By Kevin Farr
Murray State Sports Information
Coming off two of the greatest campaigns in school history, the Murray State Lady Aggies will look to a host of newcomers to continue their recent success and make a third straight trip to the NJCAA Division II Softball World Series in 2024.

That's high expectations considering the Lady Aggies graduated a ton after setting a NJCAA Division II national record a year ago with a 58-game winning streak, but Coach Aaron Mullens is optimistic a star-studded cast of newcomers can fill in those holes and put up strong offensive numbers once again.

Ranked 11^th in the preseason national poll, the Lady Aggies will have a chance to show their prowess early with three straight days of home doubleheaders beginning Tuesday with Western Texas College in Tishomingo for a 1 p.m. start.

"Offense should definitely be our strength," Mullens commented. "I feel really good about our lineup, even with as many different faces as we will have. I thought we were going to have to change the dynamic of what we were going to do and take more of a small ball approach, but our new group has shown the ability to hit for power. Extra base hits will be a premium and we've got several that will still hit home runs."

Sophomores Karsyn York and Mattie Richardson will provide what experience Murray State does have while starting the campaign hitting in the one and nine positions as table setters. York is coming off a season-ending injury a year ago and the only other player with college experience before Tuesday's opener will be power hitting outfielder Shaylin Midgley, who transferred from the University of Central Oklahoma and is expected to bat fifth.

Newcomers Lexi Meadows (second base), Bradi Harman (short stop), Haili Igo (third base), Gracie Lute (first base), Bella Butler (designated player) and Courtney Gray (leftfield) will all be counted on heavily to contribute immediately in the middle of the lineup.

The Murray State coaches are high on several players that will be coming off the bench to start the season but could easily move into starting roles with their production. Those include sophomore Jordan Hayes and freshman Kennedy Lord.

"I think we have the ability to do a lot of things well offensively," Mullens said. "We have speed and power. Midgley has outstanding power right in the middle of our lineup so we are expecting to be able to put runs on the board."

Pitching will likely be the question mark to start with a bevy of unproven hurlers, all of which provide something different to the staff. Brooklyn Ellis and Gray were leaned on heavily in the fall and expected to get the early starts. The Lady Aggies then added transfers Dara Hamlin and Butler to the pitching staff at the semester break.

"We have four solid arms and all of them have their own strength," the Murray skipper added. "We're probably going to staff most games. Ellis and Gray looked good in the fall and the two transfers will help us a lot. Our goal is to change planes and disrupt timing. And we think this staff has what it takes to do that.

"I really feel like this is the tightest group comradery-wise I have ever had at Murray. It is night and day the progress they have made since day one and they have really bought in. I feel like this group can lead us a long way again."