Softball gears up for OAC Tournament championship run

The Muskingum softball team will begin its quest for a 19th Ohio Athletic Conference Tournament championship on Friday when the four-seed Muskies play top-seed and host Otterbein at 12:00 p.m. The OAC Tournament, which runs May 4-6, is a double-elimination format with the winner receiving an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

For more information about the schedule, cost of admission, and directions, please check out the official OAC Tournament Page.

Friday, May 4

Game 1: #3 Ohio Northern (27-9, 13-5) vs. #2 Heidelberg (25-13, 13-5) - 10:00 a.m.

Game 2: #4 Muskingum (26-10, 10-8) at #1 Otterbein (30-8, 15-3) - Noon (Live Audio/Live Stats)

Game 3: Winners from Game #1 and #2 - 2:00 p.m. 

Game 4: Non-winners from Game #1 and #2 - 4:00 p.m.

Saturday, May 5

Game 5: Non-winners #3 vs. Winner #4, 11:00 a.m.

Game 6: Winner #5 vs. Winner #3, 1:00 p.m.

Sunday, May 6 (if necessary)

Game 7: Winner #6 vs. Non-winner #6, Noon

Muskingum Notes (Roster | Schedule | Statistics)

• All Muskingum games will feature live stats and live audio on fightingmuskies.com.
• As a team, the Muskies concluded the regular season ranked second in the conference in batting average (.334), tied for second in hits (357), and third in RBIs (197), slugging percentage (.470), doubles (67), stolen bases (48), home runs (22), on-base percentage (.381), and runs scored (213).
• Six players concluded the regular season hitting .300 or higher. Junior Krissy Hughes (.470), freshman Karsyn Shaffer (.430), freshman Jaelyn Meade (.411), senior Haylea Debolt (.354), sophomore Jolyn Shunk (.345), and junior Rachel Eberling (.328).
• Junior pitcher Rachel Eberling led the team in wins going 11-5 with a 3.37 ERA in 95.2 innings of work. Earlier this spring, she recorded a no-hitter against Alfred in a 3-0 win. At the plate, Eberling blasted a team-best and OAC leading nine home runs and registered 37 RBIs.
• Junior Krissy Hughes led the conference in batting average (.470) and ranked second in stolen bases (19). She led the squad in hits (62), runs scored (41) and triples (4) and was second in home runs with five. She also belted 13 doubles and had 29 RBIs.
• Senior Haylea Debolt finished first on the team and in the league in RBIs (40). In addition, she tied for first in doubles (13) and tied for third in runs scored (23) for the Muskies. From the circle, she held a 2.60 ERA, which ranked fourth best in the conference. Debolt also led the team with two saves.
• Freshman Karsyn Shaffer finished second on the squad in hits (52), runs scored (33), and batting average (.430). She concluded the regular season ranked fifth in batting average in the OAC.
• Freshman pitcher Hannah Duff was second on the team in wins after compiling a 10-4 record with a 3.68 ERA.

Otterbein Notes (Roster | Schedule | Statistics)

• The Cardinals are 15-1 when playing at home this season.
• Senior Bailey McElwain finished tied for first in the league in home runs (9), fourth in batting average (.432), tied for fourth in stolen bases (14), and tied for ninth in RBIs (30).
• Senior Megan Garner finished tied for second in the league with 36 RBIs.
• Senior pitcher Rachael Owens posted a 12-4 record in 99.2 innings of work and ended the regular season ranked second in ERA (2.25) in the league.
• Junior pitcher Gabby Johnson ended the regular season with a 137 strikeouts and a 2.33 ERA, which was first and third best in the conference, respectively. She tallied a 14-2 record in 108.1 innings of action.
• As a team, Otterbein ended the regular season ranked first in the league in slugging percentage (.560), on-base percentage (.409), batting average (.359), RBIs (228), home runs (40), doubles (82), hits (384), and runs (256).   

Heidelberg Notes (Roster | Schedule | Statistics)

• Sophomore Shelby Miller led the team in batting average (.398) and ended the regular season ranked 10th in the OAC.
• Senior Abbey McKee led her team and ranked second in the conference in RBIs with 37.
• Sophomore Kaitlyn Moore pitched in 136.1 innings to notch a 14-6 record. She concluded the season with 119 strikeouts and a 2.67 ERA, which was second and sixth best in the league, respectively.
• In the OAC, the Heidelberg squad finished the regular season ranked first in triples (15), second in slugging percentage (.501), on-base percentage (.395), batting average (.334), RBIs (207), home runs (27), doubles (68), hits (357), and runs (230).   

Ohio Northern Notes (Roster | Schedule | Statistics)

• Senior Jenna Hollar led the team and finished second in the league in batting average (.441).
• Sophomore Brady Guest is second on the squad and seventh in the conference in batting average (.417).
• Sophomore Gabby Stewart tallied 35 RBIs, which was the best on the squad and tied for fourth in the OAC.
• Senior pitcher Kirsten Lightel ended the season with a league-best 1.33 ERA in a 126 innings of work. She also notcehd 115 strikeouts, which is third best in the league, while compiling a 15-3 record.
• The Polar Bears concluded the regular season ranked second in stolen bases (55) in the conference.

Earlier this season against Otterbein

• Muskingum played Otterbein at Donna J. Newberry Field on April 5, and fell in both games, 5-0 and 5-2. In game one, Hughes notched the lone hit of the contest, which was a double. Eberling took the loss for the Muskies after going all seven innings and allowing five runs on nine hits. 
• Sophomore Jolyn Shunk led the Muskies in game two by going 2-for-3 at the plate, which included an RBI double. Freshman Hannah Duff was handed the loss after going five innings and allowing five runs.

Earler this season against Heidelberg

• On Senior Day, the Student Princes won the opener, 6-0, while the Muskies took game two, 2-1. In game one, the Muskies tallied four hits, while Heidelberg scored six runs on 11 hits.  Senior Abigail Orr, junior Rachel Eberling, sophomore Jennifer Schrader, and freshman Riley Powers each collected a hit, while Eberling suffered the setback after allowing three runs on five hits.
• In game two, Muskingum scored two runs on three hits, while Heidelberg scored one run on four hits. Freshman Jaelyn Meade helped lead the Muskies to the win as she went 1-for-2 at the dish, which included an RBI double. Freshman relief pitcher Gabrielle McNeil gained her second win in the circle after going seven strong innings and allowing just four hits.

Earlier this season against Ohio Northern

• Against Ohio Northern in Ada, the Polar Bears won the opener, 3-1, while the Muskies took game two, 8-1. Muskingum scored one run on eight hits, while Ohio Northern scored three runs on 10 hits. Freshman Karsyn Shaffer paced the Muskie offense by going 3-for-3 at the plate with an RBI. McNeil took the loss after allowing three runs on six hits.
• In game two, Muskingum scored eight runs on 14 hits, while Ohio Northern scored one run on six hits. Meade paced the Muskies' offense by going 3-for-5, which included a home run, two runs scored, and two RBIs. Hughes also went 3-for-5 at the dish with two runs scored. Eberling recorded her 10th win of the season after firing a complete game and allowing just one unearned run on six hits.