WORLD SERIES PREVIEW: Softball ready to write next chapter

The Blue and Gold are making their fifth world series appearance, first since 2012, and are 6-7 in those previous trips. Their three most recent trips saw MU falter in pool play while the programs first appearance in 1994 was its most successful as they went 2-2, falling to Kennesaw State (Ga.) 4-1 in eight innings.

The Crusaders earned a trip to Columbus via the Columbia, Kentucky opening round bracket. Madonna went 3-1 and led the bracket in opponent batting average (.200). MU had a 1.71 ERA over 28.2 innings pitched, led by Maeson Schlaud who allowed five runs in 21 innings for a 1.67 mark. Madisen Henry allowed two runs in her 7.2 innings for a 1.83 ERA. Brooklyn Dolloff led the offense in average at .417 (5-for-12) while Kattie Popko had the most RBI with four and had a 1.083 slugging percentage. 

The offense runs through Popko, the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference Player of the Year, who is fifth in the NAIA with a .492 average in 130 at-bats with 40 RBI and 35 runs scored. She is slugging .838 and is on pace to rewrite the single season record books in average, slugging, on-base percentage, hits, doubles, home runs, and RBI. Leadoff hitter Veronica Pezzoni is second on the team with a .385 average in 135 at-bats. She has scored 35 runs and is 18-for-19 on the bases. Three other Crusaders, Jenna Gilbert (.346), Emily Pawelski (.330), and Amy Clegg (.313), are hitting above .300 with Dolloff close behind at .299.

Schlaud leads the pitching staff with a 0.84 ERA in 83 innings pitched. She is 12-2 in 10 starts with seven complete games, one shutout, a save, 109 strikeouts to 25 walks and an opponent batting average of .208. Henry, the WHAC Pitcher of the Year, leads the team with 93 innings pitched and has a 2.33 ERA. She is 10-4 in 15 starts with seven complete games and two shutouts. She has struck out 91 against 21 walks. Ciera Jones has also eclipsed 60 innings this season and has a 3.31 ERA in 61.1 innings. She is 7-1 with 11 starts, two complete games, a shutout, and one save. She has 53 strikeouts to 14 walks.

In the NAIA, Schlaud has the lowest ERA and is third in total earned runs allowed (10) while Popko and Schalud are each sixth in slugging and total runs allowed, respectively. 

The Tigers enter the world series as the No. 3 seed as the champions of the Bowling Green Bracket. ONU is making their 10th appearance, first since 2014, and are 11-17 in their previous trips. In 2014, the Tigers were also the three seed and lost 2-0 in round one and fell 3-0 to No. 10 seed College of Idaho in an elimination game. 

Sara Beers leads the offense with a .448 average and leads the NAIA in at bats per game (3.85). Miranda Southhall, who is the staff ace, is second on the team with a .441 average, team-best 46 runs scored and 37 RBI while Alli Davis has a .436 average with a team-best 60 RBI and .910 slugging percentages which rank sixth and second in the NAIA, respectively. 

Southhall leads the pitching staff with 123 innings pitched and has a 2.22 ERA in 23 games, 21 starts. She is 15-2 with 15 complete games, four shutouts, 68 strikeouts and 23 walks. Opponents are hitting .266 off Southhall while Kori Frike and Emily Blucker have also contributed significant innings this season. Blucker (7-0) has a 1.19 ERA in 53 innings with 50 strikeouts to 12 walks while Fricke (7-2) has a 2.45 ERA in 60 innings. 

As a team, Olivet Nazarene is second in the NAIA in hits per game (10.7) and batting average (.370), fifth in runs scored per game (7.175), sixth in doubles per game (2.075), and seventh in slugging percentage (.545).

The Blue and Gold lead the all-time series 6-3, which includes the last four meetings. The Crusaders bested the Tigers each of the past four seasons, taking a 2-1 win at the Dome at Rosemont on February 1, 2020.  

