Games #20-21
Lindenwood (10-9, 1-2 OVC)
vs. Evansville (12-11, 0-0 MVC)
Match Information:
Dates: Wednesday, Mar. 12th
Location: St. Charles, Mo.
Venue: Lou Brock Sports Complex
Start Times: 1:00 p.m. & 3:00 p.m. CT 
All-Time Series: 3-1
Last Meeting: L, 1-2
Live Stats: Link

On-Tap
Lindenwood softball concludes their 12-game home stand this week as they take on the Purple Aces of Evansville on Wednesday, March 12th starting at 1:00 p.m. CT for a mid-week double header. The Lions are coming off a 1-2 weekend to start Ohio Valley Conference play against Eastern Illinois at the Lou Brock Sports Complex.

To start the 2025 season, the Lions are 6-4 at home but were a perfect 4-0 at the Lindenwood Invitational two weekends ago. Lindenwood will have just four non-conference games remaining this season including these two games vs. Evansville and a home and home against Saint Louis University.

Last Weekend Recap
The Lions started OVC play against Eastern Illinois going 1-2 in a three-game series. After dropping the first game of the series by a score of 11-0 (5 inn.), the Lions responded with a walk-off win in game two by a final of 3-2. Sunday's rubber match went the way of the Panthers holding the Lions to one hit in a 5-0 win.

Irelynn West with the lead hitter at the plate across three games going 4-9 (.444 batting average) while adding a double and a home run in game two. She led the way in batting average and hits while posting the only two RBI for the team. Jolie McMinn and Teryn Brown both had two hits for the Lions in three games.

Ryleigh Owens posted a 1.85 ERA in two appearances last weekend posting a record of 1.1 She threw a complete game in game two picking up her fourth win this season. Overall, Owens pitched in 11.1 innings allowing three runs on seven hits while striking out five.

OVC Preseason Poll
The Redhawks of Southeast Missouri State were selected as the 2025 Preseason favorite, garnering nine first-place votes and finishing with 152 points after claiming the OVC Tournament Championship last season. They were followed by Southern Indiana who received six first-place votes (140 points) and 2024 OVC Regular Season Champion Eastern Illinois with five first-place votes (139 points).

Tennessee State follows the top three ranking fourth with 107 points followed by Tennessee Tech (82), Lindenwood (80), UT Martin (74), SIUE (73), Morehead State (30) and Western Illinois (23). There are a total of 27 conference games this season with each team playing the other schools three times.

2025 Statistical Leaders
Batting Average: Jolie McMinn (.318)
Hits: Irelynn West (17)
RBI: West (8)
ERA: Ryleigh Owens (1.87)
Strikeouts: Avery Wapp (40)

Head Coach Erin Brown
Erin Brown is entering her fourth season as the head coach of the Lindenwood softball team in 2025. 

Brown led the Lions to an OVC Tournament appearance after guiding Lindenwood to a 25-25 record. Lindenwood had an impressive home record in 2024 going 12-5 at Lou Brock Sports Complex. Irelynn West earned First Team All-conference honors while Amanda Weyh earned Second Team. Under Brown, the Lions swept cross-town rivals Saint Louis in two games during a home-and-home series. The Lions went 13-14 in OVC play. Brown also coached five CSC Academic All-District players.

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. Irelynn West and Dallis Darnell earned all-conference honors with West being a second-team selection and Darnell being named to the all-newcomer team. 

Up Next
Lindenwood hits the road for their first OVC away series against the Skyhawks of UT Martin in Martin, Tenn. starting on Saturday, March 15th for a double header. For more information go to lindenwoodlions.com.