks, a .361 on-base percentage and 26 stolen bases. Senior infielder Blair Darby batted .246, with five homers, a .412 slugging percentage and a .317 on-base percentage.
Senior pitcher Peyton Duncan is the team's star. In 2025, she went 12-14 record, with a 3.68 ERA, 123 strikeouts and 88 walks in 163.2 innings. Sophomore pitcher Grace Kelley had a 4-3 record, a 4.77 ERA, one save, 24 strikeouts and 20 walks in 51.1 innings last year.
PC is coached by former MSU dugout boss David Williams, who went 157-191-1 from 2012-18. He is the second-winningest coach in Morehead State program history. He is in his 8th year at Presbyterian and owns a 140-169-2 overall record.
The Blue Hose own a 5-1 record all-time against MSU, including sweeping a pair of games last spring at its tournament (6-4 and 9-6). The Eagles' lone win in the series came in the 2024 season opener, also at PC, 6-3.
Live stats are available for each game. They can be found at the links:
https://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=647941 (Western Michigan),
https://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=647942 (Le Moyne),
https://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=647945 (Dayton) and
https://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=647633 (Presbyterian).
Sunday's contest with Presbyterian will be televised on ESPN+. The link to access the game is:
https://www.espn.com/watch/player/_/id/eaf1f388-e050-4c96-8a52-77fbe8647754?om-navmethod=espn%3Aglobalsearch%3Aresults.
After returning from South Carolina, the Eagles will go back on the road to participate in the George Mason Tournament, which will include host GMU and Cornell. MSU will play the Patriots three times and the Big Red twice on Friday, Feb. 13 through Sunday, Feb. 15. Morehead State will compete in two more tournaments before opening its home and OVC campaign against Eastern Illinois on March 7-8.