In that meeting, Henry outdueled Southhall as the Crusaders’ senior allowed one run on five hits with a walk and a pair of strikeouts while Southhall allowed two runs on five hits with a walk and four strikeouts. Makayla Bassage went 2-for-2 in the game with an RBI while Jenna Gilbert drove in one with a sacrifice fly. Sarah Holton, Amy Clegg and Dolloff each had a hit while Selena Deault and Clegg each scored a run. An Alli Davis triple brought in the lone ONU run. 

Lead the NAIA in hits/game (11.59), runs scored/game (8.11), RBI/game (7.16), batting average (.408), total hits (626) and runs scored (438). Defending national champions, SOU is 49-5 on the season and making their fourth world series trip. They are 10-5 in previous trips. 

Top Hitters (.408 avg., .570 slug.):

• Lauren Quirke - .486 avg., 10 HR, 62 RBI, 58 runs, 16-for-18 SB
• Allie Stines - .450 avg., 31 2B, 60 runs, 59 RBI
• Hannah Shimek - .423 avg., 62 runs, 40 RBI, 32-for-34 SB

Top Pitchers (1.77 ERA, .207 BAA):

• Gabby Sandoval - 29-3, 27 CG, 13 SHO, 1.47 ERA, 185.1 IP, 175 K, 44 BB, .195 BAA
• Quirke - 14-2, 9 CG, 5 SHO, 1.73 ERA, 109.1 IP, 107 K, 24 BB, .201 BAA

Rank 3rd in NAIA in RBI (340), 4th in runs scored (374) and home runs/game (1.094) and 6th in batting average (.357) and slugging (.549). Owners of a 46-8 record and winners of the Waleska (Ga.) Bracket, Oregon Tech is making its sixth world series appearance, second consecutive, and are 14-8 in previous trips.

Top Hitters (.357 avg., .549 slug.):

• McKenna Armantrout - .430 avg., 60 runs, 40 RBI 
• Kaila Mick - .403 avg., 50 runs, 45 RBI, 12-of-13 SB
• Kennedy Jantzi - .365 avg., 14 HR, 49 RBI

Top Pitchers (1.69 ERA, .211 BAA):

• Sarah Abramson - 26-5, 25 CG, 10 SHO, 1.38 ERA, 208 IP, 220 K, 69 BB, .193 BAA
• Mckenzie Staub - 19-3, 11 CG, 2 SHO, 2.27 ERA, 120.1 IP, 108 K, 28 BB, .237 BAA
   

Rank 3rd in the NAIA in runs scored (409) and RBI (340), 9th in stolen bases (106). The Yotes won the Fayette Bracket and are 42-17 overall. They are making their fourth world series appearance, first since 2014, and are 5-6 in those trips. 

Top Hitters (.318 avg., .462 slug.):

• Micha Fortune - .385 avg., 37 runs, 17 RBI, 26-of-28 SB
• Haley Loffer - .377 avg., 11 HR, 67 runs, 34 RBI, 28-of-31 SB
• Kaily Christensen - .374 avg., 50 RBI, 34 runs
• Trystin Crofts - .363 avg., 47 runs, 39 RBI, 18-of-21 SB

Top Pitchers (2.35 ERA, .235 BAA):

• Katelyn Wilfert - 17-5, 12 CG, 5 SHO, 2.01 ERA, 132.1 IP, 117 K, 28 BB, .219 BAA
• Hannah Mcnerney - 14-8, 9 CG, 3 SHO, 2.51 ERA, 122.2 IP, 74 K, 46 BB, .237 BAA
• Annie Polster - 11-2, 8 CG, 1 SHO, 2.31 ERA, 85 IP, 76 K, 23 BB, .225 BAA

Lead the NAIA in total triples (30), rank 2nd in assists (498), 8th in doubles/game (2.0). Winners of the Oklahoma City Bracket and owners of a 44-5 record, they are making their fourth world series appearance, first since 2017. They are 1-9 at the series.

