Games #50
#6 Lindenwood (25-24, 13-14 OVC)
vs. #7 Tennessee Tech (22-22, 12-13 OVC)
Game Information:
Dates: Wednesday, May 8
Location: Peoria, Ill.
Venue: Louisville Slugger Sports Complex
Start Times: 10:00 a.m. CT
All-Time Series: 6-0
Last Meeting: W, 9-8 (8 innings)
Live Stats: Link
Watch: ESPN+

On-Tap
Lindenwood softball enters the postseason as the #6 seed in the Ohio Valley Conference Championships hosted at Louisville Slugger Sports Complex in Marion, Ill. The Lions, in their second Division I season, improved in both wins and OVC wins from 2023.

Heading into the tournament, the Lions will play in a single-elimination opening round matchup against the #7 seed Tennessee Tech on Wednesday, May 8th at 10:00 a.m. CT. The winner of that game will advance to the double-elimination portion of the bracket and will take on #3 Tennessee State at 3:00 p.m. CT later on Wednesday.

Eastern Illinois was the out-right OVC regular season champion and will be the #1 seed during the tournament. SEMO finished in second followed by TSU and Southern Indiana. #5 UT Martin and #8 SIUE will also play in the opening round single elimination game.

Last Weekend Recap
Lindenwood ended their regular season with three loses against Eastern Illinois in Charleston, Ill. The first two games of the series were a defensive battle with the Panthers winning both by scores of 3-1 and 2-1 (9 innings). EIU also won game three by a final of 12-0.

Avery Wapp pitched a complete game during game one despite picking up the loss. She finished with 6.0 innings pitched allowing three runs on four hits while striking out four. EIU had all four of their hits in the fifth inning while scoring three runs. Irelynn West and the lone RBI for the Lions.

Amanda Weyh was the starter in game two picking up a non decision in the process after tossing 5.0 innings allowing two hits and one run after a home run in the third inning. Wapp closed out the nine inning lose allowing three hits and one run which was a walk-off home run by Rachel Kaufman. Mya Bethany went 2-4 including an RBI double.

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: Mya Bethany (.292)
Hits: Mya Bethany (42)
RBI: Irelynn West (19)
ERA: Amanda Weyh (2.00)
Strikeouts: Amanda Weyh (159)

Scouting Tennessee Tech
Tennessee Tech is led by head coach Danielle Penner who enters her second season at the helm. Penner has coached the Golden Eagles to a 22-22 record this season, a 16 game improvement last season.

Carmen Betts has played in all 44 games this season for TTU and leads the team in batting average (.382), hits (52), doubles (13), triples (3) and RBI (41). As a team, Tech is hitting .283 which is second in the OVC.

Payton Wagner and Emily York both have an 8-4 record on the mound for the Golden Eagles. Wagner has started 17 games this season with 77.2 innings under her belt. York leads the team in innings pitched with 106 and strikeouts with 69.

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
Depending on the result of the first game, the winner between Lindenwood and Tennessee Tech will play #3 Tennessee State on Wednesday at 3:00 p.m. CT. For more information go to lindenwoodlions.com.