Red & Black Classic Schedule (Feb. 23-25Â | Boiling Spring, N.C.)
Feb. 23 vs. Marist College (10:00 a.m. CT)
Feb. 23 at Gardner-Webb (2:00 p.m. CT)
Feb. 24 vs. Hampton University (10:00 a.m. CT)
Feb. 24 at Gardner-Webb (2:00 p.m. CT)
On-Tap
Lindenwood softball travels to their final non-conference tournament of the season as they head to the Red & Black Classic hosted on the campus of Gardner-Webb University. The Lions will play four games this weekend against Marist College, Gardner-Webb and Hampton University. Sunday's game vs. Marist has been canceled prior to the start of the tournament.
Last Weekend Recap
The Lions went 0-5 last weekend at the Warhawk Invitational losing two games against Louisiana Tech and three games against Louisiana-Monroe. Lindenwood was led by
Lauren Pelton and
Chloe Honchar who both had two hits last weekend throughout the five games.
As a team, the Lions were held to a .104 batting average across those games while opponents hit .339. Despite picking up two loses,
Amanda Weyh had a 2.25 ERA pitching 12.0 innings allowing only three earned runs while striking out 10.
OVC Preseason Poll
Southeast Missouri State was selected to win the 2024 Ohio Valley Conference softball crown as voted on by the league's head coaches and communications directors last week. Lindenwood was picked to finish in seventh.
Eastern Illinois earned six first-place votes as they were selected to finish in second followed by UT Martin and Southern Indiana. The Lions finished last season with a 16-32 overall record including a 8-15 conference record. Lindenwood made the OVC Tournament during their first Division I season, losing a heart-breaker to Tennessee State in 10 innings.
Returning Statistical Leaders
Irelynn West returns as Lindenwood's best offensive player after she hit .364 last season on her way to an OVC Second-Team selection. West played in 37 games posting a team-high 44 hits and 15 doubles which ranked second in the conference.
Dallis Darnell, a sophomore infielder, started 47 of 48 games last season for the Lions. She hit .246 with an on-base percentage of .322. Darnell posted 33 total hits and scored 16 runs in her first season in a Lindenwood uniform. She was selected to the All-Newcomer season.
Morgan Gersch led the team last season in home runs with five and was second with 15 runs batted in.Â
Mya Bethany was also tied for second in RBI with 15. Bethany hit .264 last season for the Lions while scoring a team high 20 runs.
Head Coach Erin Brown
Erin Brown is entering her third season as the head coach of the Lindenwood softball team in 2024. In 2023, the Lions went 16-32, including an 8-15 mark against OVC competition. Lindenwood finished with a winning record at home (12-10) and swept eventual conference champion Eastern Illinois late in the year at Lou Brock Sports Complex.
Under Brown's guidance, the Lindenwood softball team capped a historic 2022 season in the NCAA Midwest Regional and a 35-13 overall record. The Lions' trip to the regional tournament marked the first in program history, as the team claimed the No. 4 seed. Lindenwood earned a notable win over No. 2 UIndy in late April, the highest-ranked victory in program history.
Prior to Lindenwood, Brown was the head coach at Truman State University in Kirksville, Mo., where she accumulated a 348-302 record in 13 seasons at the helm of the program. Over her final seven seasons with the Bulldogs, Brown amassed 233 wins and a .643 winning percentage. Brown led TSU to five NCAA Regional Appearances, and coached three All-Americans, 12 first-team All-Conference selections, 10 second-team All-Conference honorees, and four conference major award winners in 13 campaigns. The Bulldogs made the GLVC Tournament in every season under Brown.
Up Next
Lindenwood will host their own tournament next weekend at the Lou Brock Complex starting on Friday, March 1 through the 3rd. LU will take on Bellarmine and Green Bay throughout the weekend. Western Illinois will also play games against the two other schools. For more information go to lindenwoodlions.com.