Top Hitters (.348 avg., .523 slug.):

• Ally Pickering - .455 avg., 57 runs, 47 RBI, 15 2B, 10 3B, 12-of-16 SB
• Lyndsey Loomis - .409 avg., 31 runs, 48 RBI
• Sammi Bates - .400 avg., 51 runs, 19 RBI, 14-of-17 SB
• Madison Bunfill - 24-of-27 SB

Top Pitchers (2.00 ERA, .237 BAA):

• Casson Rasmussen - 29-3, 25 CG, 10 SHO, 1.46 ERA, 206 IP, 153 K, 47 BB, .208 BA

Rank 7th in the NAIA in total batters struck out (371). Won the Columbia (Mo.) bracket and are 36-15 overall. This is their fifth world series trip, but first since 2010. They are 5-8 in the series.

Top Hitters (.309 avg., .451 slug.):

• Payton Bruner - .432 avg., 57 runs, 42 RBI, 14 2B, 14 HR, 23-of-25 SB
• Morgan Braughton - .360 avg., 32 runs, 21 RBI
• Jess  Heick - .377 avg., 32 runs, 34 RBI, 13-for-15 SB

Top Pitchers (2.97 ERA, .229 BAA):

• Jayna Witzany - 21-7, 22 CG, 10 SHO, 2.38 ERA, 188 IP, 280 K, 59 BB, .194 BAA
• Emily Oler - 8-2, 2.48 ERA, 87.1 IP, 45 K, 11 BB, .251 BAA
• Kalli Minger - 7-6, 4.66 ERA, 70.2 IP, 43 K, 37 BB, .272 BAA

Rank 13th in the NAIA in ERA (1.90) and 16th in fielding pct. (.967). Entering with a 32-7 record, won the Lawrenceville Bracket to earn the program's first world series appearance. 

Top Hitters (.331 avg., .463 slug.):

• Katie Cronin - NAIA-best .543 avg., 39 runs, 35 RBI, 19-of-22 SB
• Grace Jones - .409 avg., 26 runs, 9 RBI
• April Alvarado - .354 avg., 24 runs, 19 RBI
• Lainey Mays - 15-of-19 SB

Top Pitchers (1.90 ERA, .230 BAA):

• Erin Forgety - 14-4, 5 CG, 3 SHO, 1.76 ERA, 107.2 IP, 88 K, 15 BB, .210 BAA
• Cloee-Anna Merritt - 13-2, 10 CG, 4 SHO, 1.80 ERA, 108.2 IP, 79 K, 18 BB

Won Chickasa Bracket and are 29-21 on the season. This is their second trip to the world series and went 1-2 in 2012.

Top Hitters (.281 avg., .430 slug.):

• Ciera Flores - .389 avg., 50 runs, 63 RBI, 14 2B, 15 HR
• Kayla Eggly - .380 avg., 34 runs, 36 RBI
• Melinda Cratty - .359 avg., 45 runs, 21 RBI
• Millenni Lucero - 22-of-22 SB

Top Pitchers (5.61 ERA, .297 BAA):

• Samantha Quezada - 21-12, 24 CG, 5 SHO, 3.62 ERA, 216.2 IP, 141 K, 66 BB, .258 BAA
• Eggly - 5-7, 6.94 ERA, 81.2 IP, 42 K, 31 BB, .348 BAA

Third trip to the world series, won Hattiesburg Bracket, last trip was 2012, are 2-4 in those trips. Enter the tournament 22-21 overall. 

Top Hitters (.264 avg., .323 slug.):

• Ashley Reyna - .404 avg., 18 runs, 29 RBI, 17 2B
• Marisa Mendoza - .325 avg., 25 runs
• Brianna Leon - 16-of-16 SB

Top Pitchers (2.64 ERA, .245 BAA):

• Cameron Cowan - 11-6, 8 CG, 1 SHO, 2.38 ERA, 126.2 IP, 81 K, 19 BB, .230 BAA
• Michelle Kristoff - 9-10, 7 CG, 2 SHO, 2.75 ERA, 109.1 IP, 77 K, 39 BB, .240 BAA