Games #34
Lindenwood (17-16, 6-6 OVC)
at Saint Louis (18-12, 6-3 A-10)
Match Information:
Dates: Wednesday, Apr. 3
Location: Saint Louis, Mo.
Venue: Billiken Sports Center
Start Times: 5:00 p.m. C.T.
All-Time Series: 1-2
Last Meeting: W, 1-0

On-Tap
Lindenwood softball has their final non-conference midweek matchup of the season on Wednesday as they take on our neighboring school Saint Louis at the Billiken Sports Complex in Saint Louis, Mo. at 5:00 p.m. CT.

The Lions earned their first ever victory over Saint Louis earlier this season at home with a 1-0 shutout in-part to Amanda Weyh throwing the first five innings of the game allowing just two hits. Avery Wapp picked up the save in the last two innings.

Last Weekend Recap
Lindenwood picked up their first sweep of the season last weekend in Cookeville, Tenn. as they went 3-0 against Tennessee Tech. Weyh picked up two wins last weekend and was tabbed the OVC Pitcher of the Week for her efforts.

In game one, Lindenwood won 3-1 over Tech after an impressive outing from Weyh on the mound. She went 5.2 innings pitched allowing four hits and one run with two strikeouts. Weyh also went 2-3 at the plate with her second home run of the season.
 
Four Lions had multiple hits including Weyh. Mya Bethany went 2-2 with a double and a solo RBI. Chloe Honchar and Irelynn West also had two hits each.

They then had a come from behind win in game two with a final score of 4-3. Weyh also picked up the win in relief throwing the game's final two innings while not allowing a single base runner. Honchar and West both had a second straight multi-hit game.

Morgan Gersch was the hero in game three with an RBI double in the top of the eighth inning to secure the sweep for the Lions. Avery Wapp dominated on the mound in the final 1.1 innings to pick up the final win.

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.

Statistical Leaders
Batting Average: Chloe Honchar/Amanda Weyh (.300)
Hits: Mya Bethany (25)
RBI: Madisen Noll/Irelynn West (12)
ERA: Amanda Weyh (2.25)
Strikeouts: Amanda Weyh (103)

Scouting Saint Louis
The Billikens are led by Cami Newbanks who is hitting .424 in 30 games this season with 36 hits and seven home runs. Newbanks also has a team high 34 runs batted in. Her RBI per game (1.19) ranks 23rd in the country.

Taylor Hochman leads the team on the mound with a 2.60 ERA in 18 appearances. She has tossed 91.2 innings this season allowing an opponent batting average of .248. She is 10-5 on the season.

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 returns home to Lou Brock Sports Complex this weekend to take on Morehead State for a three-game series. For more information go to lindenwoodlions.com.