Story by Adam Redfern
Staff writer
aredfern@murraystate.edu
Multiple players have excelled to give Murray State it’s best start in OVC play in program history, but senior infielder Lillie Goetz has been at the forefront of the Racers’ success due to her impact offensively.
Goetz knew from a very young age that softball was the sport for her, and she wanted to do her best to play at the next level.
Goetz drew inspiration from a former Owensboro Catholic high school player, Megan Jolly who eventually played collegiately.
“Whenever I was little, there was a girl who played at Catholic High, and she went on to play at Kentucky,” Goetz said. “My dad would always take me to watch them. When I was little the Catholic High program was one of the more established programs in Kentucky. I always wanted to be exactly like her when I grew up. I think it was that drive to want to be like her and want to mimic everything she did that led me to softball.”
Goetz turned that inspiration into an impressive high school career.
Goetz was a four-time Class A first team all-state selection, two-time Kentucky Class A Player of the Year (2014 and 2015), four-time all-district honors (2012-14), while also being named to the Kentucky High School Athletic Association (KHSAA) all-state tournament team (2013), tabbed 3rd Region Most Valuable Player (2013), two-time all-region tournament selection (2012, 2013) during high school.
After racking up the accolades at Owensboro Catholic, Goetz was on Murray State’s radar as soon as she graduated in 2015. So much so, that the Racers were one of the top schools left on list when she made her decision to play at the University of Louisville.
“We’ve known Lillie for years,” Head Coach Kara Amundson said. “We were recruiting her as a high school student and I think it came down between us and Louisville and funny enough she ended up over here.”
Goetz spent two years at Louisville where she played in 73 games and started 57 with a .272 batting average.
She then decided to transfer to Murray State after her sophomore year. Goetz said it’s been an environmental change established by Head Coach Kara Amundson and her teammates that has made a world of difference in her experience in D1 softball.
“The family aspect of Murray State is a big difference from Louisville, for me,” Goetz said. “At Louisville it was kinda like you are just a player or number trying to do everything to can do to win. Here at Murray everyone truly cares about you and everyone genuinely wants to see you succeed. My teammates and coaches would take a bullet for me.”
Goetz has thrived in this family environment with the Racers, leading the team in batting average (.330), slugging percentage (.546), on-base percentage (.449) and RBIs (27).
Goetz has attributed her success in the box to her teammates who are always able to keep the mood light and cheerful while she is getting ready for her at-bats.
“I do my best to imagine a box where my strike zone will be and if it’s there I try to hit it,” Goetz said. “Here recently Madison has been joking with me ‘Lillie if you don’t get on base I’m going to rub peanut butter on your pillow’, because I’m allergic to peanut butter. I can always rely on my teammates to keep me loose.”
Not only has Goetz’s offensive capabilities been an asset for the Racers, her ability to play multiple positions has been a major plus to Murray State defensively.
“She’s been great for us,” Amundson said. She’s gritty, she’s been willing to play multiple positions, she’s a true utility. We’ve had her at third, we’ve had her at second, she’s been playing left field almost exclusively for us this year and she’s kind of been all over the place of us this year. She just said that everyone would run through walls for her but she would also do the same for us and her teammates.
While Goetz has proven to be a formidable player statistically, her hard work and leadership skills amongst the team is something that Amundson is extremely happy to have on her roster.
“She just has such a good head on her shoulders,” Amundson said. “She is one of the hardest workers on our team, she tries to keep a super positive attitude all the time; she’s just a well-rounded human being. I think a lot of times we talk as a staff about how that kind of stuff translates into being good softball players and good athletes. She just said that everyone would run through walls for her but she would also do the same for us and her teammates, so I think that’s definitely reciprocated.”